Russel Arnold Life’s winding road Q: How would you describe your connection with Sri Lanka? A: I am a proud Sri Lankan… I cherish the rich history and cultures of Sri Lanka, and consider myself lucky to born in such a beautiful island. I’m identified as a Sri Lankan even though I reside in Australia. Q: In your capacity as an international commentator, where do you see ‘brand Sri Lanka cricket’ heading in the next 12-24 months? A: In 12-24 months’ time, I think brand Sri Lanka cricket will be better because of the skill and talent that we possess,…
Author: LMD International
Prof. Suranjith Seneviratne Always a Sri Lankan Q: You are a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka… What entices you to visit so often? A: For me, beautiful Sri Lanka is ‘home.’ Any person would be drawn back to their roots and when it comes to a paradise nation like ours, the number of reasons for visiting frequently could be in the hundreds. A central reason in my case is that I want to give back to the wonderful country that trained, nurtured and developed me, enabling me to move on to the world stage. My medical speciality is at the…
NISHAN SILVA World of opportunities Q: Could you describe your connection with Sri Lanka? A: I was born in Sri Lanka. It is my home and always will be. I believe there is no place as beautiful as Sri Lanka! Q: What advice would you offer Sri Lankans who are planning to relocate to the UAE for work? A: TheUAE is one of the best countries on Earth to live in and work – especially Dubai. Approximately 80 percent of the population are expatriates. As such, Dubai is a melting pot of cultures with over 200 nationalities represented. Its position…
We need to cut our coat according to the cloth – this is the biggest challenge we face
Jithran Ekanayake Exploring new vistas Q: What led you to pursue a career in space synthetic biology? A: My primary academic interests while growing up were healthcare and education. While I was interested in space, I didn’t realise I could realistically engage in the field during my lifetime – until I moved to the US and was directly exposed to career pathways within the country’s space programme. During my third year at college, I worked hard to find a field of study that was sufficiently interdisciplinary to reconcile healthcare, education and space exploration. I came across a seminal paper about…
Dr. Chandi Jayawardena Opportunity knocks Q: What lessons have you learned from your diverse experience in different countries? A: I’ve learnt that each time I land in a country to work or complete an assignment, I should invest time to understand the ABCs of the community I’ll be serving or leading. My concept includes a quick analysis of attitudes and aspirations, beliefs and behaviour, and culture and customs. Thereafter, I focus on applying ‘PA & PR’ – my concept of a quick personality analysis for better public relations. Q: And what is the stiffest challenge you have faced in your…
Kalyani Rodrigo Back to basics Q: How would you describe your connection with Sri Lanka? A: I have a strong connection since Sri Lanka is where I was born and spent most of my life. The majority of my family and friends live in Sri Lanka so I visit at least once a year. Q: You visited Sri Lanka towards the end of last year… What were your three main takeaways? A: First of all, I had no trouble enjoying a good vacation during my last visit with my American partner. It was his first visit and he left the…
Shantha de Silva Laying the foundation Q: Could you summarise your experience in the hospitality sector? A: My hospitality journey began with InterContinental Hotels – one of the largest hospitality companies in the world. I went from earning merely AUS$ 5 (in today’s terms) a month to being responsible for a regional business unit generating an annual turnover of nearly one billion dollars. Today, I am pleased to be able to lead the hotel division of the Pro-invest Group, a global private equity real estate fund manager, positioned as the largest independent owner and operator of hotels in Australia. Q:…
Kanya D’Almeida The hunt for clarity Q: When did you first realise that you wanted to write for a living? A: In my opinion, all writers ‘write for a living’ – in the sense that it’s a way of interpreting life, understanding the living or imagining other ways to live. I never set out to write thinking it would pay the bills – it doesn’t! Even as a full-time journalist, I struggled; I freelanced and was always on the hunt for other work. I have realised that if I wanted fiction writing to be anything other than a hobby in…
WASHINGTON D.C. BUILDING BRIDGES Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe underscores the importance of engaging with fellow Sri Lankans living overseas Q: In brief, what are the current trade opportunities for Sri Lankan exporters in the United States? A: The US became Sri Lanka’s largest export destination over many years, accounting for more than 26 percent of its global exports last year and offering trade opportunities for many Sri Lankan products in the American market. There are opportunities for Sri Lankan garments, value-added rubber products (including tyres, gloves and other such products), precious and semiprecious stones, cinnamon and pepper, coconut-based products, tea, activated…