Mar 24, Colombo: Mrs. Violet Wickremasinghe, mother of First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and mother-in-law of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, passed away last evening at a private hospital in Colombo after a brief illness.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa paid his last respects to late Mrs. Wickremasinghe at her Mt. Lavinia residence today. First Lady, her brother, President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa are also pictured here. Funeral arrangements would be notified later, President’s office said.

(Picture by Sudath Silva)