Sri Lanka shines at the ‘Commonwealth partnership Summit and Business Excellence Awards 2025’ in Kula Lumpur, Malaysia
SILMIYA YOUSUF
COLOMBO : Senior Journalist Charnika Imbulana Munasinghe from Sri Lanka was amongst 60 Award winners and one of two Sri Lankan women winners at the third edition of the Commonwealth Summit and Business Excellence Awards 2025 held at a glittering ceremony amidst a large gathering that including dignitaries of the diplomatic corp. at the Concord Hotel on August 29th in Kuala Lampur Malaysia.
The event was successfully concluded where the 60 award winners from the Commonwealth region were recognized from countries-; the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, Malaysia, Singapore, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Canada.
Amongst the many winners of the above countries, the leading Sri Lankan companies awarded were-;
Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC, Sri Lanka, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC, Sri Lanka, Horana Plantations PLC, Sri Lanka Monik Agro (Pvt.) Limited, Sri Lanka, Fanam International Pvt Limited, Sri Lanka, Mahesh Aqua Holdings (Pvt) Limited, Sri Lanka, Infinity Green International Pvt Ltd, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Shehan Aqua Holdings (Pvt) Limited, Sri Lanka.
In the Outstanding Individuals Awards section, Sri Lanka was awarded the following -;
‘Most Innovative Company led by a Woman’ Award was won by Durga Kenny of BeWAXed Sri Lanka, Charnika Imbulana Munasinghe, Senior Journalist was awarded the ‘Outstanding Women Leadership in Print Media Award’. Professor Prathiba Mahanamahewa, of Sri Lanka clinched the award, ‘Lifetime Achievement in Academics’.
Charnika Imbulana Muasnighe, a senior Journalist in Sri Lanka is presently Editor of the Sunday Observer Explorer. Before which she was the Consultant Editor of the Colombo Times for over 3 years. Having commenced her career at the now defunct Sun newspaper she held high positions in The Island newspaper of Upali Group, she was International News Editor of the Daily Mirror of the Wijeya Group of newspapers. Armed with wide experience in Print, Electronic and Broadcast media, she was a recipient of the Iconic Award from the International Women’s Parliament the 2023
The Commonwealth Business Excellence Awards ceremony 2025, in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia was held under the auspices of the Chief Guest, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Malaysia (Acting), Mohamed Rizvi and the diplomatic dignitaries as guests of honour were Kenya’s Deputy Head of Mission in Malaysia, Julius Bargorret,Trade Representative Maldives High Commission-Abbas Adil Riza, Trade Representative of Kenya in Malaysia-Peter Kano, Third Secretary, Maldivian High Commission in Malaysia -Mariyam Farzana, Third Secretary-Maldives High Commission in Malaysia-Mohamed Mahid, Minister Counselor-Maldivian High Commission in Malaysia-Hassan Maail Ali, Ibrahim Danlami, Charge d’ Affaires at Nigerian High Commission,Abuyazid Lawal-First Secretary (Trade & Investment) Nigerian High Commission in Malaysia, Abuyazid Lawal- First Secretary (Trade & Investment) Nigerian High Commission in Malaysia.
The Commonwealth Business Excellence Award is an annual awards program registered in the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka that recognizes organizations and individuals who demonstrate their successes on the path to standards of global performance.
The program celebrates businesses’ & Individuals’ resilience in the Commonwealth region and their ability to push the limits of best practices and innovation. The Awards also recognize the important social and environmental contributions made by organizations & Individuals through the excellence of service, commitment to their customers, innovation, creators of concepts that generate revenue for the betterment of people’s livelihood, philanthropic ideals, and environmental sustainability.
The Commonwealth Countries amongst the winners in the different categories were -; United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Kenya and Maldives.
Sri Lanka excelled in the Tea Plantation sector, Food Agro, Sustainable Export, Best Waste management initiative, Most Innovative Company Led by a Woman, Women Leadership in Print Media, Lifetime Achievement in Academics, Sustainable Finance, Retail Business, Best Workplace, and Sustainable Business Excellence.
The eminent panel of judges of the 3rd Edition Awards comprised of Dr Ajay Desai- Vice President, South Asian Chamber of Commerce and Vice President, World Book of Records, Jayanta Ray- Chief Banking Officer, B Bank Limited, India, Dr Khyati Shetty Datta- Campus Director, Focus College, Canada, Dr. Jasin Fitzsimmons, Chairperson- School of Business at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India and Dubai Campus, Samratt Dutta- Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, Finmall Payment Service Provider LLC Dubai, Aishath Raffiya-Founding President, Regional Alliance for Fostering Youth in the Maldives.
“Awardees in the Commonwealth Business Excellence Award 2025 are a community of forward-thinkers who have dedicated their lives to making their career and businesses exceptional. Awards can help organizations and individuals gain a competitive advantage by recognizing their projects, initiatives, contributions, products, and services. It’s a valuable opportunity for the high achievers,” said Asha Jayamana, Chairperson of the organizing committee.
“The Commonwealth Business Excellence Awards creates a platform for high achievers to further improve their brand awareness, increase the exposure, prestige and recognition, it applies equally to both, the Organizations and Individuals”, she added.
The first edition of the Commonwealth Business Excellence Awards was successfully held in Singapore at the Millennium Hotel in July 2023, and the second edition was successfully concluded in South Africa at the Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg in August 2024. While this year’s edition concluded successfully, all preparations are being made to stage the 4th edition of the Commonwealth Partnership Summit & Business Excellence Awards 2026 in London, UK.
#
Captions
1 Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Malaysia (Acting) Mohamed Rizvi handing over the trophy to
Charnika Imbulana Munasinghe of Sri Lanka who won the ‘Outstanding Women Leadership in Print Media’ Award.
2 The third Secretary to the Maldivian Embassy in Malaysia, Mariyam Farzana on left and Co- Chair of the organizing committee, Samrath Dutta and Chair of Organizing Committee, Asha Jayamana on right.
Charnika Imbulana Munasinghe as Editor- Travel of the Sunday Observer and Editor of the Sunday Observer Explorer, a new section that she launched early this year.
She was previously at Colombo Times as a Consultant Editor.
