In this issue

April is a month we Sri Lankans celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, and let me wish each and everyone of our dear readers and advertisers, Suba Aluth Avuruddak Wewa!

Kalukanda House A LABOUR OF LOVE

“Experience the creative and spiritual beauty in Sri Lanka through conscious travel with Kalukanda House” Dee Gibson, owner of Kalukanda House

4 mins

BENDING IT LIKE BECKHAM

THE BRIT SRI LANKAN BANDARA BOYS ON PLAYING FOR WATFORD FC AND WHY FOOTBALL REMAINS THEIR OBSESSION

8 mins

Making A Statement

KLÄDER CEYLON’S DESIGNER MARLIN CHRIS CREATES A BOLD COLLECTION FOR THE MAN WHO DARES TO BE DIFFERENT

2 mins

The world's youngest couturier

Sri Lankan-Italian designer Andrea Brocca’s graduate collection had the world’s fashion press swooning over him. Awarded the title of the World’s Youngest Couturier by Guinness World Records, the prodigy who dressed Lady Gaga for the cover of Billboard magazine speaks exclusively to Features Editor, Tina Edward Gunawardhana on his meteoric rise in the fashion world

10 mins

An advocate for diversity

TV AND FILM PRODUCER, HIP-HOP ARTISTE, TV TRAVEL SHOW HOST AND CHILDREN’S AUTHOR RUBY LOVELL USES HER OWN CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES OF DIFFICULTIES IN ASSIMILATING TO BECOME A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR DIVERSITY IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE WITH HER COLLECTION OF CHILDREN’S BOOKS PUBLISHED IN THE UK

7 mins

Champion diver

YASHODA DE SILVA IS SRI LANKA’S UNDISPUTED DIVING CHAMPION. WITH HER EYES SET ON WINNING MORE MEDALS YASHODA REMAINS STEADFAST IN HER TRAINING REGIMENT IN AUSTRALIA

4 mins

CREATING A vibe FOR THE fashion tribe

KARMA COLLECTION FOUNDERS SEEMA MOCERI AND TIVON PRASAD REVEAL THEIR FASHION PLANS

5 mins

The Priestly ARTIST

LTP MANJUSRI A DOYEN OF SRI LANKAN ART

7 mins

The Lady sings the blues

HAVING SUNG FOR THE QUEEN AT THE MILLENNIUM COUNTDOWN IN LONDON, AND PERFORMED WITH THE LIKES OF SIR VAN MORRISON, JAMIE CULLUM AND BURT BACHARACH, DOCTOR TURNED MUSICIAN SUMUDU JAYATILAKA HAS JUST RELEASED HER NEW ALBUM ‘FOR ALL WE KNOW’

8 mins

World Traveller

AWARD WINNING MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER NITIN SAWHNEY COMBINES ASIAN AND OTHER WORLDWIDE INFLUENCES WITH ELEMENTS OF JAZZ AND ELECTRONIC TO CREATE SUBLIMINAL MUSIC. HE HAS JUST CONCLUDED ‘JOURNEYS’, A CONCERT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL TO CELEBRATE 150 YEARS OF IMMIGRATION. SAWHNEY EXPLORES THEMES OF MULTICULTURALISM, POLITICS AND SPIRITUALITY THROUGH HIS MUSIC. HE HAS RELEASED HIS NEW ALBUM ‘IMMIGRANTS’.

2 mins

Aussie Rules

STAR AUSSIE RULES FOOTBALLER HAYDEN CROZIER IS PROUD TO BE THE ONLY PLAYER OF SRI LANKAN DESCENT PLAYING IN THE AFL LEAGUE

4 mins

Virtual Fashion Influencers

MEET THE NEXT GEN FASHIONISTAS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WHO CHANNEL THEIR SARI LOOK WITH PRIDE

6 mins

The dancer

MALEENA RAJAPAKSHA, IN TRAINING FOR THE AUSTRALIAN DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

4 mins

TINY PRETTY THINGS JOSH PYMAN

PLAYING THE ROLE OF ‘DEV RANAWEERA’ IN HIT NETFLIX SERIES TINY PRETTY THINGS, ACTOR JOSH PYMAN OF MIXED SRI LANKAN AND AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE IS SMOKING HOT ON AND OFF SCREEN IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TINA EDWARD GUNAWARDHANA, JOSH SHARES HIS STORY OF LIFE AS A JOBBING ACTOR

5 mins

World Traveller

BROADCASTER AND JOURNALIST, MARIELLA FROSTRUP HAS HAD HER FINGER ON THE CULTURAL PULSE OF BRITAIN FOR THE LAST THIRTY YEARS. FROM BEING A BBC RADIO 4 PRESENTER AND SKY BOOK SHOW HOST TO A BOOKER PRIZE JUDGE AND MOTHER OF TWO, MARIELLA FROSTRUP TAKES THE HOTSEAT AS OUR WORLD TRAVELLER

4 mins

THE Siren FROM Geylon

BEWITCHING BEAUTY AND TOP BRITISH MODEL NINA DYER WAS BORN IN CEYLON IN 1930. A MEMBER OF THE ORIGINAL EUROPEAN JETSET, NINA MARRIED TWO OF THE RICHEST MEN IN THE WORLD: BARON THYSSEN AND PRINCE AGA KHAN

9 mins

Escape to Kalkudah PARADISE AT KARPAHA SANDS

Deep in the unexplored eastern coast of Sri Lanka, an oasis of luxury named Karpaha Sands holds sway with grandeur and finesse.

4 mins

The Billionaire

BASED ON GEORGE BERNARD SHAW’S PLAY THE MILLIONAIRESS, GEHAN COORAY’S FILM THE BILLIONAIRE WINS ACCLAIMED BURBANK AWARD IN HOLLYWOOD

6 mins

Sexy Silhouettes

Lois London’s alluring new collection

2 mins

BEAUTY Entrepreneur

ROSH KUMARASINGHE LAUNCHES HER NEW BRAND BEAUTYBYROSH COSMETICS AND SKINCARE LINE

3 mins

A Celebrated Doyen Of The Arts In Ceylon Lionel Wendt

A central figure of cultural life and founder member of the Colombo ‘43 group of Sri Lankan artists.

6 mins

Sheree Atcheson

Sri Lankan born professional changing the game for women in it.

8 mins

Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka Natalee Fernando

Defining beauty with a purpose.

4 mins

Swarna Mallawarachchi: The Wonder Woman Of The Silver Screen

Celebrating 50 Years In Sinhala Cinema

5 mins

Sameera Ameer

Making her mark in a very male dominated industry, children’s furniture designer Sameera Ameer is adept at holding her own. Based in Dubai, Sameera is emerging as a notable children’s furniture designer. A graduate from the Chelsea College of Art and Design and the Academy of Design, Sameera founded Wild Child Designz, a bespoke furniture line aimed specifically at children along with providing a high end interior design service. Having launched her initial collection in 2014, Sameera has handcrafted unique pieces which capture and ignite the fantastical imagination of children. Working hard to be a role model for her two young daughters, it is to the credit of this young mumtreprenuer that she has launched her own successful business in a male dominated environment in the Middle East. With plans of going global, Sameera is breaking the mold and blazing a trail in her chosen career.

6 mins

Nepal's First Billionaire Binod Chaudhary

Trailblazing entrepreneur, industrialist, philanthropist, visionary and true friend of Sri Lanka, Binod Chaudhary, is an institution in himself. The first and only billionaire from Nepal listed in the Forbes list, Binod Chaudhary was inspired by his industrious father and always dreamed of becoming a very big industrialist in Nepal. His company the Chaudhary  Group is the biggest transnational conglomerate in Nepal. Today the Chaudhary Group consists of nearly 80 companies spanning 5 continents with 60 brands in more than 30 countries. An inspiring visionary Binod Chaudhary is a follower of his gut instinct. This led him to investing in Sri Lanka when the country was in flames and now he is reaping the dividends in terms of friendship and finances.

3 mins

Lovi Ceylon Debuts In Paris

Continuing their journey to introduce the sarong to the world, Lovi Ceylon launched their new collection to much acclaim at TexWorld Paris during the Paris Fashion Week. While in Paris the Lovi Ceylon show was witnessed by Jean-Paul Donald-Potard a childhood friend of Jean Paul Gaultier who joined forces with the iconic designer to set up a global fashion empire. Jean-Paul Donald-Potard was so taken with the silhouette of the sarong and Lovi Ceylon Founder, Asanka De Mel’s vision, that a visit to Sri Lanka to explore a possible collaboration between the two is on the cards. Asanka De Mel is dogged in his determination to make the sarong an outfit of choice for not only Sri Lankans but for gentlemen around the world. By showcasing his collection in Paris, Lovi Ceylon is one step closer in their journey to global domination.

4 mins

Karen Usha Gray

Classical singer and musician unleashing her dulcet tones.

3 mins

Read all stories from Hi Magazine

Hi Magazine Description:

Hi!! Magazine is Sri Lanka’s first and premier society magazine and now in its 11th year. Begun with the concept of portraying Sri Lanka in a positive light, Hi!! put within its pages the high fashions of the gliteratti and the literati, parties and the glitz and glamour of not only Colombo but also of major cities around the world where Sri Lankans gather. It also features trendy Conde Nast winning boutique hotels, resorts and restaurants, the Who’s Who from Hollywood to Bollywood, tourist attractions like whale and dophin watching, what to do and how to do it – with Hi!! projecting Sri Lanka as the ultimate tourist destination.