V AWARDS: Top 26 Shortlist

1. Dr. Sinniah Thevananthan (Colombo)
Flowers bloom to spread their sweet fragrance and little children are born to be kings and queens someday. Similarly, the Osilmo Center was set up as by Dr. Sinniah Thevananthan as a ray of hope for parents of autistic children.

2. Lakshmi Rathnayaka (Colombo)
Giving hope to silent and inconsolable hearts to look at pain through a positive light Lakshmi Rathnayaka has been the heart and soul of Sumithrayo’s efforts in counseling services to prevent the extreme effects of those suffering from personal difficulties.

3. Dr. Kapila Kumara Gunawardana (Kandy)
Dr. Kalipa Kumara Gunawardana has been a saviour in providing educational support for university students. He has provided a safe haven to many in need becoming a brother to them through supporting religious clergy through education.

4. Dr. Gamini Goonatilleka (Colombo)
At times a life saver, at times an educator Dr. Gamini Goonatilleka is a truly kind hearted human being. As an expert in the field, he has provided free healthcare to those that need it the most.

5. Kushil Gunasekara (Colombo/Galle)
With the belief that goodness is the greatest investment and broadening the horizons of Sri Lankan children, Kushil Gunasekara founded the Foundation of Goodness. His services to the people of Sri Lanka will be etched in their hearts.

6. Pearl Marigold Gorge Stephen (Kandy)
Women’s Development Center provides a safe clean home for women caught in the turbulence of violence. This true safe haven has been created and founded by Perl Marigold Gorge Stephen for women reaching out for a helping hand.

7. Sharmini Perera (Kandy)
The Home for Hope provides love and care to children who have lost their loved ones at a time when they need it the most. She provides hope and support for young children through her organization.

8. Heenbanda Hettiarachchi aka. ‘kalu aiya’ (Anuradhapura)
Despite not being a medical man himself, his commitment towards collecting medicinal plants and seeds to concoct them into healing medicine packs earned him the respect which is fit for a king.

9. Damitha Senaka Karunaratne (Colombo)
The sun rises daily to fulfill its duties to planet earth. In the same way, Damitha Senake Karunaratne brings a ray of hope for children with special needs. As the founder of KD Foundation, Damitha helps to provide opportunities for everyone.

10. Harindra Yasas Seerasinghe (Colombo)
A true lover of nature and all its joys, Harindra Yasas Seerasinghe is the founder of Haritha Wana Sansadhaya. He grows passion for nature in the hearts of children through his environmental charity.

11. Kumarawathi Darmarathne Nakathegedara (Matale)
Leading the way for women’s spiritual leadership Kumarawathi Darmarathne’s services have been most noble.

12. Rajitha Fernando (Colombo)
Rajitha Fernando set up Candle Aid Lanka with the sole intention of supporting those affected by disasters in their greatest time of need.

13. Ashan Tharaka Liyanarachchi (Gampaha)
As young as he may be, Ashan has helped a significant number of students in Sri Lanka to achieve their academic potential by raising awareness of educational betterment schemes to underprivileged students

14. Mr. Rohana Maddumaralla (Puttalam)
A living link to the Seattle movement and a true lover of nature, Rohana Maddumarala set up the World Environmental Organization.

15. Mohomed Ismail Udamma Lebbe (Ampara)
Using his personal funds in support of the poor according to Muslim principles Mohomed Ismail Udumma Lebbe is an example to the entire country. By helping disadvantaged communities, he is not just a leader of his town but he is a leader of humanity.

16. Palitha Gunasekara (Colombo)
By encouraging young women to engage with sport, Mr Palith Gunasekera has been a huge inspiration to many people in Sri Lanka and many have benefitted from his depth of experience and wisdom over the past decade.

17. Don Jayasinghe (Kurunegala)
Committing himself to the welfare of the poor and access to education for youth and children, Don Jayasinghe is a truly sensitive and caring human being.

18. Randun Mudiyanselage Hemamali Yasintha Rathnayake (Colombo)
The founder of the Home for Elderly, Hemamali Yasintha Ratnayake gives care and love to the mothers and fathers of our country, ensuring they live the final chapter of their lives to the fullest.

19. Ravindra Gunawardena (Kalutara)
By establishing the “Mehevara”  environmental organization, Ravindra Gunasekara has attempted to make us all understand and appreciate  the interdependent relationship between humanity and the environment.

20. Nadee Tharanga Alwis Dissanayake (Colombo)
Similar to the way a river enriches a village while flowing through it, Nadee Tharanga enriches the lives of children through the CUP foundation which she set up to support their education and encourage them to reach their highest potential.

21. Ms. Srimathi Chandralatha Munasinghe (Rajagiriya)
Although officially retired from her profession, Srimathi has continued her passion of teaching our younger generation over the past 14 years, completely from the goodness her own heart.

22. Malindu Udawatte (Colombo/Killinochchi)
Malindu has worked passionately with children in Killinochchi as if they were his own family. He donated books and his time to improving the literacy of those in northern communities.

23. Sanmuga Senthurarasan (Vavuniya/Ampara)
Sanmuga has helped to empower the widows of war for the past 15 years through skills development for women and offering a credit banking system which has been instrumental in reconstructing their communities.

24. Rodric Noel Ivor Vancuylemberg (Gampaha)
Ivor Vancuylemberg has dedicated the past 18 years of his life towards selfless deeds that have made a huge impact to the lives of the underprivileged. Through the ‘Sandagalpaya Fulda Udana Shishya Sahana Organisation’ and the ‘Dhathusena Miridiya Fisheries Cooperative’ he has helped to develop the rural fishing community and nearly 300 deserving children in the Sandagalpaya area.

25. Charmaine Jayatilleke (Colombo)
Charmaine has dedicated much of her life towards helping the blind. She has helped to generate generous amounts towards educating blind children and she was a key part of setting up the country’s first braille library.

26. Manjula M Dissanayake (Kandy)
Manjula’s mission is to serve his fellow humankind. He founded the Educate Lanka Foundation (ELF), whose mission is to empower promising underprivileged students by providing them with access to a quality education.