Rotary’s highest honor of Service Above Self award has been awarded to Gowri Rajan for demonstrating Service Above Self, by volunteering her time, untiring efforts and talents to help others. The award is internationally competitive and is granted to no more than 150 Rotarians worldwide, and no more than one from each district, each year. Not more than 14 Rotarians from Sri Lanka among a membership of 2000 have been recognised with the same to date. It is the first time a Woman Sri Lankan been awarded this recognition.
She is a member of Rotary Club of Kandy and a Past Governor. She also received the “International Leadership Award” by the World Bank entity IFC partnered Women In Management Top 50 Professional and career women awards 2017’ at Taj Samudra Hotel. “Serving people is not about the recognition that one gets. I was surprised but humbled when it was announced at the last Rotary annual conference however I will not take it as a personal win as in Rotary all the projects we do are team driven and supported by many people,” she said after winning the award.
Hailing from a respected business family who owns the market leader Soorya brand in Sri Lanka and being an Executive Director at Sunmatch Company which is one of the most aggressive businesses in a country. When asked how she balances being a business woman and Rotarian which is essentially humanitarian driven voiced ‘They both complement each other. Our priorities must be clear. Its family, business and then Rotary.
