The Oxford University Society of Sri Lanka (OUS Sri Lanka) has announced the election of its new leadership team at its recent Annual General Meeting. Umayanga Nanayakkara will take the helm as President, with Sanjaya Ariyawansa serving as Vice President. The Society also expressed its gratitude to outgoing President, Rishan De Silva.

The 2025-2026 committee comprises a diverse and accomplished group:

• President: Umayanga Nanayakkara
• Vice President: Sanjaya Ariyawansa
• Secretary: Insaf Bakeer Markar
• Treasurer: Hiran Embuldeniya
• Impact: Praveen De Saram
• Engagement: Rishan de Silva
• Alumni Relations: Shathuki Perera and Nishen de Silva
• Committee Members: Neluka De Silva and Ashok Ferrey

OUS Sri Lanka proudly upholds a legacy of excellence, shaped by the contributions of distinguished alumni, like S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, Lalith Athulathmudali, and Lakshman Kadirgamar to esteemed academic luminaries who have left a lasting impact on the country’s political, and professional landscape. The newly elected committee looks forward to building on this rich legacy and creating meaningful opportunities for engagement and collaboration with all in Sri Lanka.

Igniting Potential: A Vision for Tomorrow

The OUS Sri Lanka committee has achieved success with its flagship event, “Applying to Oxford?”. “We’ve witnessed a surge in applications from diverse backgrounds helping students to successfully gain admission to Oxford,” says President Umayanga Nanayakkara. “Our hope is that these brilliant minds will return to contribute significantly to Sri Lanka’s development.” Umayanga, a law graduate has completed the Foundations of Diplomacy, the Oxford Foreign Service Program and a Masters in South Asian Studies based out of St Antonys College. He is currently a Director at AGC Innovate driving green innovation which pioneered Sri Lankas first plastic modified asphalt road winning multiple awards. Looking ahead, the agenda for 2025/26 includes a year of learning events, intellectual exchanges, cross-organizational partnerships, literary evenings and strengthened regional collaborations.

Vice President Sanjaya Ariyawansa, a seasoned economist, brings a wealth of expertise as Senior Economist at the Economic Intelligence Unit of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and a visiting lecturer at the University of Moratuwa. His impressive career spans roles at the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance, World Bank consultancy, and research at the University of Oxford. Sanjaya holds an MSc in Economics from Oxford, a first-class BSc in Mathematics from the University of Colombo, and CIMA (UK) qualifications.

Connecting the Global Network: Engaging Our Alumni

The new committee is committed to cultivating a vibrant and dynamic alumni community. Oxford Alumni interested in learning more about OUS Sri Lanka and its activities are encouraged to contact the society via email on oussrilanka@gmail.com, umayanga@agcinnovate.com, sanjaya.ariyawansa@yahoo.com.