Sri Lanka Images ~ Anuruddha Bandara - The Photographer

Sunrise in Singharaja Rainforest
An award winning picture of sunrise in Singharaja rainforest. This image was selected as the best landscape picture at the photographic competition held by Lanka independent photographers association in November 2007.

Anuruddha Bandara
Founder / CEO – Eco Team Pvt Ltd
Joint Founder / CEO – Wild Drift Pvt Ltd
Management Trainer
Eco / Adventure Tourism Consultant
Advisor to the Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry on Adventure Tourism.

Anuruddha Bandara is a well recognized authority in the Eco / Adventure Tourism and Adventure Based Management Training in Sri Lanka and the Asian region.

Being born in Balangoda [160km away from capital city Colombo] in 1969, and educated at the country’s premier school Royal College gave him an opportunity to have and experience leadership / community development projects / out-doors skills, bottom up.

His affinity towards Nature and Rural Community Development resulting in him actively participating in this sphere of work including mega projects like “Raja Sisu Gama” - village development projects while still at school.

Being a senior prefect of the College and the Head Prefect of the Hostel, he had to work closely with pupils from all over the country, from all communities, religions and from various social levels. All these factors have come in useful in his present role as head of an Eco Adventure Tourism service provider and a Trainer.

He started work as a trainee executive in a leading insurance company and rose to be a Sales Manager in a very short time and has 16 years of Senior Managerial / Training / Entrepreneurial experience. The desire towards Nature, Adventure, Eco Tourism and Training inculcated in him from his formative years pushed him to resign from a lucrative post in year 2000 and devote himself full time to these activities.

Presently he spearheads

Eco Team Pvt. Ltd –Largest company in Sri Lanka specializing in Nature / Adventure Related Tourism Activities, which operates at 24 locations offering 26 diverse nature and adventure related experiences. Eco Team has pioneered in many alternative living concepts and activities in Sri Lanka and was the first company to be reorganized in this sector by Sri Lanka Tourism authority. They provide services to 60+ national & international tour companies. Further details can be found at www.srilankaecotourism.com
Wild Drift Pvt Ltd which created a revolution in adventure based training with a completely new model to conduct management training in the wilderness, celebrated its 5th successful year in operation in July 2006. The company specializes in teamwork and leadership training for the corporate sector in Sri Lanka and globally. Spiced with adventure and nature, its training programs are based on experiential learning to enable today's fast-paced corporate world to meet recurring challenges. Its 100+ list of prestigious clients include Microsoft / National carrier Sri Lankan Airlines, Astrazeneca - Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Bank AG, Shell, Glaxo, Maersk - Pakistan, DHL, MAS Group, John Keells Group, Hayleys Group, Richard Peiris Group, Hirdaramani Group, Save The Children, MMA Company of France, and Care International. www.wilddrift.com

Adventure in Sri Lanka

Agriculture

Ancient Ruined Cities

Birds

Landscapes

Main historical and cultural locations

Nature Reserves & Botanical Gardens

Sri Lankan people & way of life

Wildlife

[T] +94 11 772 260 990
[E] saab@srilankaecotourism.com

Memberships in Professional Associations

A member of the Hotel & Catering International Management Association [HCIMA]

In addition he contributes actively towards his chosen field by holding office in the following:

A member of the National Olympic Committee.
The Secretary General of Adventure Operators Association of Sri Lanka.
The Secretary General of National Association of Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka.
Member of the Adventure Sub Committee – Sri Lanka inbound tour operators association.
Committee member – Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. 2003 & 2004

National & International contributions in Nature & Adventure Tourism and Management Training

Holds more than 7 years of management training experience.

Member of the 3-year National Tourism Strategic planning initiative for Sri Lanka Tourism – October 2006

Invitee for the 3 Day planning session on a national Destination Management System [DMC] and information and communication Technologies [ICT] framework for Tourism, organized by UNCTAD with the support of GTZ – October 2006

Participant in the National Symposium on Eco Tourism & Sri Lanka: Challenges and opportunities organized by the Department of Wild Life conservation – Sri Lanka - July 2006

Member of the Tourism Development core-group in Sri Lanka initiated by the Chartered Institute of Marketing / Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing – 2006 / 2007

Faculty member of the steering committee if UNDP funded Uva Province Tourism Development Master Plan.

Selected consultant to USAID in developing national trekking trails. [Currently under implementation]

Represented Sri Lanka in Commonwealth forum in Youth development – Rajasthan India 2005 and presented paper on Adventure Tourism inSri Lanka and its trends.

Invitee at the Daily Telegraph adventure show – Olympia London in 2004 to represent Sri Lanka’s Adventure perspective.

Represented Sri Lanka as an Observer in the Asian Canoe Confederation Congress – October 2003 – Bhopal India,

Facilitated the training intervention which was adjusted ad the World’s Best Individual Development Programmme in 2001.This was conducted by Junior Chamber International.