Rajapakshe hails from a family in Walasmulla, Hambantota District. He commenced his career as a Banker and resigned after a period of 5 years to enter the legal profession. He holds a degree in Law from the University of Colombo and has been practicing in the field of law since 1984. He won the award for the Outstanding Young Person in the field of legal affairs in 1998 and was appointed as a President's Counsel in 2001. He had been an examiner in the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. While engaged in his legal practice, he held several public offices such as Chairman of the Rent Board of Review, Chairman of Sri LankaPress Council, Vice President of the World Association of Press Council, Director National Film Corporation, Director Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Managing Director Associated Newspaper Ceylon, Panel Chairman, to inquire into the allegations of misconduct against Attorneys-at-Law, Chairman of Disciplinary Committee, to inquire into the charges of doping, against Athletes.
Political career
In May 2004 he was appointed as a Member of Parliament to represent the ruling Party, Sri Lanka Freedom Party and was offered the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs which was refused by him. Later he continued as the only Member of Parliament on the government side, without holding any portfolio. Following the 2005 presidential elections, President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed him as the Minister of State Banking Development in November 2005, but he resigned in April 2006 on a matter of policy. He also resigned from the post of the SLFP Organizer of the Maharagama electorate. Thereafter he was elected the Chairman of the Committee On Public Enterprises in July 2006 and presented the first report in January 2007, which led to serious controversies both local and overseas. He gain publicity for high lighting corruption in the public sector. In 2007, LMD media services named him "Sri Lankan of the year 2007". In 2010, he was elected to Parliament from the Colombo District. In 2012, he was elected President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. During his tenure he led the Bar Association in support of former Chief JusticeShirani Bandaranayake during her impeachment. Following the 2015 presidential election he was appointed Minister of Justice. In 2017, he was sacked form his ministerial position by President Maithripala Sirisena at the request by the United National Party due to his views against the Privatization and involvements on Judiciary of Present Government. However, he was appointed Minister of Ministry of Higher Education & Cultural Affairs in May 2018. In 2018, with the on set of the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis, he was appointed to the new cabinet of ministers headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Education and Higher Education in October 2018.
