CITATIONS - PLATINUM AWARD WINNERS
Carving a niche for herself as a dancer, combining the masculine and feminine forms to create a style and presence all her own, whilst continuing the legacy of her famous parents ; the finest exponent of Sri Lankan dance perfecting it to world class standards ; touring with the Chitrasena Dance Company as its Principal Dancer to the world's most prestigious stages ; Sri Lanka's cultural ambassador to the world ; inspiring numerous solos in both the Kandyan and the Low Country traditional dance forms ; the muse for Chitrasena and Vajira's greatest masterpiece Kinkini Kolama ; setting an example of discipline and perfectionism to both her contemporaries and her students ; a bridge that enabled the next generation to prosper by pursuing and perfecting dance for 50 years.
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Performing Arts awarded to Upeka Chitrasena .
To be accepted on her behalf by her sister Anjalika Melvani
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With a Ph. D from the University of Kansas under her belt, became a Post Doctoral Research Associate from 1994 -1995 and went onto join Procter & Gamble Pharmaceutical, USA from 1995 to 2001 ; a member of the American Chemical Society and the Vice Chair of the Biotechnology section of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists ; published over 15 research papers in peer reviewed journals, and four book chapters ; has presented her work at international meetings as podium and poster presentations; on the Editorial Advisory Panel of Bioanalysis Journal, UK and on the External Advisory Board, Adams Institute, University of Kansas, USA . She is since 2001 the Director at Amgen Inc, USA , a global biotechnology company.
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Science & Technology awarded to Dr Binodh De Silva.
To be accepted on her behalf by Mrs Nisansala Vithana
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The only Sri Lankan to receive the coveted Architects Regional Council of Asia (ARCASIA) Gold Medal and the first Sri Lankan woman to win the South Asian Architects Award, both in 2000 ; Commendation Award at the first ever Geoffrey Bawa Awards for excellence in Architecture in 2008 ; been bestowed the singular honour of an Honorary Fellowship by the prestigious American Institute of Architects in 2009, the first woman from the region spanning from France to the Philippines and the 2 nd Sri Lankan following Maestro Geoffrey Bawa ; an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a Fellow Member of ARCASIA, an Associate Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and International Life Member of the Indian Institute of Interior Designers .
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Architecture awarded to Nela de Zoysa
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A passionate business woman of minority who successfully dismantled one glass ceiling after another, to reach the top of the corporate ladder at two global giants in Canada, USA and India ; a high achiever with a passion for organizational leadership, strategic thinking, sound judgment and “never say no” attitude, progressed from Accounting Clerk to Corporate Controller, Vice President Finance and Managing Director/CEO ; acclaimed with the “India International Women Excellence Award 1994”.in honour and recognition of the contributions made to Kellogg India and the business fraternity in India . Now in retirement devotes her time as a volunteer Career Coach promoting diversity & recognition of professional immigrants in the Canadian job market, mentoring women and minorities to reach their full career potential in the Canadian work place.
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Industry awarded to Damindra Dias.
To be accepted on her behalf by Mrs Swineetha Coswatte .
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An outstanding contribution to the Engineering discipline recognized by the appointment as a Distinguished Engineer at Lucent Technologies, Bell Laboratories USA in 1999 . Bringing in the industry experience to Engineering Education through the continuous engagement of, and with, engineering students to improve their learning outcomes through innovative and effective problem-based teaching and a unique student development approach, was recognized with the 2006 award of the “Kelvin Medal for Teaching Excellence” presented to the Best Lecturer of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Melbourne, and a Carrick Australian Citation for University Teaching in recognition of Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in Australia, in 2007.
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Engineering awarded to Dr Shanika Karunasekera.
To be accepted on her behalf by her father .
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A Scientist and Public Health expert at the World Health Organization, whose contribution to Tropical Medicine has been honoured by prestigious national and international awards including the National Presidential Award (1983) ; outstanding awards from the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine, UK (1991) and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (1993) . Serves on and chairs international scientific and review boards and committees and has delivered keynote addresses in many international gatherings . Formerly, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, she has trained young professionals in scientific research in Sri Lanka ; is instrumental in the launch of the current global effort to reduce the burden of malaria in the world and now heads an important component of this initiative at the World Health Organization in Geneva.
Platinum award for international achievement in the field of Medicine & Health awarded to Dr Kamini Mendis.
To be accepted by her husband Dr Nalaka Mendis
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Extensive contributions to the field of Education made both in Sri Lanka and abroad; her knowledge of Biochemistry and Research Methodologies benefitting many Undergraduate and Postgraduate students at Universities in the UK, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka ; four books, several chapters in books and over 100 research publications to her credit ; International Awards received in recognition of contribution to Education and Research such as - Post doctoral and Teaching awards from the University of Southampton UK, the Commonwealth Medical Fellowship award ; WHO award for enhancing knowledge of Medical Education; Woman of the Year award from the American Biographical Institute USA; Research Award from Scotia Pharmaceuticals Canada & appointment awarded as a SAARC Professor from UGC Bangladesh
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Education awarded to Professor Ira Thabrew
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In a country ruled by the fundamentalist Taliban, at a duty station regarded as most dangerous, where spouses and family were barred, served in the United Nations Children's Fund at the head of the Jalalabad and Kabul offices, negotiating as many as 5 ceasefires for the conduction of the National Immunization program to vaccinate 4.5 million children, in addition to heading programs for Maternal & Child Health and education of girls in a country when education of girls was banned by the Taliban, work that demonstrated unstinting commitment to serve the cause of children and women, despite enormous personal risks, in recognition of which the Executive Director of UNICEF promoted her to the rank of UNICEF Representative, the only Sri Lankan woman to have held that title.
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Community Service awarded to Anoja Wijeyesekera
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Having obtained a Masters in Opera with the highest honours from the Royal Academy of Music, she was the first South-Asian soprano to perform as a soloist at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden in 2006. She has won rave reviews in the UK press ; prizes at five international vocal competitions in Spain, Holland, Finland, Turkey and Italy; adjudged Asian Woman of Achievement for Art and Culture 2009 in the UK ; sung for the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Malta and at HRH Prince Charles' 60 th birthday celebrations at Buckingham Palace ; all this in addition to an LLB and LLM from the University of Nottingham . She is scheduled to perform in Italy , UK , Brazil , Russia , Finland and Holland in the coming year.
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Performing Arts awarded to Kishani Jayasinghe Wijeysekera
To be accepted by her mother, Mrs Melanie Jayasinghe
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Well known equally in the fields of Medicine & Community Service ; synonymous with “Success”, the society for the upliftment and conservation of cultural, economic and social standards, in the former border areas in particular ; assistance to the Sri Lanka Military Hospital & “Ranviru Sevana”,: work acknowledged with the Service to the Nation Awards from the National Movement Against Terrorism & the National Patriotic Movement in 1999 and 2007 respectively ; winner of the S C Paul Gold Medal in two successive years for pioneering work on Malaria and on Japanese Encephalitis ; internationally recognized by been awarded a scholarship to Uppsala University, Sweden for the Best Clinical Teachers' Award in 1998 & conferred an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians for outstanding academic performance in 2001.
Platinum award for International Achievement in the field of Medicine & Health awarded to Dr Anula Wijesundere
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The accolades poured in, ever since her directorial debut ‘Gehenu Lamai' stormed the cinematic world in 1978, winning rave reviews and great international acclaim. Declared as an Outstanding Film of the Year 1978 by the prestigious London Film Festival, it shared the Jury Award with Mirinal Sen of India at the Carthage International Film Festival the same year.
‘Ganga Addara', her second, created Sri Lankan film history. It broke all box office records and won all the national awards. Then came ‘Yahalu Yeheli', ‘Maya', ‘Sagara Jalaya', ‘Loku Duwa', ‘Duwata Mawaka Misa', ‘Sakman Maluwa' and ‘Yahaluwo' with local and international acclaim. Showcased ‘In Competition' and in Retrospectives at leading film festivals around the world, her films have been dubbed into foreign languages. Crowning an illustrious career as a film director of international repute was the coveted Golden Lotus Award bestowed on her by the International Film Festival of Deauville, France in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Asian Cinema. Renowned as a film maker with a keen aesthetic sensibility and sensitivity which portray the feminine condition, both bouquets and brickbats lie lightly on her shoulder; she celebrates 50 glorious years as a film maker next year.
Life Time Achievement Award presented by the Visakha Vidyalaya Old Girls' Association awarded to Mrs Sumithra Pieris
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