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| Sunday, 11 September 2005 |
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Features |  |
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Dilini Withanage :
Going the extra mile by Rikaza Hassan
Dilini Withanage is a 25-year-old third year student at the Arts Faculty of the University of Colombo. She is studying for her B.A. (Hons) degree specialising in International Relations. She is however, not at all built from the common mould of the B.A. undergraduate in Sri Lanka. Instead, this bundle of energy is an expert of time and stress management and so much more. "I am not ashamed of the fact that I am studying for my B.A. I know that most B.A. graduates are unemployed but I don't believe that a degree should be solely job-oriented. The economic angle is very important, but there is no respect here for the intellectual person that is conceived through years of study," she remonstrates. Dilini is also the chief organiser of Ridmangalee, a dance performance that is to be held in the coming month by the students of the University of Colombo. It is the first time that members of all six faculties who will be collaborating to host one single event. Led by the Arts Faculty, the entertainment will range from Kandyan to low country, Bharatha Natyam, creative dancing to musical compositions, etc., including many an item by Dilini herself. "I played a couple of main roles in ballet while in school and had my Arangetram when I was sixteen. So I have basically had the dance background required to be able to perform just as all the others who are participating as dancers," she further explained. The concert is conducted exclusively by the university students; from collecting the necessary funds, to creative the posters and other means of publicity, to costume designing and instrument playing. The dances were also composed by the members of the various faculties under the guidance of the Arts Faculty and without the help from anyone outside. As mentioned before, Dilini Withanage is not one to while away her time indolently. While awaiting admission to university, she began her very own lingerie business together with her mother. "My brother loaned me some money which I have already paid back. We started out with just one machine and now we have 25 employees working under us. We supply to most of the popular garment stores in the country," she says with pride. Named Diyana Fashions, the company is thriving on its success and this young businesswoman is "planning to expand into the export market as well." Being in charge of an entire enterprise according to Dilini is tough as it is a very competitive market out there. Managing the establishment together with the rest of her busy life has been even harder. "My mother has always been there for me. While I take care of the purchasing, marketing and such, she is the one who supervises all the work at ground level," she says with gratitude. The mother and daughter are good friends and share a very close bond. "My mother is the reason for what I am today. I used to see her as a botheration, pushing me to study and chauffeuring me to classes and so on, but she also let me engage in a whole lot of other important extra curricular activities that take you a long way," explains Dilini. Everything that she has achieved so far and will achieve in the future, she attributes to her mother's determined effort. The Youth Parliament of Sri Lanka is yet another of Dilini's many occupations. One of the 225 youth chosen from the entire island, she is the coordinator for Colombo districts 1 to 15. As a student of political science, she believes that Sri Lanka must change and that it is the youth that have the power to bring it about. Full of excitement at her two year tenure, she says "We have a load of dreams to make happen. We want to initiate more language programmes together with our Jaffna coordinator and find a means of resolution for the ethnic conflict that still persists today even at grass roots level." It is her belief that each individual's personality is developed at school level and hence, implementation of ideas must begin at school level. She further believes that Sri Lankans must be fluent in at least two of the main languages, if not in all three for it is through communication that petty misunderstandings which ultimately lead to strife can be sorted out. "I think the Youth Parliament will be a very powerful force and this could be the turning point at which Sri Lanka climbs upwards from its present downward trend," claims Dilini. It also gives her the opportunity of participating in diverse community service programmes and helps her "do social service" that she is so in love with. "I have received a free education and so much more from my country. It is now time that I serve my country for what it has given me." And what's in store for this busy bee's future? "I would like to work for the UNDP or some other such NGO as it presents me with the opportunity to engage in a lot of social work. It is one of the things that I always wanted to do," she replies. She will however be continuing with the operation of her enterprise just the same. Dilini Withanage is a ball of fire, a repository of energy, an eminent achiever and an adept manipulator of time. In other words, she is the ultimate go-getter. Her advice to all is: "Do not stick to the book, balance out your life, and you will definitely go that extra mile." |
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