Anushka Madurasinghe: A role model for today’s aspiring chartered accountants

They say all our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. However, only a handful possesses the courage to go that extra mile and reach for the stars. Anushka Dilrukshi Madurasinghe is one such exception who has not only successfully conquered the impossible possibilities, but that too at a very young age.

Today, at just 26 years, Anushka stands proud as a Chartered Accountant holding a highly esteemed position at the country’s national accounting body, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICASL) as the Technical Manager.

A student of Vihara Maha Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Kiribathgoda, she was the all-island first in the GCE A/L Commerce in the year 2004 and the top scorer in the commerce stream, which led her to take up an ambitious career path in accounting following a scholarship granted to her from the ICASL.

A go-getter, Anushka never let competition bog her down, with true dedication and commitment; she successfully emerged victorious in all the examinations during her stint as a student at the ICASL winning eight ICASL examination prizes which are annually awarded to the best students.

Among her achievements at ICASL, Anushka was awarded First in Order of Merit Prize in the Foundation Examination held in January 2005, Third in Order of Merit Prize in the Intermediate Examination in January 2006 and the First in Order of Merit Prize in the Final 1 Examination in April 2007.

“The ICASL offered me a full scholarship to follow the Chartered Accountancy qualification and by the age of 25, I became a Chartered Accountant, which was a significant milestone in my life,” she said.

She attributed her success to the teachers who guided, encouraged and mentored her to pursue a career in accountancy.

Anushka did not limit herself to only the professional qualification she was studying for  at the ICASL, but concurrently studied for a degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

She completed her B.Sc Accounting (Special) with a First Class from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, winning two gold medals at the annual convocation of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Incidentally, the gold medal she won for the best student in the field of financial accounting was awarded to her by the ICASL.

Professionally, an Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, Anushka emphasised that the Chartered Accountancy qualification is not a mere accounting qualification but was a qualification which imparts a substantial quantum of business and financial management knowledge into the study programme.

“I found the three year audit training period to be of immense use. It not only helped me acquaint myself with the organisational set up but also gave me the opportunity to be thorough with the knowledge that I gained in the classroom. The IT training and English programmes conducted by ICASL helped me enhance my exposure to IT and sharpen my general skills which gave me the necessary confidence boost,” she added.