Features

Establishing a self-financing Disability Studies Unit a the University of Kelaniya

Published

3 years ago

2023/10/8

(Excerpted from Memories that Linger: My journey through the world of disability by Padmani Mendis)

We had entered the last decade of the millennium. And I had aged into my sixties. I was thoroughly involved in my work, travelling extensively. Often, I would be away for eight or nine months of the year; never continuously, always coming home in between assignments. And I was tired. Long standing diabetes and knees degenerating from Osteoarthrosis were taking their toll.

So I said to my Swedish friends that I would like to have others take over and now stay at home. Kristina would have none of it. “But you can’t stop teaching,” she said, “I understand what you say. Instead of you having to travel about, we will bring students to you.” This was the first of three remarkable incidents.

At about the same time, Einar’s replacement at WHO had discussed with me the need to institutionalise Community Based Rehabilitatuin (CBR) in academia. He asked me to look for a suitable university on my travels that will be willing to initiate CBR education. This was the second incident.

The third is when, not too long after this, I received a message from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka, Professor M.M.J. Marasinghe, saying he would like to meet me. When we did so, he said that he would like to introduce disability as an area of interest to this university. Could I help him? Oh, could I!

A series of three coincidences. Destiny again?

I shared with the Vice Chancellor my work in CBR and my relationships with Radda Barnen, with WHO and with Uppsala University and their current thinking about the need for recognised education.

Prof. Marasinghe’s request was opportune. We could do something for sure. He brought in other faculty members for discussions. Prof. K. Tillekeratne, then Dean of the Faculty of Science was most supportive of the whole initiative. They would like to establish an educational activity in the Faculty of Medicine which was set up newly in 1991. Prof. Carlo Fonseka had been appointed its first Dean. He was invited to the discussions and was agreeable to the suggestion. This was now early January1993.

An International Delegation in Sri Lanka

One month later, a delegation of five headed by Yngve was in Sri Lanka. Others in the team were Einar’s successor in Geneva, Enrico Pupulin, Kristina Fenno from Radda Barnen, Tom Lagerwall from the Swedish Handicap Institute with whom also I had worked, and Ingrid Cornell, representing the Swedish International Development Agency which may provide financial support if the initiative was suitable.

I had arranged a programme for them to first meet Prof. Fonseka and decide on the preliminaries. With Prof. Fonseka later that morning the group met Prof. Marasinghe. In the afternoon Prof. Fonseka led the group to a long meeting with Prof. Arjuna Aluwihare, who was the Chairman of the University Grants Commission, UGC. Prof. Aluwihare and Yngve got on famously, sharing much in common as experienced medical academicians.

By the end of that meeting, a preliminary Memorandum of Understanding or MOU had been reached between the UGC and the international team. This was put into a draft document to be discussed further by each side before they next met.

The core of the draft was that a Disability Studies Unit (DSU) would be established at the Faculty of Medicine, Kelaniya University. It would function directly under the Dean. Its purpose would be CBR education, research and publications both at an international level and in Sri Lanka.

As an initial activity the DSU would organise and carry out over the next two years, two international courses in CBR, each six weeks in length, each for 20 – 25 participants. Financial support would be provided by SIDA and Radda Barnen and channelled through the International Child Health Unit or ICH of Uppsala University.

Details about how this would be done were also in the draft. When asked, the Swedish delegation made one request of Prof. Aluwihare. It was that I be given responsibility for the DSU and for the two initial CBR courses. Prof. Aluwihare looked at me and we smiled.

The same group met Prof. Aluwihare the next morning with further suggestions. The draft was finalised, made ready and signed by him and Yngve.

Late that afternoon, Yngve took a flight back to Sweden. All done and dusted within two days. The other team members stayed on until Friday, meeting relevant people for discussions. More information gathering really. Included was a field visit to a CBR project. We used this project later as one of the field study areas for the international course participants.

The Disability Studies Unit is Born

And so, the DSU came into being. Prof. Fonseka asked me to come in on an informal basis to get the DSU started until I was given a formal appointment. Prof. Fonseka was Professor of Physiology and I met him in his office. On this my first day he said to me, “Padmani, it will be easiest all round if I gave you space in this department.”

He took me to a large, spacious, airy room and said, “You can have this for the DSU.” It had a desk and a chair. I was happy with that. The post of “Course Director” was soon formally advertised and three applicants were interviewed. I took up my appointment on April 26, 1993.

There were two remarkable clauses in the Memorandum of Understanding. The first was that ICH (International Child Care Unit of the Unversity of Uppsala) would meet the cost of setting up the DSU. This included all the equipment we would need. Also, the salaries of three staff for the rest of the year, at the end of which Kelaniya University was expected to take over that cost.

It was this allocation that the Faculty used to employ for us Kodi and Senevi, two of my former physiotherapy colleagues. The three of us worked together to get the course going. They then participated in the first course to learn more about CBR. They became teachers on the local courses we organised.

Before he left, Yngve had asked me to make a list of the equipment that the Disability Studies Unit, DSU, would require and fax it to him as soon as possible. He said particularly, “Don’t forget to include a vehicle for your use.”

The second remarkable clause was that the two CBR courses were arranged on a “sell-buy” basis. The DSU sold each course wholesale to ICH to buy using funds provided by SIDA and Radda Barnen. This was Yngve’s innovation, with Prof. Aluwihare’s unhesitating concurrence. The DSU arranged the residential course programme, invited and hosted resource persons, estimated the cost of the course per participant and forwarded it to the ICH at Uppsala University.

ICH selected 20 – 25 international participants and forwarded to us information about them. We made arrangements for each participant’s return travel and made sure their itinerary and travel tickets reached them in time. Each was met at the airport and brought to the course venue and residence, the Mount Royal Beach Hotel, Mount Lavinia, then under Sri Lankan ownership.

ICH paid us for all these. On the first course the participants came from 12 countries. On the second, from 14 countries. The cooperation of Thomas Cook, Colombo was memorable indeed. There were no travel hitches for any single participant. That was their achievement.

The First International Course on Community-Based Rehabilitation

Yngve attended the first course to launch the cooperation and the course. In his honour, we asked the hotel to have all the flowers in blue (manel) and yellow (araliya) flowers. The hotel was amazed, remarking that these flowers are not expensive. To us it was not the cost, but the colours and the beauty of the flowers that was important. Blue and yellow are the colours of Sweden. The hotel had gone to town and placed them all over. Making the room quite festive and beautiful. We had large flags of both countries on each side of the top table.

We arranged travel and accommodation for our international resource persons in the same way. We invited Einar to both courses. He came willingly to share both his experience and his happiness about the whole thing. Other resource persons were “Baby” Estrella from the Philippines to share her experience of disability as a wheelchair user and Joy Valdez to share hers as a CBR pioneer in the same country.

For the second course and thereafter, we invited Joy as well as Javed Abidi from New Delhi to share his experience of disability and as that of a successful activist. We also had other international resource persons for specific modules. And eminent Sri Lankans for special topics.

Sri Lankan disabled people were always invited as resource persons as soon as we could, no later than the second day. There were a few participants who had never had prior exposure to disabled people. This was not surprising – those were the times.

The First Self-Financing Unit

There was a very significant and carefully planned outcome of this sell-buy agreement. Planned by Yngve. When the DSU costed each course, we could add a percentage of the total as the cost of organising it and of running it. This was profit that we maintained in our own bank account. The Faculty though, was responsible for it and only its staff could sign cheques. We could only see the monthly statements. We followed the same practice with all the local courses that we did.

Uppsala paid us in USD. For this, we were given permission by the Central Bank to maintain a USD account at the People’s Bank NRFC branch. An exceptional approval at that time. So the DSU (Disability Studies Unit) was wealthy! But we didn’t just accumulate this wealth. We used some of our profits to run our unit. We paid our own salaries, met the costs of running our own vehicle and hiring our own driver, and of all the material we needed for the unit. All fair and square and we donated a share to the Faculty. And we invested any to spare in fixed deposits so as to add to our capital.

The DSU was a profit-making venture. It was financially independent. And it was the first self-financing unit in our university system.

The DSU was the only section in the faculty that had its own vehicle. The Dean would ask for it whenever his was not available. Other faculty members felt free to do the same. Those were the early days of computers, and we had three; we had our fax machine, own phone line, photocopier, a library and absolutely all the equipment required to run the Unit. So it was no surprise that many faculty members were often in and out of our room. It was not long therefore that the DSU became “a part” of the faculty.

When that Memorandum of Understanding ended Yngve had retired and his replacement had taken over. He had not proved himself to SIDA so our MOU could not be extended. But the purpose of the MOU was achieved. DSU was now established in the faculty. It would grow.

And grow it did with increasing demands on our work. Made possible by Prof. Fonseka’s unstinting support. We ran two more similar international courses in the next three years. One was at the request of the two WHO Regional Offices for South East Asia and for the Western Pacific. The other we organised ourselves. I had still been doing international work and travelling. The DSU had good relationships with sponsors who had sent us participants over the three years. We advertised our course to these contacts. An adequate number purchased places on our course to enable us to run it independently.

By the time we completed just the four international activities, we had reached and prepared 89 participants from 27 countries to improve in one way or another, the situations and lives of countless disabled people in their own countries.

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Features

Why ‘Southasianness’ should continue to matter for the ‘SAARC Eight’

Published

4 hours ago

2026/09/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha (at centre of top table), other dignitaries and the RCSS team at the formalization of the SAU-RCSS agreement.

At a time when Sri Lanka’s foreign policy is coming under intense scrutiny by some local sections it is only right that impartial and independent commentators shed some clarity on what fundamental foreign policy directions Sri Lanka ought to take. The extremely fluid and complex nature of current international politics renders such an understanding crucially important.

Given its vulnerabilities in a number of spheres Sri Lanka has no choice but to persist in broadly following the path of Non-alignment. That is, it should be ‘a friend of all and an enemy of none’, to the extent possible. However, it does not follow that in the process it could compromise what is seen as its national interest.

The latter point needs stressing against the backdrop of the criticisms the Sri Lankan government has been attracting from some quarters over what is made out to be some opaqueness in security and defence cooperation agreements it has entered into with India. It remains advisable for the Sri Lankan government to enter into pacts of this nature with India, but the government is obliged to disclose the contents of these agreements to the Sri Lankan people without undue delay in consideration of the uncompromisable sovereign rights of a people in a democracy.

However, there is no denying that the government should make it a central foreign policy premise to always work in cooperation with India. A consideration of what it cost Sri Lanka in the past to be in a disharmonious relationship with India and how such policy missteps worked against Sri Lanka’s best interests ought to dictate to Sri Lanka the advisability of maintaining uninterrupted cordial ties with India. Moreover, common sense ought to drive home to a country the costs of being at loggerheads with one’s closest neighbour who has also proved a ‘ready friend in deed.’

That said, it is the bounden duty of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic community or establishment to ensure that such cooperation does not degenerate into a policy of subservience towards India. That is, finesse and farsightedness in local diplomacy become prime requirements.

While India’s geographical location and physical size, besides her other strengths, contribute towards her centrality in regional and world affairs, her neighbours would be thinking and acting far-sightedly if they not only focus on India and her legitimate interests but also ensure continuous friction-free intra-South Asian relations. That is, for them collective South Asian well being should be of fundamental importance.

Much more than for India perhaps, such harmonious ties are of inestimable importance to India’s neigbours who are up against multiple vulnerabilities which are to a great extent regionally rooted. The latter could never, that is, afford to take their minds off the region’s collective development prospects.

The above are some of the reasons why it could prove highly counter-productive and self-defeating for the ‘South Asian Eight’ to render dormant and ineffective the historic SAARC organization. Rather than ‘dead’ SAARC has been allowed to drift into the ‘Limbo of Forgotten Things.’

The growing inter-dependence of the ‘SAARC Eight’ ought to impress on the collectivity the need to step-up regional cooperation in multiple areas which impinge on its members’ legitimate interests. For instance, the youth-led ‘Cockroach’ revolts, first in India and subsequently outside, should convince South Asia that it is continuing to be plagued in a major way by poverty and equity-linked issues. That is, West-inspired, largely market economics-dictated ways to see an end to poverty are simply not working completely.

Likewise climate-related questions are ravaging South Asia in unimaginable ways; Nepal being just one case in point. The rationale for regional cooperation remains valid and undefeated. It is time for revived and stepped-up SAARC cooperation. That is, the solutions to the region’s development dilemmas need to be found in mainly the region.

This amounts to making a case for a continued sense of ‘Southasianness’ among the SAARC countries. That is the conviction should be firm that they know their developmental challenges best and that answers to these issues must be primarily evolved by the grouping itself in cooperation with concerned sections.

From the above viewpoints the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Colombo did very well to tie-up with the South Asian University (SAU), India, to increase public awareness on the developmental problems affecting South Asia and for initiating a number collaborative measures that aim at ameliorating them. The relevant agreement was formalized in early September at the RCSS. The sealing of the pact took place under the aegis of SAU President Prof. K.K. Aggarwal and RCSS Executive Director Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha.

A press release issued by the organizations said the collaboration aims ‘to foster research networks, partnerships and collaborations for transformative change across South Asia.’ It also mentioned that the partnership marked the first agreement to be signed by SAU with an independent think tank in Sri Lanka.

Among other things, pacts such as the above are bold moves in the direction of fostering a spirit of intellectual independence in those areas of the South facing some of the stiffest developmental challenges. Rather than ‘import’ solutions to these challenges from outside the region, the SAU-RCSS initiative aims at fostering fresh approaches to evolving solutions to problems that are uniquely South Asian.

It is hoped that the SAU and RCSS initiative while leading a to a greater degree of Southern intellectual independence in the area of development thinking would also help in kick-starting the SAARC process all over again in a major way.

What ought to lend fresh urgency to the latter undertakings are fast-breaking current developments in international politics. It ought to be perceived by the most underdeveloped regions of the South that going forward their well being would matter least or not at all to the major powers of both East and West.

For example at the time of writing the foremost among US and Chinese political leaders are meeting in the US in what is made out to be a historic coming together of sorts to address issues of common concern. It is highly unlikely that the parties would be addressing the economic preoccupations of the least developed countries. The same goes for other states that matter from the East and West.

Essentially, the US and China would be looking at ways of strengthening business ties that matter majorly for them. The South and its issues would prove to be of peripheral interest, if at all they happen to matter to the protagonists. Such developments ought to be fresh reminders to the South and their collaborative organizations that there is no escaping self-help and joint solidarity.

Features

Is Sri Lanka prepared for global literacy crisis?

Published

4 hours ago

2026/09/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

by Prof. M.W. Amarasiri de Silva

Adult literacy has for a long time been one of Sri Lanka’s greatest sources of pride, serving as a social indicator that has set the country apart from several of its neighbours in the region. For many years Sri Lanka has been recognised for keeping its literacy rates at a level like those of middle-income countries and even some high-income ones, even though it has faced economic difficulties and political instability. However, since new global research has now shown an unexpected and concerning decline in adult literacy in several high-income countries, it is important to consider what this means for Sri Lanka.

The phenomenon described by Jishnu Das, Yash Dhuldhoya and Ethan Sager, the unexplained fall in functional literacy among adults in wealthy nations. calls for a more thorough examination of the nature of literacy, the pressures exerted by the modern information environment, and the vulnerabilities that Sri Lanka might encounter as it moves towards a more digital, ageing and complex society. Even though Sri Lanka’s basic literacy rates remain high and steady, the global trend acts as a warning that literacy is not a fixed accomplishment but a dynamic capability which must be continually fostered, safeguarded and adapted to changing circumstances.

Decline in functional literacy

The drop in literacy rate in high-income countries is not due to people losing the ability to read or write in the ordinary way. On the contrary, it reflects a decline in functional literacy, which is the capacity to deal with, understand, and apply information in real-life situations. This kind of literacy involves following instructions, comprehending official documents, using digital interfaces, interpreting medical information, and making sense of complicated texts that demand continuous attention.

Researchers stress that the decline cannot be attributed merely to disruptions caused by COVID-19 or the increasing use of smartphones; instead, there is going on something more fundamental: a weakening of the cognitive and informational bases that adults need to function properly in modern society. In countries such as the United States, the percentage of adults regarded as functionally illiterate has increased significantly, indicating that even highly educated societies are having difficulty in keeping up the skills required to handle ever more complex streams of information.

Sri Lanka immune?

At first sight, Sri Lanka seems to be immune from this trend. The country’s adult literacy rate is still above 92 per cent and youth literacy is even higher. According to the 2024 Census, literacy rates exceed 97 per cent among people aged ten and over, with nearly equal levels between the sexes. These figures show the continued strength of Sri Lanka’s system of free education, a system which in the past has guaranteed widespread access to school and has produced generation after generation of citizens who could read and write at a basic level.

There has also been a steady improvement in educational attainment, with an increasing number of adults finishing secondary education and a larger proportion going on to tertiary institutions. Unlike the mysterious drops observed in rich countries, Sri Lanka’s literacy figures demonstrate stability and even a slight improvement.

However, although the surface appearance is reassuring, an even more complicated reality exists. The literacy figures for Sri Lanka only record basic literacy, that is, the ability to read and write simple sentences, and they do not include measures of functional literacy. It is impossible to tell from these statistics whether adults can interpret a bank statement, understand a medical prescription, use an online government portal, or critically assess information that is spreading on social media. As is shown by the global trend, having a high level of basic literacy does not ensure a strong degree of functional literacy. On the contrary, functional literacy can fall even if basic literacy stays the same. This difference is important for Sri Lanka, particularly since the country is currently experiencing rapid digitalization, demographic ageing, and social change.

Major risk factor

A major risk factor is the move towards digital information environments. In high-income countries, researchers believe that the prevalence of smartphones and short-form digital content may be diminishing people’s ability to engage in deep reading. Nowadays, individuals take in information in short, rapid segments by scrolling through social media feeds, quickly reading headlines, and viewing short videos. Such behaviour decreases the opportunity for sustained reading, which is necessary for keeping comprehension, critical thinking, and the capacity to deal with complex information intact.

Sri Lanka is going through a comparable change. There has been a sharp increase in the number of people using smartphones, and social media sites have become the main sources of news, leisure, and communication. Although there are many advantages to having digital access, it also results in a situation where superficial reading becomes the standard approach and could therefore lead to a decline in functional literacy over time.

Demographic ageing as challenge

A further challenge that is coming up is demographic ageing. Sri Lanka is rapidly moving towards becoming an ageing society, with an increasing number of older people who might experience cognitive decline, have less exposure to new information, and enjoy few opportunities for further learning. In high-income countries, ageing populations have led to a fall in functional literacy since older individuals have had difficulty adapting to digital systems and complicated bureaucratic procedures.

The older generation in Sri Lanka, many whom were educated many decades ago under different curriculum standards, could end up becoming increasingly vulnerable in a world in which essential services, such as banking and healthcare, are being moved online. If appropriate support is not provided, the country may witness a growing gap between basic literacy and functional literacy among older adults.

In Sri Lanka, the way in which administration and the workplace are organised has in the past placed greater trust in personal communication and on basic forms of documentation. What in high-income countries would require complex reading is instead carried out through face-to-face contact in Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, this situation is now changing. Government services are becoming available online, banks are introducing digital systems, and in workplaces there is an increasing need for employees to use electronic systems. Since these changes are happening at a faster rate, the demand for functional literacy will increase. Should adults not be able to meet these new demands, Sri Lanka might start to see the kind of decline in literacy that has been seen in other places.

Misinformation and disinformation

Another worry is the spread of misinformation and disinformation. In Sri Lanka, there has already been the quick dissemination of false information via social media, with this having an impact on public health, politics, and social cohesion. Since functional literacy is essential for allowing people to assess sources, doubt the claims made, and tell the difference between reliable information and falsehoods, a lack of functional literacy causes societies to be more open to manipulation, polarisation, and confusion.

The fact that there has been a global drop in functional literacy at the same time as misinformation has increased points to a dangerous feedback cycle: when literacy is low people become more prone to misinformation, and the misinformation in turn damages their ability to think critically about information. Given that the country has a high level of social media use and a lack of digital literacy training, Sri Lanka should take this risk seriously.

Even though there are these risks, Sri Lanka has several advantages which can assist in avoiding a drop in functional literacy. The country’s system of basic education is still strong, showing high enrolment figures and good results in basic literacy.

Families in Sri Lanka still place a great deal of importance on education and reading is still a respected cultural activity. Furthermore, because of its relatively small size and the fact that it has a centralized form of government, it is more efficient than in bigger countries to carry out nationwide literacy campaigns. These strengths offer a firm basis for developing new strategies for protecting and improving functional literacy.

Literacy a process

It should be realised by Sri Lanka that attaining literacy is not a single accomplishment achieved in childhood. In the modern world, literacy must be a skill that is constantly put into practice, kept up to date and adapted to changing circumstances. The fact that adult literacy is declining worldwide shows that even in wealthy countries with well-developed education systems deterioration can occur if adults are not supported in keeping their cognitive and informational abilities. Sri Lanka cannot afford to be careless.

It is necessary for the country to invest in adult education, in programmes concerning digital literacy and in the development of cognitive skills for all age groups. It also needs to establish ways of measuring functional literacy rather than just basic literacy so that policymakers can detect emerging weaknesses and act in advance.

A vital measure is to increase the opportunities for adult learning. Although Sri Lanka has effective literacy programmes based in schools, the country’s infrastructure for adult education is limited. Community centres, libraries, universities, and vocational institutes should take on a more significant role by providing courses, workshops, and reading programmes which are tailored for adults. The programmes should place an emphasis not just on reading and writing but also on digital navigation, critical thinking, and information processing. Adults should be given the chance to practise the skills that are necessary for them to function effectively in a rapidly changing world.

Importance of digital literacy programmes

It is just as important to have digital literacy programmes. Since an increasing number of services are being offered online, adults need to learn how to use digital tools with confidence and in a safe manner. This involves knowing how to fill out online forms, moving around on government websites, using banking apps, and being able to spot misinformation. The digital literacy courses available should be accessible, affordable, and adapted to different age groups, especially older adults who might feel put off by technology. Schools can also contribute by incorporating digital literacy into their curriculum so that future generations acquire good functional literacy skills from an early age.

Sri Lanka should also investigate introducing policies which promote cognitive health among older people. Since cognitive decline can lead to a deterioration of functional literacy, it becomes more difficult for older individuals to deal with information. It is possible to help keep cognitive function by setting up programmes that promote reading, social interaction, physical activity, and continued learning. During regular medical visits, healthcare professionals should include cognitive assessments so that any problems affecting literacy-related skills can be picked up early.

Sri Lanka needs to create tools for measuring functional literacy, since the figures available on basic literacy give an incomplete account of the country’s capabilities. By using assessments of functional literacy like those employed in high-income countries, Sri Lanka would be able to monitor how well its adults can apply their literacy skills in real-life situations.

Features

From Colombo to Vegas: Sri Lankan talent shines at WCOPA

Published

4 hours ago

2026/09/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

Chris with Sachini Ayendra, the very first contestant who represented Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2015 / Bronze winner at WCOPA 2026 Natharie Wickramasinghe with her parents

The World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) is known globally as the Olympics of performing arts, but Sri Lankans came to know of it more closely when Natharie Wickramasinghe, representing Team Sri Lanka at WCOPA 2026, in Las Vegas, earned a Bronze Medal in the Ethnic/Folklore Dance category.

Behind Sri Lanka’s WCOPA journey is Sri Lanka-born Chris Rajendra, who migrated to the United States in 2007, and deserves special congratulations.

Passionate about discovering and promoting talent, Chris has been actively involved in the pageant and performing arts, industry since 2002.

A major milestone came in 2015, when he introduced WCOPA, to Sri Lanka, for the first time, creating an international platform for Sri Lankan performers.

Sachini Ayendra became the very first candidate to represent Sri Lanka at WCOPA, in 2015, marking the beginning of Team Sri Lanka’s journey.

Chris served as National Director for Team Sri Lanka from 2015 to 2018, and has returned to the role for the 2026–2027 term, continuing his commitment to identifying, developing and promoting Sri Lankan talent internationally.

His involvement in pageantry and performing arts includes:

Recruiter, Miss Nevada United States – 2014

Chris Rajendra: National Director – WCOPA Team Sri Lanka

Manager, Miss Colombia Las Vegas – 2013 to 2017

Director for the West Coast and International Divisions of Ms. Latina International and Ms. International World – 2017

National Director for Team Sri Lanka – WCOPA, 2015–2018 and 2026–2027

Co-National Director for Team USA – WCOPA 2026

In the USA, Chris began his career in retail before transitioning into insurance and financial services, where he built extensive experience in sales, marketing, leadership and business development.

He owned and operated a brokerage, affiliated with multiple insurance companies, and later served as Marketing Director with Transamerica and World Financial Group.

As his business expanded across Las Vegas and California, he continued to hone his expertise in sales, marketing and client relations. He now works as a Sales Executive at Hilton Grand Vacations.

Looking ahead, Chris will shortly launch the application process for Team Sri Lanka 2027, giving talented Sri Lankan performers another opportunity to represent the country on the world stage.

The 2027 World Championships of Performing Arts will take place in Las Vegas, USA, in July or August 2027.

Through his work in both the corporate and performing arts worlds, Chris Rajendra continues to combine leadership, networking and talent development — creating opportunities for Sri Lankan performers to showcase their abilities on a global platform.