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Electronics engineer vows to save forex

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

“I had a penchant for electronic systems and designing various types of circuits and motors was my hobby.”

Engineer Amila Pathirana

The brain drain in Sri Lanka has caused a huge impact on the economy according to intellectuals. Unfortunately most people go abroad when they do not get the right place and the right value for their knowledge and skills within the country.

However, people with a strong sense of patriotism always think of coming back to their home country after learning the technology and gathering experience abroad. The owner of Audio Telex Telecommunication System, Electronics Engineer Amila Pathirana also felt that he can make a name for himself in his home country rather than earning dollars overseas.

He was interviewed by Daily News Business.

Being the eldest child in a family of two, Pathirana had to shoulder the family responsibility at a very young age due to his father’s untimely death. “I attended five schools as a student because my father was a Civil Engineer attached to a government department.

Despite this barrier I had a penchant for electronic systems and designing various types of circuits and motors was my hobby. After my Advanced Level examination at Kegalle Vidyalaya I followed City and Guilds Courses and got through the examinations.

Tough time

It was a tough time for the family and I started giving private tuition and later found a job in a reputed private company. But I did not get the right place.

My only task was to clean the computers for three months. I was very disappointed and quit. On that day I decided to start a company of my own in the future.

Unfortunately all my efforts to get a bank loan to launch a business failed as I did not have any properties to show,” he said.

Again he reverted to teaching in a few private schools on a part-time basis and entered the Institute of Electrical Engineering in Katubedda where he obtained the(CCNA)qualification Cisco Certified Network Administration in 2004.

Meanwhile, he secured a job in Dubai as a System Designer at G and M International (Bose Agent).

“I gained wide experience apart from the good salary there but I returned after two years realizing that I can do many new things in my country with that experience, he said.

On returning to Sri Lanka, Pathirana started on his own and did some projects for a few companies. AMW was one company which helped him in a big way.

Shihan De Zoysa at AMW encouraged me and gave the fullest support to get many new projects. I worked very hard day and night forgetting my engineering qualifications.

At the beginning I did everything myself, walking from door to door to find projects because I did not have a sufficient capital even to buy a motor-cycle. But I achieved a great deal of customer confidence and more business by doing that.

Our country spends a lot of foreign exchange to import electrical items unnecessarily. Some items such as speakers and TV brackets can be manufactured at a very low cost while giving employment to our people.

Future plan

My future plan is to set up a factory to manufacture integrated circuits (ICs) display units in Sri Lanka . At present this item is imported at a cost of Rs. 250,000 but it costs me only Rs. 60,000 to produce it,” he said.

The Audio Telex has three main divisions now namely, Audio Visual Division, Electronic and Communication and Data Net Working division.

A technician puts the final touches to an electronics component - Pix by Saliya Rupasinghe

The Audio Visual division provides systems such as piped music, public address, auditorium sounds, audio and visual installation and building system designing. The electronic and communication division provides Sensor, Security and Intercom systems while the Data Networking Division does Computer Networking, Router Configuration Cable and Cabling and all network accessories.

Pathirana’s monthly business turnover is around Rs one million today and he has provided employment to forty-five people directly and indirectly. He had completed more than 200 projects during a short period of time including the North and East areas.

Determination

He has two vehicles for marketing and sales. Some of his clientele include Hatton National Bank, Dialog Telecom, John Keells, MAS Holdings, Load Star and Russels (Pvt) Ltd.

Asked what is the secret behind his success, he said, “I had the courage and determination to come up in life.

“It was a journey full of challenges but I worked very hard and always did an honest and quality service for my customers.

“I was also careful with expenses. Even now I use a motor-cycle to visit my clients although I have a car.

“This is done as a cost cutting measure. After my marriage, my wife and her parents helped me immensely financially and otherwise.

“My wife handles all the accounts while I am fully engaged with the operational matters, he said.