IDL and East India Holdings commit to Northern economic revival

IDL Chief Executive Officer Janek Jayasekara 

• Private sector pledges support for Northern Economic Summit 2026 as region enters new era of opportunity

In a significant show of private sector commitment to regional development, East India Holdings, parent company of International Distillers Ltd., (IDL), has announced its partnership with The Management Club to support the Northern Economic Summit 2026, scheduled for January in Jaffna.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Cinnamon Grand last week, IDL Chief Executive Officer Janek Jayasekara outlined the conglomerate’s vision for the North, emphasising that the initiative transcends conventional corporate sponsorship to reflect a deeper commitment to balanced national progress.

The company’s engagement with the Northern Province carries particular significance given the personal connections of its leadership. 

Chairman and Managing Director Ravimohan Tissanayagam hails from the historic Tissanayagam-Barr Kumarakulasinghe family, whose roots trace back to Jaffna. This heritage, combined with his conviction that national prosperity must be built on equitable regional development, underpins the Group’s involvement in the initiative.

The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust, established by Tissanayagam in memory of his late wife, carries forward a distinguished lineage. Rukmini Tissanayagam was a great-granddaughter of both Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam and Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, two towering figures in Sri Lankan history renowned for their intellectual contributions and public service. Today, the Trust continues this legacy through programs promoting education, empowerment, and community development across Sri Lanka.

Jayasekara characterised the Northern Province as standing at an exciting juncture, a region defined by resilience and renewal, rich in heritage, talent, and untapped potential. With a robust educational foundation, dynamic youth population, and significant infrastructure improvements including the KKS Port, Palaly Airport, and Yarl IT Hub, the region is positioned to emerge as a hub for trade, technology, and enterprise.

East India Holdings has identified substantial opportunities for public-private partnerships that could generate employment, empower young people, and support local entrepreneurs, particularly women-led businesses and small and medium enterprises. The company stressed the importance of pursuing development while safeguarding the region’s cultural identity and environmental resources, ensuring growth remains both inclusive and sustainable.

Jayasekara framed the Northern Economic Summit as more than a business event, describing it as “a call to action” to unite vision with responsibility and connect local capabilities with global markets. Critically, the address emphasised that development in the North should not be viewed as a regional concern but as a national imperative.

“The private sector has a vital role to play in shaping Sri Lanka’s future, not only through investment and innovation but also through empathy and meaningful engagement with the communities that sustain us,” Jayasekara stated, articulating a philosophy that places social responsibility alongside commercial objectives.

On behalf of East India Holdings, Jayasekara extended appreciation to The Management Club, the Government of Sri Lanka, and all partners contributing to the Summit’s realisation. The company expressed pride in participating in what it described as a journey uniting “heritage and hope, enterprise and empathy, community and country” for the benefit of Northern communities, national prosperity, and future generations.

The Northern Economic Summit 2026 is expected to bring together policymakers, business leaders, and international investors to explore opportunities in one of Sri Lanka’s most historically significant yet economically underutilised regions.