Life style

Upali Wijewardene: He reached for the stars

Published

5 years ago

2022/02/13

On a day like this 39 years ago on February 13, 1983, Sri Lanka’s much loved business leader, Upali Wijewardene, who captured the imagination of an entire nation vanished without trace in his Lear jet with five others on board. They were returning to Colombo from Malaysia where his Kandos chocolates had hit dizzy heights.

His disappearance engulfed the the region with shock and disbelief. US Orion surveillance aircraft, Soviet and Australian warships, Indonesian minesweepers, Indian airplanes, Malaysian patrol boats and Sri Lankan fishermen were all mobilized in search operations to no avail. ‘What if Upali lived? What really happened to Upali?’ continue to be yet unanswered questions.

If Upali Wijewardene was a sensation in life, he was elevated to a legend after he went missing just four days short of his 45th birthday.

Wild theories about his disappearance were floated around and Colombo’s children of the 80s were said to have devised a game called ‘Finding Upali’s Plane.’ A larger than life figure and a maverick who embraced life with such gusto had disappeared; but he continues to live in the heart of a nation.

The Sunday Island recaps the saga of its founder who was once dubbed ‘the ‘Quintessential Entrepreneur of Asia’ and ‘the man who would be President’

By Randima Attygalle

“My philosophy is to do what you know how to do well and from this I mean you must have the knowledge right all the way through…” reflected Philip Upali Wijewardene, or ‘PUW” as he was fondly called, in an interview with the Malaysian Business in December, 1981. In a technologically austere time, long before the digital revolution when a direct international call had to be ‘booked.’ Wijewardene plunged into chocolate-making, assembly of cars, newspaper publishing, aviation, plantations and much more. As was once documented, ‘the success story of Upali, is the story of how small Asian companies can grow into multinational corporations. It was a precursor of the coming of age of the ‘entrepreneurial Asian.’

Philip Upali Wijewardene was born on February 17, 1938 to Don Walter Wijewardene (from Sedawatta walauwa ) and Anula Kalyanawathi Wijesinghe (from Miriswatta Walauwa) at his famous paternal grandmother Helena Wijewardene’s mansion, Sri Ramya, in Colombo (where the present American Centre stands). Upali grew up amidst the affection of his two older sisters, Anoja and Kalyani and a bevy of cousins. He received his kindergarten education at Ladies’ College and later at Royal College, Colombo. When he turned 15, Upali was sent off to St. John’s School Leatherhead in England. Having read Economics at the University of Cambridge, the 21-year-old debonair Wijewardene returned home in 1959 and was recruited by Lever Brothers as a Management Trainee. The corporate rigours and an eternally irate boss left the young recruit drained in two years.

Having quit Levers in 1961, the blue-blooded Wijewardene did not fall back on his family wealth but sought his own fortune first with a friend’s ailing confectionery plant which he re-baptized as Delta and a few years later with Kandos – the brand promoted by Ceylon Chocolates Ltd. In 1970, with the demise of its founder Chairman, Senator Sarath Wijesinghe, his nephew Upali Wijewardene who was expanding his business empire took over the reins of that company.

True to Wijewardene’s philosophy: ‘plunge in and get on with it’, the expanding fully-fledged cocoa processing plants and factories in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand enabled Kandos to be internationally present and rub shoulders with Nabisco, Mars, Cadbury and Hershey’s. At the time of his disappearance, Wijewardene claimed to be the only fully-integrated cocoa processor in Asia, with businesses ranging from growing cocoa to manufacturing cocoa-based consumer products. The cocoa tree which still adorns the Upali Group’s head office in Colombo and the taller tree which once stood at the door to his luxurious home in Pantai Hills in Kuala Lumpur, which he aptly named ‘Cocoa Hill’, says it all.

Following his uncle D.R. Wijewardene, the press baron, he went on to launch The Island and Divaina snubbing feasibility studies of foreign experts who warned him that the national newspaper market was already saturated. The exercise, as he alluded to the Insight magazine in May, 1981 five months ahead of its launch, was one of his ‘fun-projects’ but analysts say that political ambitions down the road were part of the story.

Just two months following the success of the newspaper, in an interview with a Malaysian business journal, Wijewardene gleefully remarked: “it must be a world record of some sort.” He went onto note that the newspaper’s popularity probably has more to do with editorial policy and style, adding tongue-in-cheek: “they said there was no market, but people must have got tired of reading gazettes!” As the founder editor of the Island, Vijitha Yapa once recalled, Wijewardene was “an editor’s ideal publisher who never interfered with the independence of the newspaper.”

The present Managing Director and CEO of the Upali Group of Companies, Nimal Welgama recollects: “Upali was a man with tremendous energy which he employed in everything he did. He was mischievous, had a sense of fun and in the last lap of his life, not only gave of himself to his many private enterprises but also contributed his time and skill for public purposes; hence his period as Chairman and Director General of the Greater Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC), the predecessor of the Board of Investment (BOI).”

Having worked for the Upali Group as a young man, Welgama recounts his one-time boss ‘making waves in his own inimitable style.’ “He was ever conscious that his father died young and he did not expect to attain a venerable old age. At the time his life was so tragically snuffed out, he used to say that the accent is on enjoying”.

The emblem of the business group he set up – the blazing copper sun with a ‘U’ in the middle was a motif of Wijewardene’s own personality says the Upali Group’s CEO. “The warmth of his personality, like that of the sun, was felt by the many people he befriended. He was good to his employees, people who served him at various levels, and in return had not only their loyalty but their affection.”

From steering a multinational to being the Chief Basnayake Nilame of the Kelani Raja Maha Vihara, Wijewardene donned many hats. His string of thoroughbreds and Labradors stole a large part of his heart. His beloved ‘Charlie’ is said to have kept a long vigil for months after he disappeared, waiting for his master who never returned.

“My late uncle Upali’s signature facet was his love for speed. This he applied in expanding his business empire. He bought a Lear jet and obtained a Red Passport as the Chairman of GCEC because he was a man for speed and a fast decision-maker. Even his other indulgences including his love for horse and car racing reflected this,” recollects nephew, Dhammika Attygalle who was 18 at the time of his uncle’s disappearance and is now a Director of the Upali Group of Companies.

Sporting his ‘Red and Gold Cross Slash’, Wijewardene’s Rasa Penang, Varron, Kandos-Man, General Atty, King of Zulu and Cornwall Garden shone at Royal Ascot, Singapore Derby and Perak Derby, ridden by none other than Lester Piggot. “One time Chairman of the Board of Stewards of the Sri Lanka Turf Club, he would even do a tarmac transfer to his helicopter and would make it to Nuwara Eliya, sometimes just minutes before races were to start.

The luxury S-Class Mercedes Benz 116 which he imported from Malaysia was the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. Upali mama used to travel to Nuwara Eliya or Kamburupitiya (his maternal home town) after dinner to save time and to reach the destination fast,” recollects Attygalle who goes on to note that his late uncle initiated Ruhunu Udanaya Movement to develop his maternal home town Kamburupitiya from where he had ambitions of being elected to Parliament..

A fan of Victor Ratnayake, C.T.Fernando and Milton Perera, Wijewardene would also enjoy the country-western timbre of Jim Reeves, who as he had once conceded, ‘puts him in a pensive mood for thinking up new business schemes.’

Having built a global corporation which spanned several countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the USA in the 1970s and the early 80s in an era of snail mail, telegrams and pre-booked international calls when communicating with people abroad took weeks and travel overseas was expensive and a luxury, her late uncle’s confidence and ‘can do’ attitude inspired her, says niece Lakmini Wijesundera, Co-founder and CEO of IronOne Technologies and BoardPAC. “Today, we have instant communication access and the speed of business is fast-tracked. Asia and the South East Asian regions have comparably good infrastructure to perform. Therefore, the great strides and speed at which he operated despite the obstacles in a technologically-Spartan era is outstanding and stands out among the rest even by today’s standards,” says Wijesundera, a successful entrepreneur herself.

She further remarks that her uncle had his sights up high and was not discouraged by past benchmarks. Therefore, he was able to carve new paths and futures and created an impact in the minds and hearts of Lankans whom he inspired to ‘dream big.’ He hammered home the message that we didn’t necessarily have to be conservative in what we wished to attain.

“His focus on branding was unmatched,” reflects Wijesundera who points out that the Free Trade Zones and concepts of similar nature were supported and led by him to create a fresh economic future for Sri Lanka – models which were innovative then and sucessfully adopted by several other countries in the region.

Watching her Upali mama’s helicopter landing on the flat roof of his Thurstan Road residence was an unforgettable memory for young Lakmini and her siblings. “We were so excited to be part of this rare experience at that time,” she smiles adding that she recalls him to be full of life with a great sense of humour and always with a smile. Thirteen years old at the time her uncle vanished, Wijesundera who relished her mother’s stories about her brother ‘starting from scratch with great determination at a young age.’ She believes that her Upali mama personified the belief that anything is possible with the correct mindset- a mantra that she believes in today.

A man who would think big, Wijewardene would advance from Upali Fiat and UMC Mazda to ‘Upali Aviation’. – the only domestic flight which would bridge the North and the South. The halting of the operations of the Upali Airline was a double whammy to fellow Jaffna countrymen who not only saw the flight as a vehicle of better communication between Jaffna and Colombo but also its founder as a harbinger of hope who would have possibly bridged the economic disparity between North and South.

Describing Wijewardene as ‘Sri Lanka’s most colourful businessman who has made a fortune both at home and abroad’, Matt Miller in his article under the banner ‘The man who would be President’ documents in May, 1981, ‘now he is turning his abundant energies and resources to a new arena; politics.’ Noting that ‘Upali’s current passion for politics is matched only by his passion for racehorses,’ Miller goes onto write: “And now the 43-year-old commodities wizard has started what could be called Upali’s Third 20-Year-Plan: ‘The first 20 years were education,” he says, “the second business and the third politics.” He would “be willing”, he says with uncharacteristic restraint to become president of Sri Lanka someday.”

With his suave personality and witty repartee, Wijewardene was a darling of the press. Adorning cover pages of coveted international business journals, he still remains the only home-grown Sri Lankan entrepreneur owning a multi-national to have been featured in the prestigious Fortune magazine.

The present Editor of the Sunday Times, Sinha Ratnatunga, then a young journalist who was one of the close acquaintances of Wijewardene privy to the last moments of the tycoon recollects: “When Upali left for the airport around 6.30 p.m. that day, I left at the same time for Ana Seneviratne’s residence. He was then the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Kuala Lumpur. I was to stay there until I flew to join my father who was in Jakarta.

The High Commissioner was getting calls well past midnight and it was only in the morning I heard that Upali’s plane hadn’t arrived in Colombo. I was not particularly taken aback or overly concerned straightaway thinking it was typical of him to go off the beaten track as Upali could be so unconventional even in his planes. It was only by midday while at Genting Highlands watching the cable cars going about that I got that eerie feeling that the plane must be missing.”

As veteran journalist Ajith Samaranayake once commented, “politicians Sri Lanka had known before (included) poets, pundits, scholars, sportsmen, film stars and singers alike. Philip Upali Wijewardene, however, did not belong to any of these moulds. He was not moulded out of the common clay. He broke the mould and reshaped it closer to his heart’s desire.” In Wijewardene’s own words his image in the villages is of “an international businessman of whom they are proud… The villager identifies only with success and for the youth I am probably the culmination of their aspirations.”

On a personal note, although I was merely a child at the time of Mr. Wijewardene’s untimely demise, I was fortunate to have become a part of the legacy he left behind for Sri Lankan journalism. While Kandos chocolates, Delta toffees, his landmark home in Colombo and the resplendent Nuwara Eliya bungalow and its garden- (which often clinched the ‘Best Garden’ award during the April season) and his Lear jet were motifs I often associated with him as a young child, becoming part of his newspaper allowed me a vantage point to this towering personality.

One of my favourite research subjects, I often hear anecdotes about this trendsetter by my senior colleagues. My editor Manik de Silva who was Mr. Wijewardene’s first choice to edit The Island (which he has recounted under the title The job I didn’t take) has many stories I have savoured – particularly the one about the young Upali knowing he had got the Lever Brothers management trainee job when the sudda boss took him and his rival to the Galle Face Hotel to lunch to check out their table manners. “When my rival titled his soup bowl towards himself and not the other way, I knew I had the job,” Upali had said,

My other colleagues Zanita Careem and Anneston Weerasinghe who were recruited by Mr. Wijewardene more than 40 years ago remember him as a man of infectious charisma who would turn heads not just once but twice.

I’m only humbled to have clinched the award given in his name (Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year) multiple times – twice from a newspaper he founded. I’m indeed fortunate to have become part of the publication he founded 40 years ago as a platform for liberal expression without fear or favour.

Each time I hear the rustle of the wind blowing through the cocoa tree he planted in the Upali compound, and look at the splendid dome of St. Lucia’s Cathedral nearby towering overhead, I remember Elton John’s Candle in the wind he sang for Marylin Monroe.:

‘And I would have liked to have known you

But I was just a kid

Your candle burned out long before

Your legend ever did….’

All News Advertisement

Life style

Tourism gets a World Bank powered boost

Published

5 days ago

2026/09/6

Thilina Walpola

By Zanita Careem

With Sri Lanka tourism entering a new phase of growth, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe outlined the Government’s forward looking approach, stressing that Sri Lanka must move forward, and must move beyond short term promotional efforts and build a tourism industry backed by clear strategy, stronger planning and measurable results. At the recent Press Conference, held at the SLTPB, Sri Lanka Tourism launched two World Bank supported consultancy assignments to develop a national tourism strategy and global promotional campaign road map, as the country seeks to attract high spending visitors and generate greater economic reforms. The National Tourism strategy planning consultancy for 2026-2031 will prepare a five-year framework, covering a forward looking approach, centred on transforming tourism into a more competitive sustainable and high value sector. For Sri Lanka, this initiative marks an important shift towards strategic, sustainable and inclusive tourism development with the aim of giving greater economic opportunities to the people. The Deputy Minister said the country does possess the natural beauty, cultural heritage and hospitality needed to compete globally. What is required now, he emphasised, is a coordinated approach that brings together government, industry stakeholders and international expertise.

For Professor Ranasinghe the way forward is not simply about bringing more tourists to Sri Lanka but about creating greater value from every visitor, diversifying markets, encouraging investment, strengthening the tourism institutions and developing a destination that can complete confidentially on the world stage. His speech reflected a clear message, Sri Lanka has the attraction, diversity and potential to compete with the world’s best destinations, but must be driven by stronger strategy, sharper global marketing and co-ordinated action.

He emphasised that Sri Lanka has not lacked tourism plans in the past. Previous governments and tourism authorities had undertaken considerable work and developed important plans but the challenges was that these efforts had not given the strength, continuity and implementation mechanisms needed to produce the desired results. The new approach, he stressed, is about giving tourism greater teeth through stronger planning, better governance, targeted investment, sustainable development and a much aggressive presence in the international markets.

(Q) Why is the launch of the National Strategies Planning Consultancy a major milestone for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry?

(A) The launch marks a turning point because it introduces a structured, evidence-based framework for tourism development. For years, Sri Lanka focused primarily on increasing visitor numbers, but despite strong arrivals, revenue growth lagged. This consultancy, supported by the World Bank, ensures that future strategies emphasise value creation, sustainability, and inclusivity. It is the first time Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is being aligned with global best practices, institutional reforms, and a clear roadmap for implementation, making it a landmark initiative.

(Q) What are key priorities that the new national tourism strategy will focus on?

(A) The new strategy prioritises enhancing visitor spending and length of stay, reducing revenue leakage by strengthening local supply chains, modernising institutions and regulations, and embedding sustainability across all tourism activities. It also emphasises skills development through curriculum modernisation at SLOTH, digital transformation of tourism data systems, and diversification of tourism products to attract high-value segments such as wellness, eco-tourism, and cultural tourism.

(Q) What major gaps in Sri Lanka’s existing tourism strategy do you hope to address?

(A) Previous strategies were heavily arrival-driven, with limited focus on yield per visitor. There was weak differentiation among destinations, limited integration with local communities, and insufficient institutional coordination. The new plan addresses these gaps by embedding sustainability, strengthening provincial tourism bureaus, diversifying products, and ensuring that tourism revenue benefits local communities more directly.

(Q) What is the vision behind Sri Lanka’s new global promotional campaign road map?

(A) The vision is to reposition Sri Lanka as a premier global destination by highlighting its unique blend of culture, nature, and wellness. The campaign, developed with international expertise, will use data-driven marketing, influencer collaborations, and destination storytelling to reach high-value markets. It aims to move beyond generic promotion and instead create a strong, differentiated brand identity for Sri Lanka.

(Q) How will this campaign change the way Sri Lanka is positioned and marketed internationally?

Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe: New international narrative for Sri Lanka

(A) Sri Lanka will be marketed not just as a tropical island but as a destination offering diverse, high-value experiences. The campaign will highlight wellness retreats, heritage tourism, eco-adventures, and community-based experiences. This repositioning will attract discerning travellers who seek authenticity and are willing to spend more, thereby increasing tourism’s contribution to the economy.

(Q) How will the Ministry ensure that the strategy does not remain another document, but is actually implemented?

(A) The consultancy includes costed action plans, institutional reforms, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure accountability. Stakeholder workshops and validation sessions will embed ownership across government, private sector, and communities. The Ministry is committed to ensuring that this strategy translates into tangible outcomes through structured implementation and regular progress reviews.

(Q) Are we ready to market Sri Lanka to the world at a much bigger level or do you first need to fix the gaps in the visitor experience before spending heavily on promotion?

(A) Both aspects must go hand in hand. While global promotion is essential to reposition Sri Lanka, the visitor experience must be strengthened to ensure repeat visitation and positive word-of-mouth. The strategy priorities service standards, infrastructure, and product diversification so that promotional spending translates into genuine value for visitors and communities alike.

(Q) What does the World Bank’s involvement bring to Sri Lanka’s tourism strategy that was missing from previous initiatives?

(A) The World Bank brings international expertise, credibility, and funding support. Its involvement ensures that Sri Lanka’s strategy is benchmarked against global best practices, with stronger institutional frameworks and better data systems. Unlike past initiatives, this partnership emphasizes sustainability, inclusivity, and value-driven growth, ensuring long-term resilience for the industry.

(Q) Will the World Bank’s expertise help Sri Lanka move from simply increasing tourist arrivals to attracting high-value tourists?

(A) Yes, the World Bank’s guidance is focused on shifting from volume-driven growth to yield-driven growth. By strengthening product development, diversifying markets, and embedding sustainability, Sri Lanka will attract high-value tourists who spend more, stay longer, and contribute positively to local communities and conservation efforts.

(Q) Will the new strategy place greater emphasis on sustainable and responsible tourism?

(A) Absolutely. Sustainability is at the heart of the new strategy. ECT-tourism, community-based tourism, and conservation initiatives will be scaled up to protect Sri Lanka’s fragile ecosystems and heritage. Responsible tourism practices will be embedded across the industry to ensure that growth does not come at the expense of the environment or local communities.

(Q) With the World Bank bringing international expertise to Sri Lanka’s tourism strategy, what is the one major transformation for the world to see in Sri Lanka as a tourism destination?

(A) The major transformation will be Sri Lanka’s repositioning as a high-value, sustainable destination. The world will see Sri Lanka move beyond being a volume-driven market to becoming a model of responsible tourism, where visitors enjoy authentic experiences while contributing to local prosperity and environmental conservation. This shift will redefine Sri Lanka’s global image and ensure long-term competitiveness.

Life style

When food becomes the language of connection for Chef Sajesh Nair

Published

5 days ago

2026/09/6

Thilina Walpola

Royal medley of Indian flavours-at Nair’s Navaratne

By Zanita Careem

Behind every memorable dining experience is a chef whose passion transforms ingredients into something extraordinary. At Taj Samudra Colombo, the hotel’s Executive Chef, Sajesh Nair brings culinary artistry, precision and a deep understanding of flavours, curating dishes that are as refined as they are memorable.

With his passion for quality ingredients, attention to details and commitment to culinary excellence, Chef Nair continues to create flavours, turning the finest ingredients into culinary masterpieces, and transforming the dining table into a stage of indulgence.

Behind every memorable dining experience is a Chef who understands that food is more than what appears on a plate. For Chef Sajesh Nair cooking has been a lifelong journey, shaped by tradition, discipline, curiosity and a passion for authentic flavours.

With an impressive 30 years in the culinary tradition, including 17 years with Taj Hotels, Chef Sajesh Nair has built a career round creating a distinctive dining experience, while remaining deeply connected to the heritage of the cuisines he represented.

His journey with Taj has taken him through some of the group’s most prestigious properties. He was the Executive Chef at the celebrated Taj Falakruma, in Hyderabad, where he became particularly recognised for his expertise in Hyderabad and Nizami cuisine. “My philosophy was rooted in preserving traditional techniques while presenting them with refinement and creativity.” My passion for cooking began at an early age, “My journey was shaped by an early and lasting influence of my father.’’ It was through him that Sajesh developed an appreciation for food, discipline and dedication behind creating something truly special.

Turning ingredients into memorable experiences

His culinary credentials also came into spotlight when he led the team preparing an elaborate royal inspired menu for a high profile dinner at Taj Falakuma Palace, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ivanka Trump.

At Taj Samudra Colombo, Chef Sajesh brought his wealth of experience to Sri Lanka’s hospitality scene. His culinary leadership extended to many restaurents, including the revamped Indian Restaurant Navaratne where he has created an experience, centred around cuisines from all parts of India. Adding depth to this culinary journey, Chef Sajesh philosophy fits naturally into the restaurant’s identity, offering guests an introduction to India’s culinary traditions while maintaining the standard of Taj hospitality. Navaratne has become more than an Indian restaurant, it’s a culinary passage to India with Sajesh Nair’s experience in helping bringing its flavours, traditions and stories to the table. Chef Sajesh Nair has a long Taj Hotel career and in Sri Lanka, as the Executive Chef of Golden Dragon – one of the hotel’s specialist restaurant, where he has brought his expertise and creativity to the kitchen, creating flavours that have delighted diners from all walks of life. His association with Golden Dragon, the Chinese restaurant, began in India where he worked at the restaurant as part of his early Taj Samudra hotel’s career. That experience gave him the exposure to the Chinese wider culinary techniques at the Golden Dragon Colombo.

Chef Sajesh Nair: Executive Chef, Taj Samudra, Colombo. Maestro behind flavours

At Taj Samudra Colombo, the Yumi Japanese restaurant is one of the hotel’s speciality dining outlets, His strength lies in creating dishes that balance authentic flavours with contemporary presentation, while his attention to detail and understanding of ingredients gave each creation its distinctive character. He embraced a wider gastronomic repertoire, mastering flavours and techniques from across the world. Chef Sajesh Nair’s culinary canvas extended beyond Indian cuisine. Nair’s role was not simply about mastering one cuisine but about creating different dining experience to suit different tastes. He curated extensive festive menus at Ports of Call and worked across the hotel’s speciality restaurants .

Chef Sajesh Nair’s journey extends beyond the restaurant kitchen with his career giving him opportunities to prepare food for celebrations, distinguished personalities and high profile guests in Sri Lanka and abroad. His work at the Golden Dragon and at the Yumi restaurent further reflect his versatility as a executive. Chef Nair led the culinary team at Taj Falaknuma Palace when a dinner was hosted for Narendra Modi.

Chef Nair and his team prepared the elaborate five-course royal Hyderabad/Nizami menu for Ivanka Trump during her Hyderabad visit. Mukesh Ambani and Ratan Tata both were among the prominent. Indian business leaders who attended the gala dinner. Among the distinguished personalities to experience Chef’s culinary artistry was Cherie Blair, who was among the guests at the glittering banquet at Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderbad during the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit. He also curated menus for Mohamed Azharuddin’s wedding reception at Taj Mahal Palace. At this wedding he worked as a young Chef de Partie at the hotel where he won rave reviews. Later he steadily worked his way through the demanding hierachy of professional kitchens.

In Sri Lanka he has created menus for cricketers, both Sri Lankans and Indians. He was also the part of the team when he created various menus during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka when he stayed at the Taj Samudra. He has also curated menus for all the higher profile personalities, like corporate clients and political figureheads, including the PM of Sri Lanka, Harini Amarasuriya.

From royal banquests in India to distinguished tables in Sri Lanka, Chef Sajesh Nair’s culinary journey is one marked by experience, versatility and an enduring passion for creating memorable dining experiences. His career reflects a Chef who has continually evolved with the times, while remaining rooted in the craft.

He quipped “For me food is more than what is served on a plate it is a way of connecting people.”

Life style

CCWE National Workshop calls for collective action

Published

5 days ago

2026/09/6

Thilina Walpola

Yassas Hewage, Chairman, Industrial Development Board, with Amélie July, Deputy Director for Sri Lanka AFD, and Dr Ayanthi Gurusinghe

The Ceylon Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs (CCWE), in collaboration with the University of Kelaniya, brought together policymakers, development partners, private-sector leaders, academics, civil society organisations and women entrepreneurs at the National Workshop “Advocating for Change: Women’s Economic Empowerment through Collective Action.”

The workshop formed part of the FAME – Feminism: Action and Mobilisation for an Inclusive Economy Project, supported by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and focused on identifying practical pathways to create a more inclusive and enabling entrepreneurial ecosystem for women in Sri Lanka.

The national dialogue provided a platform to bring together policy-level perspectives with the experiences of women entrepreneurs and grassroots organisations, while presenting research evidence on the barriers, opportunities and institutional changes required to strengthen women’s participation in entrepreneurship and economic development.

Welcoming participants, Dr. Ayanthi Gurusinghe, President of the Ceylon Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs, emphasised that women’s economic empowerment cannot be achieved through isolated interventions or training programmes alone. She highlighted the importance of connecting women entrepreneurs with finance, technology, markets, knowledge, networks and policy-making institutions, while ensuring that the voices of women, at community level, are represented in national discussions. She noted that the purpose of “Advocating for Change” is to bring these different voices together and move from identifying challenges towards practical and sustainable solutions.

Dr. Gurusinghe further stressed the importance of collective action among government institutions, development partners, academia, the private sector, women’s chambers and community organisations to create meaningful economic opportunities for women across Sri Lanka.

Partnerships for Progress:

France’s Continued Support for Women’s Economic Empowerment, Matthieu John, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of France, highlighted the importance of partnerships in advancing inclusive economic development and reflected on the contribution of the FAME partnership in Sri Lanka.

Together we rise: power of collective action

He emphasised the value of strengthening women’s participation in economic decision-making and creating opportunities that enable women not only to establish enterprises but also to build sustainable businesses capable of contributing to employment, innovation and economic growth.The participation of France and AFD in the programme reinforced the importance of international development partnerships that support locally led initiatives, research, advocacy and collective action for women’s economic empowerment.

Creating an Enabling Ecosystem for Women Entrepreneurs:

Delivering the keynote address, Yasas Hewage, Chairman of the Industrial Development Board (IDB), focused on the importance of creating an enabling ecosystem in which women entrepreneurs can move beyond micro and livelihood-based enterprises towards sustainable, growth-oriented businesses. He highlighted the role of enterprise-development institutions in providing entrepreneurs with access to technical knowledge, technology, productivity improvement, business-development services, finance and markets.

Hewage also emphasised that strengthening women-owned enterprises should be viewed not merely as a gender or social-development intervention, but as an important component of Sri Lanka’s wider industrial and economic development

The National Workshop concluded with a call for stronger coordination and continued collective action among government, development partners, financial institutions, academia, the private sector, women’s organisations and entrepreneurs.

Among the broader priorities emerging from the dialogue were the need to strengthen access to finance and markets; improve technology, digital and business-development support; create stronger pathways from micro-enterprise to sustainable business growth; strengthen institutional coordination; improve access to opportunities for women outside Colombo; and ensure that women entrepreneurs have a stronger voice in policy and economic decision-making.

CCWE emphasised that the dialogue is intended to contribute to a wider process of evidence-based advocacy for women’s economic empowerment, ensuring that recommendations are informed not only by research and institutional perspectives but also by the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs themselves.

The workshop reaffirmed a central message: Women’s economic empowerment is not solely a women’s issue—it is fundamental to Sri Lanka’s inclusive economic growth, industrial development and long-term prosperity.