Honouring Dr. Saman Kelegama: Legacy guiding Sri Lanka's digital and fintech future

23 June marked the eighth anniversary of the passing of Dr. Saman Kelegama, one of Sri Lanka’s most respected economists and policy architects. His contributions continue to resonate deeply today, especially as the country embraces rapid growth in its digital economy and fintech sectors.

- By Rajkumar Kanagasingam

For over two decades, Dr. Kelegama served as Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). During his tenure, he championed a culture of independent, evidence-based research and worked tirelessly to connect academic insights with national policy-making. Under his leadership, IPS became a cornerstone of South Asia’s economic dialogue, shaping debates on trade, development, and governance.

I first had the privilege of encountering Dr. Kelegama in 2000, at a presentation I delivered where he served as Guest of Honour. The event was held at the Hotel Ceylon Inter-Continental in Colombo (now The Kingsbury) and was presided over by Dr. Gamani Corea, then former Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). My late father, a lifelong motivator and guide, was also in the audience. He once studied English under Dr. N.M. Perera, who served two terms as Sri Lanka’s Minister of Finance and was a close friend of my grandfather.