Nahil Wijesuriya

Sri Lanka has been blessed with many generous philanthropists, but few individuals have demonstrated a sustained commitment to education and children’s welfare on the scale witnessed in recent years from Engineer Nahil Wijesuriya. With the announcement of his Rs 3 billion donation to establish the Trinity College Endowment Fund, Mr Wijesuriya has once again demonstrated that success is measured not by what one accumulates, but by what one gives back to society. What makes this contribution significant is that it is not an isolated act of generosity. Rather, it is the latest chapter in a remarkable story of philanthropy that has touched schools, hospitals and thousands of young lives across Sri Lanka.

In 2023, Mr Wijesuriya donated Rs 1 billion to the Little Hearts Project at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, helping to advance one of Sri Lanka’s most important paediatric healthcare initiatives. This contribution benefited children requiring lifesaving cardiac treatment and critical care. He subsequently donated Rs 270 million to Bishop’s College, Colombo, for the construction of a modern A/Level and O/ Level building, creating enhanced learning opportunities for future generations of students. In another landmark contribution, he donated Rs 600 million to S Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, for the development of a state-of-the-art Information Technology complex, helping equip students with the skills needed for the digital age. His generosity has not been confined to Anglican institutions alone. Demonstrating a broader commitment to national education, he also donated Rs 250 million to Ananda College’s STEAM Initiative and Centre of Excellence project.

This contribution supported the advancement of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education, benefiting students from one of Sri Lanka’s foremost Buddhist schools. Most recently, he has pledged Rs 3 billion to establish the Trinity College Endowment Fund, creating a permanent source of support for scholarships, financial assistance, educational excellence and the long term sustainability of Trinity College, Kandy. These publicly known donations amount to over Rs 5 billion, making this one of the most remarkable philanthropic records by an individual benefactor in Lankan education and child welfare. More importantly, they reveal a pattern of giving that is exceptional in modern Sri Lanka’s history. What distinguishes Nahil Wijesuriya is not merely the scale of his philanthropy but its inclusiveness.

In 2023, Mr Wijesuriya donated Rs 1 billion to the Little Hearts Project at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, helping to advance one of Sri Lanka’s most important paediatric healthcare initiatives.

He has supported children in hospitals, students in Anglican schools, students in Buddhist schools, and young people from diverse backgrounds across the country. His generosity transcends religious, social, and institutional boundaries. Whether Trinitian, Thomian, Bishopian, Anandian or a child fighting for life at Lady Ridgeway Hospital, the beneficiaries have all been united by a single principle: opportunity. At a time when many speak about giving back, Nahil Wijesuriya has transformed gratitude into action. His donations are not simply gifts; they are investments in human potential. Every scholarship awarded, every classroom constructed, every technology centre established, and every child whose life is saved through improved healthcare becomes part of a legacy that will continue for generations.

History often remembers great benefactors not for the wealth they possessed but for the lives they transformed. By that measure, Nahil Wijesuriya’s contribution to Sri Lanka is already profound. Few individuals have given so generously to their alma mater. Even fewer have simultaneously supported multiple leading schools, children’s healthcare, and educational advancement across institutional and religious boundaries. His example stands as a powerful reminder that the greatest legacy one can leave is not a monument to oneself, but opportunities for others. In an age when success is often measured by personal achievement, Nahil Wijesuriya has demonstrated a higher ideal: that true greatness lies in service, generosity, and a commitment to uplifting future generations. Dr L D De Silva