12 Mar 2024
NDB Bank, in collaboration with Sirasa News 1st, marked the grand finale of the prestigious Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana Awards, a celebration of the remarkable achievements of Sri Lankan women for the fourth consecutive year. The crowning event, held on March 8th, 2024, at Stein Studios in Rathmalana, showcased the outstanding accomplishments of female trailblazers across the nation.
This program, which ran over seven months, encouraged women across the country to apply for a chance to be recognized at national level in their respective fields. This year's Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana witnessed an overwhelming response with over 2,000 entries from both the provincial and corporate sector competitions, making it a truly nationwide celebration of women's excellence.
Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana 2023 acknowledged exemplary women in various categories under the National Level including, Harshani Kumari for Entrepreneur (Micro Scale), Sharmila Velmurugan for Entrepreneur (Small Scale), Sanjeewani Perera for Entrepreneur (Upcoming), Ameena Ishees for Social Services, Gayani Piyadigama for Art and Literature, Sakunthala Munasingha for Education Services, Waruni Maheshika for Young Leadership and Thamara Saman Deepika for Sports.
The Corporate and Professional Sector Category celebrated professionals in fields such as Human Resources, Finance Management, Sales & Marketing, State Sector, Tourism, Art, Sports, and Entrepreneurship. Thrimuthi Dhanushka, Buddhi Pathiraja, Surahie S. Laxana, K.C.P. Gunarathna, Tara Gunasekara, Ms Upuli Panibharatha, Pushpamali Ramanayake and Janaki Kathriarachi were recognised in each category respectively, recognizing their remarkable contribution.
Athlete Tharushi Karunarathna earned the title of the Most Popular Woman in Sri Lanka through public SMS voting, adding an interactive element to the celebration. The Lifetime Awards Category recognized and appreciated the outstanding contributions of women who are experts in their respective fields with the highly coveted Vanithabhinandana Award. The six honorees of this award included figures like Veteran Actress Swarna Mallawarachchi, Veteran Announcer Sumana Nellampitiya, Emeritus Professor Kusuma Karunaratne, Deputy Director General - Department of Manpower & Employment Anusha Gokula Fernando, Sri Lankan netball player Tharjini Sivalingam and Athlete Tharushi Karunarathna.
NDB Bank, a pioneer in empowering women, not only facilitated the recognition of these accomplished women but is actively dedicated to shaping a better and more inclusive tomorrow for women. The Bank also contributed to their financial well-being through NDB Araliya, which promises to “give you more than you want for yourself." Winners received NDB Araliya Savings accounts with cash prizes, reinforcing the bank's commitment to support and encourage women's participation in the contemporary economy.
Commenting on the event, NDB CEO Kelum Edirisinghe stated that “Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana is not just an awards ceremony; it is a celebration of the indomitable spirit and extraordinary achievements of Sri Lankan women. NDB Bank is immensely proud to be part of this empowering initiative for the fourth consecutive year that recognises and honours the invaluable contributions of our female trailblazers. Their resilience, leadership, and commitment to excellence inspire us all. As we congratulate the winners and participants of Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana 2023, we reaffirm NDB's unwavering commitment to championing women's empowerment and fostering an environment where their potential knows no bounds."
The successful conclusion of Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana 2023 underscores NDB Bank's sustained efforts to champion and honour female achievers, making significant strides in shaping a more inclusive and empowered society.
NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. The Bank was named the Retail Bank of the Year (Sri Lanka) at Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2023 and the Best Corporate Bank 2023 by Asiamoney and also emerged as the Most Awarded Corporate in Sri Lanka in 2022 for the second consecutive year, as per the annual rankings of Sri Lankan publication LMD. The Bank was adjudged the Best Bank in Sri Lanka 2022 by Global Finance USA and Euromoney in their annual best bank awards programmes. Additionally, The Bank was named one of the "Top 50 Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka 2022" by Great Place To Work, USA. NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group. The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions.