Do business in keeping with the Dhamma - Award winning entrepreneur

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

According to most businessmen, doing business as per the philosophy (Dhamma) preached by Lord Buddha is impossible in the 21st century. But, award-winning entrepreneur Sunanda Paranagama Weerasinghe has proved this to be a myth. Being the proprietress of Sujan International (Pvt) Ltd. that has won several international and national awards for quality and excellence, she thus explained her philosophy:

“I saw a living Buddha through His kindness and peaceful reactions to many an obstacle encountered in His life. My father used to bow to the rising sun ,and the well that gave us clean water.

He had great respect for nature and was engaged in growing food plants in every inch of land available. When I was 12 years during his morning walk he showed me his cupped hands and told me that this body is nothing but this very same soil that can be gathered in this hand one day originated by the elements of this earth, and was nourished by the same elements, and perished one day.

Maiden product

The greatest wealth he gave me was the Dhamma. At the same time he gave me the autobiography of Mahathma Gandhi which converted me to be a vegetarian and to dedicate my company to vegetarianism today”.

Sunanda, the eldest in a well known business family of five from the South started her career in 1973 as a teacher at Bouna Vista College but had to resign as a result of her marriage to an Engineer. Then she proceeded to UK with her husband and followed a course in food technology.

On her return to Sri Lanka she decided to run a business at home with the knowledge she acquired while in UK. Moss Jelly was her maiden product which was sold to “Sathosa” for three years. Gradually she expanded the varieties of her products totally dedicated to vegetarianism and non violence. When Sathosa put up shutters she supplied her products to other leading brands.

Currently she supplies her products to Millers Distributors Ltd. under the Classic brand. When the demand increased she obtained a loan of Rs. 2.5 million and set up a factory at the Industrial Estate at Homagama with 10 to 12 employees.

Her product range includes Cholesterol free high protein Soy Protein milk and milk shakes, Moss jelly and China moss puddings, that needs no refrigeration to set and Chappathy, Naan mixes, Thosa, Idli, Red rice, Wandu Appa, Kurrakkan Breakfast and healthy Vegetarian Soy Protein Oaty Porridge. This is good for Heart and Diabetic patients to reduce cholesterol as both soy and oat reduces the level of cholesterol and have a low glyceric index.

Soya based meatless meat is another line. Her vegetarian Chocolate Mousse is a great dessert which is identical to what you make with eggs. It’s a healthier option for dessert lovers one has only to add ice cold milk and beat it to make a great dessert in five minutes, without eggs and butter.

Even Cream Topping can be used to make delicious desserts with ripe mango puree. Her Strawberry Trifle - a three layer pudding is convenient for special occasions. There is separate machinery for each product in her factory. Asked about the response for her products, she said that she has never advertised her products or done any research on the demand. “I never had competition in mind.

My object is to cater to the health and vegetarian market with the best food products remaining as a medium scale company. All my products are sold as vegetarian food and by word of mouth.

We offer the best to Lord Buddha as a pooja and I provide the best food for my clients. I never faced a problem in selling my products and I want to create more awareness among the health conscious and the vegetarians.

Future plans

Questioned about her future plans, she said that she wants to introduce some red rice products as a medium scale manufacturer in keeping with her philosophy.

She won an award in New Delhi, for enhancing rural economy, another award for Food Excellence and was the Women Entrepreneur of the year small company in 2007.

She also won the Gold Award for the most Innovative Enterprise in 2007 and another Gold Award for the most Innovative Food Product Range conducted by the National Agribusiness Council.

She is also an author of two books on Buddhism and the benefits of vegetarian food. She strongly believes that Sri Lanka should give priority to agriculture to develop it. She contributes to the Rasasaraniya paper on how to grow our own food with the available resources with the Senior Research Officer in Agriculture, Dr. Sujatha Weerasinghe.

Sunanda is the current President elect of the Sri Lanka Food Processors’ Association and had been the Chairperson of the Committee for Cleaner Dining in Colombo conducted by the Sri Lanka Food Processors’ Association and Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council, helping to create awareness on the importance of food hygiene among eating houses in Colombo.

She calls upon people to adopt a vegetarian way of life at least for a few days of the week and develop non violence and overcome hatred, greed and misconceptions and to convert to Loving kindness and be satisfied with simple living as Mahatma Ghandhi advocated.