NEWS

Myself Dr. Thilini Abeypala is a graduate ayurvedic doctor who is a pioneer in ayurvedic wellness education.

Founder-IICA [International Institute of Ceylon Ayurveda]

I completed my school education from St. Anthony’s girls school and Devi Balika Vidyalaya. Just after school I started my career at the age of 18 at Sri Lankan Airlines as a customer service agent. The training, grooming ,marketing experiences, international exposure I got there helped me to think in a wide angle. Then I entered university of Colombo to study ayurvedic medicine .With 5 years of academic and 1 year internship I was able to become an Ayurvedic doctor. These 6 years were tough not because of the studies. Let me tell you why.

I’m not from a poor family. My father brought the highest income to the family. But in the year 2006 he became paraplegic[paralysed]. He loses his job. My mother was a school principal in the government sector and the salary is not that fancy. So the financial status of the family comes down, the lifestyle changes. This sudden change really affected us all. More than the finance, it broke my heart to see my 6 footed strong dad in bed. I wanted to continue at the airline but as a principal my mother pushes me towards my studies. She wants me to get my degree. I quit my job and joined university. But still my heart doesn’t agree to this. So I started working part time. I worked for 4 corporate companies while in university. I covered my expenses, bought things my father likes and even gave money to my mother. I saw my mother’s struggle to get back to the comfortable lifestyle which we used to have while my father was working.

After graduating I got the opportunity to work  as a guest doctor on tv and also was able to work in the number one Australian university in Sri Lanka. This experience helped me to do a change with the knowledge that I have with regard to Ayurveda. 

I started my own institute focusing on Ayurveda beauty culture, panchakarma, advanced natural beauty therapy and yoga. The company I started alone is now 20 branches in Sri Lanka. The most important thing about this network is that I was able to give opportunities to very talented hard working ayurvedic doctors .I was able to help them become financially stable. Every month we grant 3 full scholarships to ladies who are in the low income category, who have lost their husbands and are struggling to raise their kids and also the special needs adults who want to start their own business . Deep inside life taught me how important money is. I tried hard, I worked hard for it. So why not give others a chance to be the same. The International Institute of Ceylon Ayurveda is my baby. But my objective is to create more job opportunities, help others build up their business ventures so that they will not have to depend on anyone anymore. This award is not merely an award ,it is a motivation to help others more as a working woman.