Outstanding Sri Lankans in US recognised at annual awards

Sri Lanka is increasingly receiving positive attention that it richly deserves but there are audiences that still need to be apprised of its true picture, Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya informed the Sri Lankan community in the United States.

He further noted that the paramount service that the nation expects from its sons and daughters living in the US and elsewhere is to share the correct story about the motherland.

The Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States made these observations when he delivered the keynote address at the 7th Annual Sri Lanka Foundation Awards held in Los Angeles on 11 November 2012.

“We have such a strong and patriotic Sri Lankan community here at the US and I am always proud to see your efforts to promote our country”, Ambassador Wickramasuriya intoned to the audience of over 400 Sri Lankan professional gathered at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles.

Further, the Ambassador urged the Sri Lanka community members to share the true picture of Sri Lanka with their respective congressional representatives.

Founded in 2003 by Dr. Walter Jayasinghe, a well-known Sri Lankan- American physician, the Sri Lanka Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promote Sri Lankan culture in the US. The ‘Sri Lanka Foundation Awards’ is an annual event held by the organisation to recognise deserving Sri Lankan expatriates who have excelled in all fields of human discipline.

This year’s awards recognised 10 outstanding Sri Lankan Americans under five categories. Dr. Dudley Halpe won the award for Sri-American for the year 2012. Prof. A.G. Unil Perera, Dr. Jay Sarath Gunasekara, Prof. Saman Warnakulasuriya, and Dr. Nandi Wijesinghe were awarded the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Awards. The President’s Award for the year went to Munir Akbar for his exceptional philanthropy to the community. Two young professionals, Dr. Nishad Jayasundara, and Melony Mahaaracchi won awards for the Outstanding Performance by Young professionals. Professor Kusuma Cooray and Dr. Sumudu Atapattu won awards for Exceptional Achievements in 2012.

More details about the winners can be found online via http://srilankafoundation.com/overview/