AIA’s scholarship inspired me to achieve success: Dr. Heshani Dissanayake

Wednesday, 25 September 2013 00:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Every year, AIA Insurance presents higher education scholarships to students who top the batch in each of the 25 districts in Sri Lanka in the year five Government Scholarship Examination.

The AIA scholarships are handed out to the year 5 batch toppers purely on merit alone. This year the Company will present scholarships to the 13th batch to benefit from the scholarship scheme initiated as far back as 1994 to motivate the nation’s most promising children. The event will be held under the auspices of the renowned scholar Emeritus Professor Deshamanya J.B. Disanayaka, a leading authority of the Sinhala language. Dr. Heshani Dissanayake, attached to the Badulla Hospital who topped the year five batch in the Badulla District in 1996 made a moving speech to the students at last year’s awards presentation. She recalled how the scholarship from AIA inspired and encouraged her to achieve success. She started receiving the scholarship from AIA in 2002. The selected students will receive their initial monthly bursary at the awards presentation to be held on 27 September. This is an important corporate social responsibility endeavour of the company that helps to inspire and promote academic excellence. The 2006 batch entered Advanced Level class this year and the students are now entitled to receive the scholarship benefits. All the qualifying students start receiving Rs. 2,500 every month when they enter Advanced Level until they complete their university education and receive up to Rs. 210,000 depending on the chosen degree. The Company grants a lump-sum of Rs. 50,000 each to the students who do not enter university. The tie winners who get a lower aggregate at GCE ‘O’ Level and do not qualify to receive the monthly scholarship receive a lump sum of Rs. 40,000. There are three tie winners in the 2006 batch. The number of scholarships offered has grown to 475 with this newest batch to benefit from the higher education scholarship scheme. AIA Insurance Chief Executive Officer Shah Rouf said: “The presentation of scholarships to the brightest students in the country demonstrates our commitment to excellence. Contributing to the country’s progress through nationally relevant initiatives such as this helps young people to achieve a high academic level paving the way to success for these leaders of tomorrow.” The fund of Rs. 10 million set aside for this purpose when the scholarship scheme was launched in 1994 has now grown more than six-fold through prudent investment.