Colombo University undergrad brings honour to Sri Lanka:

Chathuni, South Asia's Budding Economist of the Year

by Oshari Weerawansa

Sri Lanka last week had the honour of producing South Asia's Budding Economist of the Year. Chathuni Uduwela, a second year undergraduate from the Colombo University beat many talented competitors cross South Asia to win the prestigious award at the South Asian Economic Student Meet (SAESM) held in Pakistan recently.

The SAESM is an annual conference of undergraduate students of economics from reputed universities across South Asia. Hosted by a network of South Asian universities, the SAESM is both a competitive forum pitting students against their regional peers, a forum to learn about the various issues of importance that the countries face collectively and individually and an event that seeks to foster friendships across South Asian boundaries.

South Asia has some of the highest trained professionals - engineers, doctors, scientists and economists - and yet there is little structured interaction among them.

Although the nations have inseparable histories and shared heritage, social and political strife in the region has created barriers between the peoples during the second half of the 20th century.

However, there have been changes in the region during the last ten years. Economic growth rates have picked up and in fact some industrial and services sectors such as ready made garments, pharmaceuticals, ICT software have attracted global attention.

There has been some effort at cooperation at an inter-government level, but it is possible to expand this to include the common people.

It is time for nations to overcome their differences and pool their expertise and get civil society to interact to go forward as a region.

Against this background, a group of young minds - Deepanker Agarwal, Anirban Basu, Homagni Choudhury, Raghav Mathur, Ipshita Pal, Mayank Sood, Gunajit Kalita and Snigdha Dewal studying for their undergraduate major degree in economics along with Dr Deb Kusum Das and Dr Mihir Pandey, faculty with the Department of Economics at Ramjas College, University of Delhi, India conceived of a platform in 2003 where students studying for a major in Economics across South Asian colleges and universities could come together with other fellow students to foster intellectual bonding through a student conference and its various activities.

Thus was born the concept of a student conference unique in its dedication to students studying for their first major degree in economics.

Ramjas College, University of Delhi, through the initiative and zeal shown by its principal Dr Rajendra Prasad, provided the first platform for young students from various colleges and institutions from South Asian universities in 2004 in the form of South Asian Economics Students Meet (SAESM).

This initiative would not have come to fruition without the immense effort and commitment displayed by faculty members from the departments of economics at Universities across South Asia.

In particular, Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne of the University of Colombo, Prof. Shamsuddin Ahmed at the University of Dhaka and Dr. Ali Cheema at the Lahore University of Management Sciences shared the vision and led the first teams that assembled at first SAESM in 2004.

This started a tradition that has only been taken to greater heights with each successive Meet. In course of time, Thribubhan University, Nepal and Royal University of Bhutan have also become part of the SAESM family.

Over the past decade, the SAESM has come a long way to become one of the most prestigious academic events in South Asia, eagerly awaited by students from different colleges and universities. It is a celebration of intellectual knowledge sharing amongst South Asia's budding economists to engage in understanding of issues which act as barriers to making South Asia an integrated region of the world despite shared history, institutions, culture and language.

Hence, it is a great honour not only for Chathuni and the University of Colombo but also to Sri Lanka to win this coveted award at the SAESM, the largest conference in the region at undergraduate level.

This year's SAESM was held in Lahore, Pakistan from December 24-29 where Sri Lanka had a contingent of 10 students from the University of Colombo, University of Peradeniya, University of Sri Jayewardenepura and the University of Kelaniya.

Undergraduates from seven South Asian countries namely India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka participated in the event, representing some of the top universities in the region.

It is the first time in the event's ten-year history that Sri Lanka has produced South Asia's Budding Economist of the Year.

Hence, Chathuni's landmark achievement would go a long way to inspire Sri Lanka's undergraduates to go places.

The following are excepts of an exclusive interview the Sunday Observer had with the 22-year-old lass who brought honour top Sri Lanka, beating competitors from all other universities in the South Asian region.

Q: How did you feel when you won this title?

A: I was surprised. There were really much older and experienced students taking part in this meet. I am only a second year student in the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, specialising in economics.

Q: So this wasn't something you expected?

A: No. My main focus was on the category of research under the theme of Political Economy of Social Security where I put in a lot of effort.

I submitted my research paper well in advance and had to present it before a panel of judges at the SAESM conference where marks are allocated for the written paper and for the oral presentation. I was well prepared for this event.

Q: What is meant by the term Budding Economist Competition?

A: This is a competition that seeks to test undergraduates in economics on a variety of skill sets.

Q: How did you prepare for the competition?

A: Firstly we had to submit a three -page essay on the given topic "Can South Asia experience economic reform without a political revolution?" Thereafter there was a written test on microeconomics, macroeconomics and development economics.

Those who get selected from the written test had to participate in a visual round in which we had to discuss the economic aspects of an image of an everyday object within 45 seconds.

The top twenty individuals that were selected from the written test were given two visuals to describe; and lastly the top nine who were selected from the visual round had a session of answering questions in the final round from a panel of judges from all seven countries.

A: Were you nervous at this round.

Q: I was but managed to control myself because it's no point being nervous. Since I am a student who is studying law and economics I told the panel of judges of my area of interest- International Trade and Policy Advocacy. However, the judges could pose questions from any area of Economics.

Q: Tell us something about your family?

A: I'm the only child and I have very supportive parents. Well, they were hyped up about sending me to Pakistan!

Q: Apart from your academic career, do you indulge in any extra-curricular activities?

A: Yes, I debate for the university, do volunteer work for the Human Rights Commission and I work for an econ-research firm. I also news read and teach elocution. Anything is all right for me as long as I can sit and use my voice.

Q: How do you manage your time in order to carry out these activities while being a full time student?

A: I think it just happens. You just have to manage your time intelligently.

Q: What is your advice for any student who's participating in this economics meet?

A: Just try to participate in everything. Give it all you have.

Well, I'm just a second year student in the university and most of the participants were either third or fourth year students. You can do anything as long as you have a vision!

Q: Which Pakistani University hosted the event and its background?

A: It's one of Pakistan's prime universities, Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS) situated in a 400 acre expanse of land. It has all the facilities of a world class university. The undergraduates of the LUMS had organised the event above and beyond everything we expected. They were indeed good hosts as well.

Q: Do you want to mention anyone who helped you achieve this title?

A: Yes, the faculty and one of my tutors, who informed us about this, meet last year.

Q: Any friends who helped you?

A: Yes, I learnt a lot from the senior students by swapping facts with them before the competition. That helped me a lot.

Q: How could the profile of SAESM propagated among the students who study economics in Sri Lanka?

A: We need to have a culture that promotes more co-curricular activities and quizzes among university students more than just exams because gaining experience to love their academic life is more important than studying to gain good grades for the exams.

Q: Any unforgettable memories from Pakistan.

A: Yes of course. The recreational retreat, after the conference, that is an integral part of the SAESM experience is indeed unforgettable.

This is a chance for students from across the region to interact more closely, learn about their similarities and differences, and develop ties across borders.

Then there was the trip to Harappa and the Shergarh village; one of the most fascinating yet mysterious cultures of the ancient world is believed to be the Harappan civilization;also, to Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan and a full tour in the city of Lahore, a city that captures centuries of their mutual histories.