Saman Kelegama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr. Saman Kelegama
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Saman Kelegama
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 April 1959 Kandy, Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) |
| Died | 23 June 2017 (aged 58) Bangkok, Thailand |
| Spouses | Sirimavo Kelegama (née Ratwatte) |
| Children | Chandana, Jayathri |
| Parents | Dr. Jayantha Kelegama (father) Padma Kelegama (mother) |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, India |
| Profession | International economist, macroeconomist |
Dr. Saman Kelegama was an important economist and writer from Sri Lanka. He led a big research group called the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). He was born on April 6, 1959, and passed away on June 23, 2017.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Saman Kelegama grew up in Colombo, Sri Lanka. His father, Dr. Jayantha Kelegama, was also a smart person who worked in academics and for the government.
Saman went to St. Thomas' Preparatory School and Royal College, Colombo in Sri Lanka. After that, he studied Mathematics at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in India. He then went to Oxford University in the UK. There, he earned two more degrees in economics.
A Career in Economics
Saman Kelegama started working at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) in 1990. He became the executive director in 1995. This meant he was in charge of the whole institute.
He worked hard to get money and make connections for the IPS. He helped create a special fund for the IPS. He also helped build a new main office for the institute. Saman also started the South Asia Economic Journal. He also helped create the South Asia Economic Summit. These projects helped connect people and ideas across the region.
He was part of many important groups. These included the South Asia Centre for Policy Studies. He also served on boards at the University of Sri Jayawardenapura. He was also involved with the Gamani Corea Foundation.
Saman was also on the editing teams for several journals. These included the South Asia Economic Journal and the Journal of the Indian Ocean Region. He was the president of the Sri Lanka Economic Association for four years. He helped bring together different economic groups in Sri Lanka.
He also taught at the Postgraduate Institute of Management. He was a visiting expert at places like the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands. He also visited the Australian National University.
Helping the Government
While leading the IPS, Saman Kelegama also helped the Sri Lankan government. He was on many important boards and committees. These included the Industrial Development Board. He also advised on the National Economic Council.
He was chosen by the government to lead committees. These committees worked on trade agreements with India. He also helped with plans for transport and infrastructure. He worked on improving small and medium-sized businesses.
Saman was also part of Sri Lanka's official teams. These teams went to big international meetings. He attended meetings for the World Trade Organization (WTO). He also went to SAARC summits.
He helped create the Consumer Affairs Authority in 2003. This group helps protect consumers. He also helped set up the National Enterprise Development Authority in 2006. This authority helps small and medium businesses.
Working with Businesses
Saman Kelegama was also involved in the private business world. He was the chairman of Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC. This is a well-known company. He also served on the boards of other big companies. These included Sampath Bank and the Colombo Stock Exchange.
He led the judging panel for the "Best Corporate Citizen Award." He also judged the "Exporter of the Year Award." These awards recognize successful businesses in Sri Lanka.
His Passing
Saman Kelegama passed away on June 23, 2017. He was attending a seminar in Bangkok, Thailand. He was 58 years old when he died.
Honors and Remembering Him
After his death, many people honored Saman Kelegama.
- The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) named its new auditorium after him. It is now called the ‘Dr. Saman Kelegama Auditorium’. This was to remember his vision and leadership.
- A special meeting was held in Bangladesh to honor him. The whole event was dedicated to his memory. It focused on how he helped bring South Asian countries closer.
- The Government of India gave him the ICCR Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is for foreign students who studied in India and did great things. He was honored for his work in economics. He also helped make Sri Lanka and India better friends.
- The Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) created a special award. The 'Dr. Saman Kelegama Memorial Gold Medal' goes to the best student in their Executive MBA program.
- The PIM also dedicated a magazine issue to him. It was called ‘Insights on an Irreplaceable Icon’. It had 25 articles about him.
- The IPS started the Saman Kelegama memorial lecture series. The first lecture was about managing challenges for growth. The governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka gave the speech. He said Saman was modest, kind, and humane.
- The IPS also held a ‘Dr. Saman Kelegama Memorial Conference’. The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka attended. Many economists from around the world came to share ideas.
