Node Members
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera
Executive Director
Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala
Developer
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Rathindra Kuruvita
Associate Fellow
Krystle Reid Wijesuriya
Associate Fellow
K.D.D.B.Vimanga
Associate Fellow
Executive Director SAFN
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera
Executive Director SAFN
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera is an international security and geopolitics analyst and strategic advisor from Sri Lanka. He has led two government think tanks providing strategic advocacy. With almost two decades of experience in the government sector in advisory positions to working at foreign policy and defence think tanks, he was the Founding Director General of the National Security Think Tank under the Ministry of Defence (INSSSL) until January 2020. Earlier, he served as Executive Director at Kadirgamar Institute (LKIIRSS).
Asanga’s forthcoming book is Teardrop Diplomacy (2023), published by Bloomsbury. He authored Conundrum of an Island(World Scientific, Singapore), Sri Lanka at Crossroads (2019) and Towards a Better World Order (2015). Asanga served as a Visiting Professor for Geopolitics and Global Leadership (NKU, USA), Visiting Lecturer for International Security (Colombo University, Sri Lanka), International Political Economy (University of London in Colombo RIC). Asanga is a Senior Fellow at the Millennium Project (Washington DC), Alumni Fellow at NESA(NDU USA) and APCSS(Hawaii). He is a Visiting Fellow for NIICE Nepal and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.
Asanga’s forthcoming book is Teardrop Diplomacy (2023), published by Bloomsbury. He authored Conundrum of an Island(World Scientific, Singapore), Sri Lanka at Crossroads (2019) and Towards a Better World Order (2015). Asanga served as a Visiting Professor for Geopolitics and Global Leadership (NKU, USA), Visiting Lecturer for International Security (Colombo University, Sri Lanka), International Political Economy (University of London in Colombo RIC). Asanga is a Senior Fellow at the Millennium Project (Washington DC), Alumni Fellow at NESA(NDU USA) and APCSS(Hawaii). He is a Visiting Fellow for NIICE Nepal and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.
Fellows at SAFN
Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala
Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala had a rewarding career in the Sri Lankan Air Force, spanning 35 years as the 15th Commander of the Air Force. ACM Bulathsinghala is a professional pilot and held many Operational and command appointments in the Sri Lanka Air Force. Aviation career, as an accomplished pilot with 4500 hours and an impeccable flying record. He was appointed as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (Chief of Air Staff) in 2015 and was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Air Chief Marshal in 2016.
He was the Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 2017-219. ACM Bulathsinghala is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College at Air University (Maxwell Air Force base) Alabama, USA, and the prestigious National Defence College New Delhi India. In addition, he possesses Postgraduate degrees, MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras India, and a Master of Science in Defence Studies in Management from General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka.
He is a Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Hawaii, the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies and National Defence University, USA.
Krystle Reid Wijesuriya
Krystle Reid Wijesuriya is the Co-founder of Enable Lanka Foundation which works to dignify and reframe the value of young persons with disabilities in society. In 2019, she was selected as one of the 50 Young Global Shapers to attend the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos and in 2021 was selected to participate in the Davos Agenda by the WEF. Krystle is a Fellow of ChangemakerXchange, which is a global collaboration platform for young social innovators.
In 2017 Krystle was named as the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She serves as a Community Champion for India South and Sri Lanka in Global Shapers community and co-chaired the first ever #ShapingDisability Summit organized by the Global Shapers in 2020.
Krystle is currently studying for her M.Sc. in Applied Finance at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and her work has been featured in ‘I Am Inspired,’ a book published by two Sri Lankan authors, BBC, the House of Lords in London, Commonwealth articles, SBS Australia and various national newspapers and television channels. While engaged in her community impact work, by profession, she is a Strategic Planner and serves as the Managing Director of Remote Workforce, a BPO supplied centre.
In 2017 Krystle was named as the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She serves as a Community Champion for India South and Sri Lanka in Global Shapers community and co-chaired the first ever #ShapingDisability Summit organized by the Global Shapers in 2020.
Krystle is currently studying for her M.Sc. in Applied Finance at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and her work has been featured in ‘I Am Inspired,’ a book published by two Sri Lankan authors, BBC, the House of Lords in London, Commonwealth articles, SBS Australia and various national newspapers and television channels. While engaged in her community impact work, by profession, she is a Strategic Planner and serves as the Managing Director of Remote Workforce, a BPO supplied centre.
K.D.D.B.Vimanga
K.D.D.B Vimanga currently works as a Policy Executive, coordinating public policy initiatives and advocacy engagements at a Colombo based Think Tank Advocata. He is deeply passionate about inclusive development, sustainable macroeconomic management, and developing policy solutions to tackle socio-political challenges. He has interned with the Political Intelligence Group in London. He received his bachelor’s degree in Law from the BPP Law School in London, United Kingdom. He is a node member of the Millennium Project.
Rathindra Kuruvita
Rathindra Kuruwita has 13 years of experience in journalism, research and in NGOs. Rathindra has worked at The Nation, Lakbima News, Ceylon Today and is currently employed at The Island as the news editor. He has also worked for Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE,) and the Centre for Human Rights. Rathindra has run digital media campaigns for CaFFE and CHR. He was also a fellow at East-West Center, Hawaii in 2010, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Hawaii in 2018 and a participant of the International Visitors Leadership Program USA, 2016. He has a BA in English, French and International Studies from the University of Kelaniya and an MSc in Security Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
He was also a resource person at the Institute of National Security Studies, Sri Lanka. His work was recognized at the annual Journalism Awards of Excellence 2007, 2010 and 2011 where he won Feature Writer of the Year, Investigative Journalist of the Year and Environmental Journalist of the Year respectively.
He was also a resource person at the Institute of National Security Studies, Sri Lanka. His work was recognized at the annual Journalism Awards of Excellence 2007, 2010 and 2011 where he won Feature Writer of the Year, Investigative Journalist of the Year and Environmental Journalist of the Year respectively.