Umaria Sinhawansa becomes Most Popular Woman in Sri Lanka at Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana

Renowned singer Umaria Sinhawansa became the Most Popular Woman in Sri Lanka at the Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana 2021. The other nominated contestants were Yohani De Silva, Sashika Nisansala, Shalani Tharaka and last year’s winner Pushpa Ramyani Zoysa.

The Grand Finale of Sri Lanka Vanithabimana was held on the 8 March 2022 coinciding with International Women’s Day at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). The Vanithabimana initiative introduced by NDB Bank in partnership with Sirasa News 1st, has become a platform for Sri Lankan female achievers who are fast breaking new ground. The platform is a national level program that has empowered and recognised female achievers across different sectors who directly/indirectly contribute to the Sri Lankan economy. 

One of the main aims of the program is to get women to participate in the modern marketplace and to encourage and facilitate their entry to it. The program also takes steps towards appreciating and felicitating those women who actively contribute to the economy and society. 

The Grand Finale recognised the winners selected at a national level from the two main categories, namely the Provincial sector and the Corporate and Professional Sector. 

The winners from the Provincial Sector were as follows: K.D.U.T.K.Wimalarathna - Entrepreneurship (Micro), Lalitha Padmini - Entrepreneurship (Small), H.K.Nimali Prasangika - Entrepreneurship (Upcoming), D.S.P.Surangi - Education Services, T.H. Vishmi Kawshalya - Young Leader, Samanthi Miriyagalla - Literature, K.M.D.Omali Sanjani - Environment Management, Chandani Dissanayake - Voluntary Services, Sudarsini Sakthikumar - Invention and Innovation and Irangani Rupasinghe – Sports. 

The winners from the Corporate and Professional Sector were: A.K.G. Ayesha Imalika – Entrepreneurship, R.P. Radeeka Jayani – Tourism, Dr. Thesara V.P. Jayawardane - State Sector, Sriyani Kulawansha - Sports, Renuka Balasooriya – Art, Nilmini Rose Wijeyesekera - Legal Field, K. Nadee Silva - Sales and Marketing, Vindya Cooray - Financial Management, L.Y.P. Gayathri De Silva - Human Resources and Sandra De Zoysa - Information Technology.

Meanwhile, the “Once in a Lifetime” Appreciation Award felicitated five eminent veteran female personalities such as, Malini Fonseka - Veteran Actress, Sahithya Suri Felicitating Prof. Malani Adagama - Chief Secretary of “Mahawansa” Compiling Board, Anula De Silva - Veteran Author / Senior Journalist, Kala suri Visharadha Dr. Sujatha Aththanayaka - Veteran Singer / Sri Lanka’s First Woman Film Music Director and Jayathma Wickramanayake - UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth / Committee member of Sustainable Development of Youth Affairs in 2030.

The Sri Lanka Vanithaabhimana program conceptualised under NDB’s ‘Banking on Women’ initiative where female entrepreneurs and professionals can enjoy a number of banking facilities available under the NDB Araliya product including Araliya Business Loans (for Capital expenditure, Working Capital and for day-to-day operational expenses), Araliya Credit Card, Araliya Current Account, Araliya Savings Account, Araliya Debit Card, Working Capital facilities (**Subject to prevailing credit criteria of the Bank), Preferential interest rates, Insurance Schemes (Life Cover and hospitalisation benefits) as well as Non-financial Services under the Araliya Umbrella, all with the aim of empowering female entrepreneurs in their endeavours.

NDB Bank was awarded the “Best Digital Bank 2021” at the Asiamoney Best Bank Awards for Sri Lanka in addition to being crowned “Sri Lanka’s Best Bank 2021” by the prestigious Global Finance Magazine of USA, and “The Bank of the Year Sri Lanka”, by The Banker Magazine UK and is the “Most Awarded Corporate 2021” as per LMD ranking. NDB is the fourth largest listed bank in Sri Lanka and the parent company of the NDB Group. The only financial services conglomerate in Sri Lanka, NDB Group is uniquely positioned towards assisting the growth and development of the Sri Lankan financial market to provide its customers seamless access to the product and service offerings of all its group companies.