(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Sri Lankan entrepreneur Lilan Dayananda has been honored with a coveted spot on Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30 Asia” list in the social impact sector. This prestigious list, now in its ninth year, recognizes young leaders under 30 who are driving innovation and adapting to the evolving business landscape. The Asia list is an extension of the renowned Forbes 30 Under 30 franchise, which has been celebrating young talent for over ten years.
Lilan Dayananda is the co-founder and CEO of Elzian Agro, a company dedicated to advancing agricultural practices. His notable achievements include being named one of the top ten Youth Social Entrepreneurs at the Global-South Development Expo 2022. This accolade was awarded by several prominent organizations, including the United Nations Youth Envoy’s Office, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and UNDP Youth Co:Lab. In 2022, he also received the Commonwealth Youth Award for his outstanding work in development. In 2023, he was listed among the top 100 meaningful business founders by Ernst & Young (EY), Hogan Lovells Global Law Firms, and Babson College, in partnership with the Meaningful Business Community.
Academically, Lilan Dayananda holds a Business Management (Special) Degree from the University of Kelaniya and is pursuing a Master’s Degree at Wayamba University. He is an ALS Public Policy fellow at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and an Anubhav fellow at the Indian School of Public Policy. Additionally, he completed the Stanford Seed Spark Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Under Lilan Dayananda’s leadership, Elzian Agro has been at the forefront of research and innovation since 2021. The company focuses on climate-smart, data-driven precision agriculture, regenerative agriculture, biodiversity restoration, analog forestry, and agroforestry. His mission is to deliver sustainable and effective solutions to enhance food security comprehensively.
