Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana launches 5th season

• To champion women’s empowerment and sustainability

NDB Bank, in partnership with NewsFirst, announced the launch of the fifth season of the Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana Awards, the country’s premier initiative dedicated to recognising and empowering Sri Lankan women. 

This milestone season officially began with a grand launch and press conference on March 6, 2025.

Over the last four years, the Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana Awards have become synonymous with celebrating the exceptional achievements of Sri Lankan women across various sectors. In its fifth season, the programme evolves beyond being a platform for recognition to a transformative initiative aimed at creating a long-term societal and economic impact. This evolution is driven by a visionary five-year sustainability model that seeks to empower women entrepreneurs, improve financial literacy and create pathways for sustainable growth. 

The revamped Vanithabhimana programme aims to bridge the gender gap in financial literacy, enabling women to make informed decisions that contribute to their economic well-being. By empowering homemakers to become entrepreneurs and assisting small-scale business owners in scaling their operations, the initiative will play a pivotal role in fostering inclusive economic growth. A key objective of this sustainability model is to empower a group of women exporters to enter the global market by end-2030, connecting them with international funding sources and equipping them to expand their businesses. 

The fifth season will feature an expanded award structure that recognises excellence across diverse fields. At provincial level, categories include Small Entrepreneur, Upcoming Entrepreneur and Digital Entrepreneur (a new addition) as well as Young Leader, Art and Literature, Education Services, Social Services and Sports. The corporate sector will also be recognised through 10 awards, while a newly introduced foreign employment category will honour the contributions of Sri Lankan women working overseas. Additional accolades will include five Lifetime Achievement Awards, Most Popular Awards and special recognition for nominees under the Most Popular category. 

Beyond the awards, this year’s Vanithabhimana focuses on empowering women through comprehensive upskilling programmes, financial assistance and development of marketplaces that help them connect with key stakeholders in the supply chain. 

Applications for this landmark season opened on March 7, 2025.