S.W.R.D. (Solomon West Ridgeway Dias) Bandaranaike (8 January 1899鈥?6 September 1959) was the fourth Prime Minister of Ceylon (later Sri Lanka); serving from 1956 until his assassination in 1959.

His assassination by a Buddhist monk shocked the world. Sri Lanka has long been a country associated with Theravada Buddhism and its strong principles of non-violence.

On 25 September 1959; Talduwe Somarama; a Buddhist monk dressed in traditional saffron robes; arrived at Bandaranaike's home in Colombo. Since Somarama was a member of the Buddhist clergy; he was not searched for weapons and given free access to the prime minister as he began his routine meetings with the public. When the monk's presence was intimated to him; the Oxford-educated Bandaranaike greeted him in the traditional Buddhist manner. The assassin then pulled a revolver that had been hidden in his robes; and fired at the Ceylonese prime minister. Bandaranaike was rushed to hospital but died the following day in spite of a six-hour surgery.

Somarama was allegedly involved in a high-level conspiracy; and was known to have strong nationalist sentiments. He was later hanged.