When a certain age hits us, we realise what our purpose in life is. Sometimes we need to walk past certain milestones to figure out what we are best at and what we have with us to give to the world.
For Chathuni Senanayake, life takes a remarkable turn when she becomes ‘Miss NDB’ in 2017 and 2018 in the prime of her youth. “It was after winning this crown twice that I perceived why am I not trying out and appraising modeling,” says Chathuni.
Inspired by the Miss NDB crown, Chathuni applies to take part in the ‘Miss Brand Sri Lanka’ in 2018 and is placed 12th, but she decides her journey shouldn’t end there.
She looks up to international models, studies how they express themselves in the world context and upgrades herself to a certain position and becomes confident of herself.
In 2019, Chathuni receives an invitation to take part in the ‘Miss Globe Sri Lanka’ and wins the title ‘Miss Globe Sri Lanka 2020’ and qualifies to compete in the ‘Miss Globe Ambassador World’.
Four mini-titles
“It was not only about beauty; it was altogether beauty and brains. Because we had three interviews with professionals and I won four mini-titles along with the Miss Globe Sri Lanka title: Miss Personality, Best Physique, Best Catwalk and Miss Intelligent.”
Chathuni proudly recalls her school Visaka Vidyalaya. She had been a banker before and now she is a Director of Independence Holdings and the private secretary to a minister and a model.
As each person has a ‘behind the scenes’ story to his/her success in life, Chathuni also has put up with so much nitpicking throughout her career.
“When I won the Miss Globe Sri Lanka title, some people even threatened me and cast aspersions on me. But I chose to prove myself to them instead of stepping back,” said Chathuni. At the ‘Miss Globe Ambassador World’ pageant, Chathuni secured the third runner-up position and also won the mini-title ‘People’s Choice’.
When Chathuni was a banker, she had aspired to be a lawyer, but she believes that it’s such a twist of fate to end up where she is today.
“All I then wanted was to be a lawyer, but now my path has accidentally altered so my ambitions have changed accordingly. I wish to be a businesswoman because the exposure I have had better contributes to that job role as well. I know I have to be mindful about dealing with responsibilities when I excel in this path in the years to come. For everything that I’m yet to become, I believe that the best accessory I can wear is honesty,”
Culture
When asked about how culture and freedom have influenced her, Chathuni said that she was fortunate to take this path because her family was with her through thick and thin, that her parents, brother and sister valued what she did.
“‘We are free to live our lives. Yet we have to adjust ourselves to our culture. Our parents are way older than us so we have to take their word and grow up with rich virtues. I won’t call myself a free girl yet, because I’m still in the bosom of my family and I don’t get to do whatever I think in my mind.”
Speaking about the younger generation in Sri Lanka, Chathuni emphasized that most of the young people today have lost themselves in drugs and that it has become more than just an addiction.
“Drugs have taken the lead in their lives. It’s really pathetic. Because until they are infatuated with those drugs because of the temporary awe it gives, they lose the most precious things in their youth. You can choose to be very sane or to be out of your mind when you are young, it’s up to you. But the consequences of your choice may pave the path for your future or hinder it.”
What Chathuni values the most in life is confidence, honesty and benevolence.
Knowledge
“Some step into this field with education while some others enter without education. What matters is not your education but how willing you are to admit and accept your shortcomings, how humble you are to learn what you don’t know and how you wish to utilize your potential in society. I actually came here without any knowledge, but I was ready to embrace new things as they moulded my personality.
For me, taking part in a pageant and not winning it is also a certain type of achievement because it gives me innumerable experiences which cannot be bought but have to be felt from within,” says Chathuni.
Chathuni is impassioned to offer society something and witness a positive change in it. “I plan to start a YouTube channel to talk about the corona pandemic, how our government, tri-forces, doctors, nurses and hospital staffers are doing a very tough job.
“I will talk about the significance of our country and how we can keep on getting obsessed with its beauty day-by-day and the beautiful places we can visit. I’m also doing charity programs. I have started teaching English in villages and I hope to make a change for the girls in Northern and the Eastern Provinces who love to showcase their personalities and beauty by participating in a fashion show. I believe they also deserve a seat in these pageants like the majority of Colombo people. This event would cheer them up.”
Chathuni said that the international pageant ‘Miss Globe’ will be held in October and that the date is yet to be finalized.