Today marks the 56th birthday of Mr. Dhammika Perera, the distinguished founder and co-chairman of DP Education.
Born on December 28, 1967, Mr. Perera commenced his educational journey at Horana Thakshila Madhya Maha Vidyalaya. At the age of 19, while pursuing an NDT course at the University of Moratuwa, he entered the business realm. By the age of 45, he had ascended to the pinnacle of Sri Lanka’s business landscape, establishing an extensive business empire.
The ability to create a prosperous business is a rare skill, and Mr. Dhammika Perera stands out not only as a successful entrepreneur but as a unique figure in the context of Sri Lanka. His distinction is not solely derived from building a vast business network employing over 60,000 individuals and expanding into diverse sectors such as banking, finance, tourism, entertainment, plantation, electronic equipment, garment industries, ceramic products, both domestically and internationally, nor is it solely due to his role as the founder of a network of companies contributing significantly to the country’s export revenue.
Mr. Dhammika Perera’s uniqueness lies in his decision to relinquish personal gain for the betterment of education in Sri Lanka. He redirected his wealth towards improving the educational landscape for tens of thousands of children in the country, establishing the ‘DP Education’ social welfare programme. His dedication to providing formal, quality education through digital platforms has set a precedent for free education in the contemporary era.
Unlike those content with incomplete achievements, Mr. Dhammika Perera ensured the meticulous preparation of the DP Education programme, which has now emerged as Asia’s leading school education digital platform, surpassing even technologically advanced countries such as Japan, Korea, China, and India. This achievement is not merely a personal triumph; it is a victory for the children of the nation.
The accolades continue with the ‘Trainee Fullstack Developer’ online course, a collaborative effort between the ‘DP Education Coding School’ programme and the University of Moratuwa, earning an award-winning recognition from the European Union. The ‘DP Education IT Campus’ network, with over 100 branches and plans to establish a branch in every divisional secretariat by 2025, attests to the programme’s rapid expansion.
Mr. Dhammika Perera’s visionary aspirations include creating one million jobs in the IT sector through ‘Silicon Valley’ offices under the DP Education IT Campus and opening employment opportunities for an additional one million people through the ‘Language School’ and ‘Vocational Training Section’. These dreams, ambitious as they may be, are already materialising under his leadership.
In times of economic crisis and waning hopes for the country’s future, Mr. Dhammika Perera’s intervention is poised to be recorded as a historic event in Sri Lanka. The narrative of this historical chapter will ultimately be shaped by the people.
On this special day, we extend our heartfelt wishes to Mr. Dhammika Perera for a Happy Birthday!
Team LNW
