30th anniversary celebration of AIA Higher Education Scholarship awards a grand success

Scholarship recipients pictured with AIA officials

AIA Insurance recently marked a significant milestone, celebrating 30 years of its Higher Education Scholarship Awards at a prestigious ceremony held at Kings Court, Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo.

The AIA Higher Education Scholarships provides a monthly bursary to the top performers from each district at the Grade 5 scholarship examination, from the commencement of their Advanced Level studies until the completion of their university degrees. The objective of this initiative is to enable these exceptional students to pursue their academic aspirations without financial burden. This year’s event honoured the 24th batch of top-performing students from each district in the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, who are now embarking on their GCE Advanced Level studies. Notably, these scholarships are awarded purely on merit, irrespective of any affiliation with AIA customers.

The ceremony celebrated the remarkable achievements of these young scholars and highlighted AIA’s dedication to driving academic excellence and developing the leaders of tomorrow. Chief Guest Senior Prof. Raj Kumar Somadeva from the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, delivered an inspiring address, highlighting the importance of education and the role of corporate responsibility in empowering future generations.

Since 1994, AIA Insurance has been committed to nurturing Sri Lanka’s brightest minds through this long-standing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. Over the past three decades, the programme has positively impacted the lives of over 750 students, many of whom have excelled in diverse fields such as medicine, law, engineering, academia, and public service, contributing significantly to the nation’s progress. 

AIA Sri Lanka Director/Chief Executive Officer Chathuri Munaweera said: “This program holds a special significance for me, as I myself have benefited from the Sri Lankan education system. Therefore, I’m truly honoured to be part of a company that is committed to empowering the next generation of the country. The AIA Higher Education Scholarship program is unique in several ways. Firstly, it stands as one of the nation’s longest-running CSR initiatives dedicated to supporting higher education. Secondly, the selection of scholarship recipients is based purely on merit. Eligibility is not contingent on being a child of an AIA customer. This sets a distinct standard that we uphold continuously.”

“For 30 years, AIA Insurance has been privileged to support Sri Lanka’s most promising students through the AIA Higher Education Scholarships. This program reflects our core purpose of helping people reach their full potential in their lives, and we are immensely proud of the impact it has had on the lives of these young children and the nation, as a whole. We are excited to see what the future holds for these brightest minds and we’re honoured to be a part of their journey to academic excellence,” elaborated AIA Insurance Chief Marketing Officer Sasith Bambaradeniya. 

The event served as a powerful reminder of AIA’s commitment to improving the quality of life of the communities through long term stakeholder value creation and empowering the next generation of Sri Lanka’s leaders. As the new batch of scholarship recipients embark on their academic journey, AIA Insurance reaffirms its pledge to continue supporting their aspirations and contributing to the nation’s progress.