The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) recently paid tribute to an eminent Chartered Accountant, Deshamanya Charitha Prasanna de Silva in appreciation of his outstanding contribution to uplift the accounting profession, the institute and the nation.
At a ceremony held at Waters Edge, Battaramulla, Deshamanya De Silva, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2014 for his outstanding professionalism and forliving a life of inspiration and service.
Among his key significant achievements, Deshamanya De Silva served as Chairman to the Employers Federation of Ceylon, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka. Deshamanya De Silva who qualified as an accountant in 1955, kicked off his career at Caltex Ltd and then went on to join Aitken Spence & Co. Ltd in 1963, where he rose to the top and served in the positions of Chairman and Managing Director of the Company until his retirement in 1991.
Hewas also the President of the Asian Leasing Association (Singapore), the Sri Lanka Japan Business Co-operation Committee and the National Council of the International Chamber of Commerce. He was a Member of the First Presidential Commission on Privatization and of the Executive Board of the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris.
One of his biggest contributions to the private sector was where he almost single handedly thwarted attempts of two successive Governments, in 1976 and 1978, to introduce worker participation in profit sharing, ownership and management.
In 1988, he was rewarded for his efforts to promote trade and investment between Japan and Sri Lanka by being awarded the Honour of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, by Emperor Hirohito, which was the highest honour given by Japan to any foreigner.
In 1980 he was chosen by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to introduce the concept of leasing to Sri Lanka with the formation of Lanka Orix Leasing Company (LOLC), and was LOLC’s Chairman from 1980 to 2003.
In 1975, Deshamanya De Silva was elected Vice President of CA Sri Lanka. He also chaired many committees of the Institute and made an invaluable contribution towards the development of the accounting profession in Sri Lanka.
In 1998, Deshamanya De Silvawas awarded the title ‘Desamanya’ by the Government, in appreciation of his outstanding services he rendered to the business community and the general public. In 2005, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce elected him as an honorary member. Presently he is the only living honorary member.
