His Excellency Shri. Maithripala Sirisena Former President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka personally attended this event and honored
No matter the conflicts with neighboring countries, borders cannot be changed. Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s belief that border disputes between India and Pakistan could only be resolved through love and friendship remains a guiding principle for the world. Today, an eleven-year-old girl, Kalasha Naidu, is turning Vajpayee’s vision into reality by promoting friendship between nations through her dedication to social service.
Wars waged to settle disputes result in bloodshed and create distance between people. Kalasha Naidu proves that while conflict divides, service can unite. Her journey began at birth when her parents founded the Kalasha Foundation, initiating social service programs. Inspired by her parents’ work, Kalasha expanded their efforts to a global scale. Today, the Kalasha Foundation operates in about 135 countries, partnering with international service organizations to carry out its mission of compassion.
Kalasha Naidu’s decade-long involvement in social service—starting from such a young age—demonstrates her deep commitment to making the world a better place. Recently, she achieved another remarkable milestone, becoming the youngest social worker to receive an honorary doctorate. Additionally, as the youngest recipient of the Asia Icon 2024 award in the social services category, Kalasha Naidu set another record. She received the award from Shri. Maithripala Sirisena, Former President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka during the Asia Icon Award ceremony held on the 26th and 27th of this month in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Colombo Governor Senthil Thandaman, Foreign Minister Taraka Balasurya and Youth Affairs Minister Rohana Dishannayake participated as special guests in this honor program.