District 82 welcomes new leadership for Toastmasters year 2025-2026

Tuesday, 15 July 2025 02:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From left: Bhathiya Hettiarachchi DTM, Niroshan Nadarajah DTM, Piyakara Jayaratne DTM

Having marked its 100th anniversary in October last year, Toastmasters International enters its second century with renewed purpose and global momentum. As part of this worldwide movement, District 82 — encompassing Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the British Indian Ocean Territory — has announced its new leadership team for the 2025-2026 Toastmasters year.

District 82 has long been recognised for its culture of excellence, strong leadership, and educational impact. As the district continues to cultivate confident communicators and empower leaders across the region, it now looks ahead under the guidance of a newly appointed trio — three accomplished Toastmasters who bring deep experience, vision, and dedication to their roles.

District Director – Distinguished Toastmaster Niroshan Nadarajah

Niroshan Nadarajah is the Senior Manager – International Brand Marketing at Renuka Holdings PLC. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Bangalore and is a Chartered Marketer with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK). A committed Toastmaster since 2008, Niroshan has held numerous key leadership roles within District 82. As District Director, he will lead the district’s strategic direction, focusing on empowering members, enhancing club quality, and fostering a culture of excellence across all levels.

Program Quality Director – Distinguished Toastmaster Bhathiya Hettiarachchi

Bhathiya Hettiarachchi is a professional banker with over 25 years of experience at Sampath Bank PLC. He is also a respected lecturer and examiner at several leading professional institutions in Sri Lanka. A Toastmaster for more than two decades, he is a Distinguished Toastmaster, former Evaluation Contest Champion of District 82 (2010), and the second runner-up at the 2004 “Pro Talk” Prepared Speech Contest organised by the Territorial Council of South Asia. He has served in numerous leadership capacities including Division Governor, TLI Chair, and Club Growth Director. Bhathiya brings both academic and practical insights into the role, ensuring a high-quality, impactful learning experience for all members.

Club Growth Director – Distinguished Toastmaster Piyakara Jayaratne

Piyakara Jayaratne began his career at Hatton National Bank PLC in 1990, rising from a Banking Assistant to Senior Manager in Corporate Banking. His professional journey includes international assignments in Dubai and Italy and key roles in marketing, leasing, customer communications, and strategic recoveries — where he pioneered HNB’s first centralised early recoveries unit.

In 2005, Piyakara discovered his second calling in Toastmasters. Since then, he has served as President of HNB Toastmasters, Area Director, President’s Distinguished Division Director, Assistant Chief Judge, and now, Club Growth Director of District 82. With no formal academic qualifications, his leadership journey is shaped by lived experience, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to personal development and uplifting others.

Together, this accomplished trio brings a powerful blend of strategic vision, practical wisdom, and a shared passion for empowering people. Their collective leadership will further elevate District 82’s mission of building confident speakers and transformative leaders across diverse communities.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.