Anil Baddevithana

Anil Dilruk Priyanka Baddevithana PhD (Sinhala: අනිල් දිල්රුක් ප්‍රියංක බද්දෙවිතාන; born on July 17, 1958) is a political activist and a housing finance executive and banker whose professional life spans the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. A dedicated leader with innovative ideas (October 27, 2007). . Daily News, Article 1. Retrieved: May 1, 2020
Key note speaker RIU Investor Forum 2020 held at Maldivian Embassy, Colombo (17 January, 2020). . Risk Intelligence Unit, Paragraph 3. Retrieved: May 1, 2020
Dr ADP Baddevithana’s introduction and speech at the Naga 2020 convention regarding Sri Lanka’s constitutional reform, held at the run-up to the 2019 Presidential Election in Sri Lanka (September 29, 2019). . Vinivida Foundation, Video - see from 1:36:51 to 1:53:12. Retrieved: May 4, 2020
Dr ADP Baddevithana, Campaign Introduction (August 11, 2019). . Whistleblower Sri Lanka. Retrieved: May 1, 2020
Born in the city of Hambantota in Sri Lanka, to parents Dr. Mahinda Baddevithana and Neliya Swarnakumari Baddevithana (Née Lanerolle), both dedicated health professionals, Anil is the eldest of four sons, and studied at Royal College, Colombo before migrating to the UK with the family in 1975. His father was active in politics as a Trade Unionist and Secretary of the Medical Union of Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) (May, 1 2020). . Sri Lanka Parliament. Retrieved: May 1, 2020.
Anil became a PhD in 2006 from the University of Kelaniya with research on Psychology of Personality Development and the Buddhist Teaching of Mindfulness. He has been published. Path to Perfect Happiness: Buddhist Psychology of Personality Development : Aṭṭha Purisa Puggala (eight Stages of Development) by Dr ADP Baddevithana (July, 2009). . Sadeepa Publishing House. Web Reference Retrieved: May 1, 2020
Anil’s passion for ending political fragmentation along communal lines and empower the working class made him join Sri Lanka Vinivida Peramuna (SLVP) political party , led by Attorney-at-law Nagananda Kodituwakku. 
His career includes positions of Senior Financial Administrator at the Housing Corporation of England and Wales, DGM/Head of Credit at HDFC Bank of Sri Lanka, Managing Director of World Bank Group’s IFC and ADB Partner HDFC PLC in the Maldives. At present, Anil is an Executive Director of Capital Investment Limited in the Maldives, Director of Finlays Maldives Ltd. and a Senior Business Consultant for Research Intelligence Unit operating in the UK, Maldives and Sri Lanka. 
==Early life==
Anil was born on July 17, 1958 in the city of Hambantota, Sri Lanka, to parents Dr. Mahinda Baddevithana and Neliya Swarnakumari Baddevithana (Née Lanerolle), both dedicated health professionals. His parents were healthcare professionals at the same general hospital in Hambantota where Anil was born. 
Anil is the eldest of four sons, and studied at Royal College, Colombo before migrating to the UK with the family in 1975. His father was active in politics as a Trade Unionist and Secretary of the Medical Union of Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) .
 
==Recent family history==
His father Dr. Mahinda Baddevithana, is from Bentara, the southern home town of his father Don David Baddevithana, a landed proprietor and mother, a school teacher, Dona Missy Margaret Munasinghe was from the adjoining township, and the eldest daughter of a prominent house of nobility in the area called Maha Induruwa, famous for best quality cinnamon in the world. The Munasinghe residence was the venue for the annual Devol Maduwa, a traditional ritual performed by the villagers of Southern coastal areas of the country to re-enact the arrival of Devol deity to Sri Lanka. By performing this ritual villagers expect good luck, expelling evil spirits and protection from epidemics. 
The ancestry of Anil’s mother Neliya Lanerolle too comes from Induruwa from her father’s side, Arthur Ruble Lanerolle, a Railway Station Master during the British era, and a descendent of Duke De Lanarolle (De La Nerolle) the first and only French emissary to Sri Lanka in 1672. Her mother Sumitra Kulatunga from Matale, belonged to a prominent and pioneering business family of coal merchants in the early 19th century at the Colombo Harbour during the time the maritime city was in the making.
Some members of the Kulatunga family were patrons of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation, which began the tradition of performing Art Forms in Sri Lanka, and Anil grew up on a fair dose of drama and theatre from his maternal grandmother whose brother sponsored the local production of Satyavan Savitri at the Tower Hall in early nineteenth century. This iconic drama of the times was based on a story appearing in the 'Book of Forest' of the Mahabharat. Anil attributes his later interest in the performing arts with Professor Ediriweera Sarachchandra, playing leading roles as Prince Paduma in Loma Hansa and Student Dappula in Pemato Jayati Soko, to the influence of his maternal grandmoth.
==Political influences==
Anil was schooled in Colombo at Royal College and spent his school holidays with his grandparents in Induruwa and Kotte. His grandparents influence shaped the values Anil follows to this day that is guided by Sinhala Buddhist culture.
Anil’s father was active in politics as a Trade Unionist and Secretary of the Medical Union with membership of the Grand Old Party of Sri Lanka, Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP).
LSSP, founded in 1935, was a party committed to socio-economic justice and equality for the people as one nation. Anil’s father was the organizer for the Borella electorate in 1970, when LSSP was able to defeat the UNP stronghold for the first time since party politics began with independence in 1948. Anil’s family migration to the UK against the backdrop of the political turmoil that ensued when LSSP left the coalition government in 1975. 
==Political career==
Anil became a political activist in 1984 with membership of the British Labour Party while domiciled in the UK and served as the Treasurer of the affiliated Trade Union of the Housing Development Finance Corporation of England and Wales where he worked as a Senior Administrative Officer.
On his return to Sri Lanka in 1993, he became a member of the United Professional Group, and is currently a life member of Sri Lanka Vinivida Peramuna (SLVP) led by Public Litigation Activist, Solicitor and Attorney-at-law Nagananda Kodituwakku.
Growing up under the influence of his father’s passion for ending political fragmentation along communal lines and empower the working class who suffered a long history of emasculation, guided his political philosophy, which led him to join the new political party, Sri Lanka Vinivida Peramuna (the party applied for registration as a political party in Sri Lanka on February 16, 2020) under the Shield symbol. Colombo District - Independent Group No. 7 / Symbol - Shield (March, 20 2020). . Whistleblower Sri Lanka. Retrieved: May 1, 2020
The SLVP has been active since 2015 under the name Vinivida Foundation , and is working towards what is termed a ‘System Change’ to end corruption and malpractices to establish a nation that respects the rule of law, and to emerge as One Country, One Nation under One Law that is equally applied to all citizens without fear or favor as outlined in the party's constitution Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka, Naga 2020 Vision, Version 5 (May 1, 2020). . naga2020vision.com. Retrieved: May 1, 2020.
Another guiding influence was his mother, a Nursing Lecturer who penned the opening message in his first Book of Autographs, “Son, study well, become a model citizen and serve your country”.
==Professional career==
Anil is a Housing Finance specialist, Corporate Executive and Professional Banker. He has held corporate leadership positions in banking, housing finance and capital market development in the UK, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Anil has more than 40 years of professional experience including more than 36 years in senior and corporate management positions. These positions include areas in business administration, Corporate Finance, Corporate Banking, Enterprise Risk Management, Credit Operations, Retail Banking and Marketing. 
He began his professional career as a Management Trainee at Peter Robinson Group in the UK, which established the Top Man and Top Shop operations in the fashion industry. Following his training, Anil served as a Deputy Retail Manager at the leading Top Man branch at Tottenham Court road/ Oxford Street in London.
Anil then went on to hold senior positions at UK's Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster District Finance Office, Housing Corporation of England and Wales, the Halifax Group, Sri Lanka’s Maritime International Financial Services Ltd., Ceylinco (Nation’s) Building Society, HDFC Bank of Sri Lanka, World Bank’s International Finance Corporation and Asian Development Bank Partner company HDFC PLC in the Maldives. At present Anil is an Executive Director for Capital Finance and Investment Limited of the UK’s operations in the Maldives, Singapore, UK and Sri Lanka, a Board Director of Finlays Maldives Ltd. and a Senior Consultant at Research Intelligence Unit (RIU) of the UK. 
He holds an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and his MBA research into psychometric profiling culminated in a PhD from the University of Kelaniya with a thesis on the Psychology of Personality Development and the Buddhist Teaching of Mindfulness. He has also published work in this area. 
Anil underwent training in Islamic Finance at Bank Negara and International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEF) in Malaysia prior to him establishing the first ever Listed Islamic Bond (Sukuk) and first ever Islamic Finance Window in the Maldives at HDFC PLC. The BIZ 2014 Award (2014). [https://issuu.com/worldcob/docs/directory_2014
]. The BIZ 2014 Business Directory, Page 219, Upper Panel. Retrieved: From issuu.com, May 1, 2020
Anil has served as a key member of many state, international and private sector ventures of organizations that include, IFC of the World Bank Group, HACAS - UK, the Commonwealth Institute, Asian Development Bank and Marcus Evans. In addition, he has served as an subject matter expert for programs of the Institute of Chartered Bankers of the UK and a has been a pioneering practitioner of the World Bank’s Responsible Finance Initiative .
==Social service==
On returning to Sri Lanka, a colleague recommended Anil to the Lions Club of Thimbirigasyaya. The Lions Club has more than 1.4 million members world-wide and the International Association of Lions Clubs is headquartered in Illinois, Chicago. Anil together with his spouse Lalani's participation became active members in the organization. Lions’ Golden Era of Service to the needy (May 24, 2008). . Daily News, Column 1-4. Retrieved: May 1, 2020 He was elected District Governor in 2007/2008 and took oaths in Chicago, USA. 
==In the media==
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==References==
==External links==
* Anil Baddevithana on linkedin
* Anil Baddevithana - Bayt.com
* Anil BADDEVITHANA | Corporate - ResearchGate
* Anil Baddevithana | University of Kelaniya - Academia.edu
* Anil Baddevithana youtube chaneel
* Sunday Times (Sri Lanka): 2020-01-26 ... - PressReader
Category:1958 births
Category:Alumni of Royal College, Colombo
Category:Alumni of the University of Kelaniya
Category:Sri Lankan activists
Category:Sri Lankan people
Category:Sri Lankan bankers
Category:People in health professions