Ashika proves pundits wrong

by Harshini PERERA

It is not true for everyone that one is skilled only in one field. Ashika Dissanayake is a classical example.

The daughter of Gamini Dissanayake, Director of the Legal Division at the Police Department, was awarded the Walter Laduwahetty Gold Medal for Excellence-2007 by Sri Lanka Law College at the awards ceremony held last year.

It marks a significant moment of a woman receiving this award after several years.

Ashika Dissanayake receives the Walter Laduwahetty Gold Medal for Excellence-2007 from the Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva

After receiving primary and secondary education at Bishop’s College, Colombo 3, she passed the Law College entrance examination in 2004 and has admitted to the Sri Lanka Law College in 2005.

Earlier she had excelled in her studies in all three years with honours while reading for her Bachelor of Law degree in the Open University of Sri Lanka.

Making her years of toil fruitful, she was called to the Bar on December 16, 2008 after she had been apprenticing in the chambers of Deputy Solicitor Generals Mr. Shavindra Fernando and Mrs. Farzana Jameel, in the Attorney General’s Department.

She was also a member of the Moot Team representing Sri Lanka Law College in D. M. Harish Memorial Government Law College International Moot Court Competition 2007, Mumbai, India and the 6th Annual International Intellectual Property Moot 2008, Oxford, United Kingdom.

As a schoolgirl, she was a school prefect in 2001/2002 and a good swimmer while doing her CIMA in 2004, she won a prize for obtaining highest marks in Criminal Law.

She won plaudits at the International Competitions for schools, conducted by the University of New South Wales in 1998,1999 and 2000 in Mathematics, English and Science.

As a person in the legal profession, civil law had taken her passion. She never underestimated herself for being a woman in a competitive profession like law and took to the challenges as it came.

“ Most of the girls in the similar fields prefer desk jobs. But my idea is that if you are courageous and self-confident, challenges will vanish easily,” explains Ashika.

Her sole inspiration was her father who is an Attorney-at-Law. She owes her gratitude to her mother Shirani who always supported and encouraged her and her sister Shalindi Dissanayake who made the atmosphere suitable for her studies.

Further, she is also grateful to the Principal of the Law College, Dr. H.D. Rodrigo who was very helpful to go up the ladder of success and Mrs. Farzana Jameel who was her role model.