Sharika Weeraratne, Rishini Weeraratne
Rishini Weeraratne, a leading figure in Sri Lanka’s media space, has been honoured with the Corporate and Professional Sector Award at the Sri Lanka VanithAbhimana 2025 Awards. The awards recognise outstanding Sri Lankan women who are creating lasting social and economic impact in their respective fields. Rishini was selected by a distinguished panel of eleven judges, chaired by Senior Professor H.D. Karunaratne, Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, for her exceptional leadership in media. With a career in media spanning over a decade, Rishini currently serves as Editor of The Sun (Daily Mirror), Editor of HI!! Online, and Head of Social-Media at Wijeya Newspapers Limited. In her role as Head of Social-Media, she leads social-media strategy for high-impact platforms including Daily Mirror Online, Lankadeepa Online, and Tamil Mirror Online. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping content that resonates with a wide demographic, blending journalistic integrity with modern digital storytelling.
She is also the voice behind ‘She Can,’ a widely read column that celebrates women’s achievements and promotes conversations around empowerment, equality, and representation both locally and globally. Her writing covers a diverse range of topics, including gender equality, lifestyle, entertainment, and international features.
An alumna of Wycherley International School, Colombo, she holds an LLM from S.O.A.S - University of London and an LLB (Hons) Law Degree from the UK. This award recognises Rishini’s commitment to using media as a powerful tool for change, connection, and empowerment. As Rishini is currently overseas, the award was accepted on her behalf by her mother, Sharika Weeraratne (pictured).
Other winners included Sandamini Perera, Co-Founder and Co-Chairperson of Prime Lands (Pvt) Ltd; Shiromal Cooray, Chairman and Managing Director of Jetwing Travels (Pvt) Ltd; Kumudika Fernando, Chairperson of the Maliban Group; Nilanthi Sivapragasam, Director and Chief Financial Officer at Aitken Spence; and Professor Neelika Malavige.
