Mr. Kalana Gamani Kodithuwakku Hewamallika, Chairman of Gamma Interpharm (Pvt) Ltd, was honored with two of the highest accolades at the 25th Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2025, held on 29th August at Cinnamon Life – City of Dreams. He was presented with the coveted Platinum Award – Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year 2025, the most prestigious national recognition at the event, as well as the Gold Award in the Extra-Large Category for the Western Province, underscoring his leadership and pioneering role in Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical industry.
Organized by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), the 25th anniversary of the SLEOTY Awards coincided with FCCISL’s 50 years of championing business excellence. The awards program remains Sri Lanka’s premier platform recognizing entrepreneurs who excel in productivity, innovation, financial strength, management excellence, employment generation, technological advancement, competitiveness, and sustainability.
Kalana Gamani Kodithuwakku Hewamallika, born on April 7th, 1970, is the son of the late Gamani Kodithuwakku Hewamallika—the visionary founder of Gamma Interpharm (Pvt) Ltd—and Mrs. Sripali Hemalatha. A proud alumnus of Trinity College, Kandy, he later completed his higher education in Business Economics at Brock University, Canada. In 1997, he married Mrs. Nishanthi Hewamallika. Together, they are blessed with four wonderful daughters, two of whom have now entered the business. Since his entry into the company, Kalana has carried forward his father’s legacy, providing visionary leadership to Gamma Interpharm, which has grown into one of Sri Lanka’s most trusted pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and a leader in oral dosage forms, including antibiotics.
Mr. Hewamallika continues his father’s legacy while steering the company into a new era of innovation and global expansion. From its beginnings with just seven brands, Gamma Interpharm today manages over 40 brands and nearly 80 SKUs, playing a vital role in supplying essential medicines to both the government and private healthcare sectors. Expanding beyond Sri Lanka, the company now exports to Myanmar, the Maldives, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In addition, contract manufacturing of its products is set to begin for the Philippines through Ambica (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Adani Group, India.
Under Mr. Hewamallika’s leadership, Gamma Interpharm established Sri Lanka’s first-ever Cephalosporin plant for capsules and dry powder suspensions, further strengthening the nation’s pharmaceutical independence. Its state-of-the-art facility in Madapatha, Piliyandala, is fully GMP-compliant with WHO guidelines, equipped with advanced technology and laboratories that meet stringent global standards.
Gamma Interpharm has also taken a pioneering role in conducting Bioequivalence (BE) studies locally, collaborating with the Kotelawala Defense University. These studies provide scientific proof that its medicines are equivalent in safety and efficacy to innovator brands, aligning with international benchmarks. Landmark achievements include the BE study of Glyclapan MR 60mg — Sri Lanka’s first locally manufactured Gliclazide Modified Release 60mg tablet — and the successful completion of BE study for Diabx XR (Metformin Hydrochloride Extended Release tablets U.S.P 500mg tablets), with several other products currently in the pipeline.
Mr. Hewamallika’s leadership has earned widespread recognition. He was awarded the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award for Pharmaceuticals in 2018 and the Global CEO Leadership Excellence Award in 2024. His commitment to advancing entrepreneurship is further reflected in his service as President of the Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (2007) and President of the Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association(SLPMA) (2022–2023).
Beyond business success, Gamma Interpharm has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR). The company has extended strong support to the Little Hearts Project at Lady Ridgeway Hospital and has been continuously conducting medical camps island-wide, providing free consultations and essential medicines to underserved communities. In addition, the company supports higher education by providing training and internship opportunities to local and foreign university students, alongside infrastructure development, notably the establishment of a Mock Pharmacy at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ruhuna.
Gamma Interpharm continues to “Seeking Excellence in Contributing Towards Quality Healthcare for All.” The company is now focused on expanding research & Development, strengthening exports, and delivering safe, efficacious, and affordable medicines to both local and regional markets.
The dual recognition at the Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 — the Platinum Award and the Western Province Extra-Large Category Gold Award — stands as a testament to Mr. Kalana Hewamallika’s visionary leadership and Gamma Interpharm’s enduring contribution to Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector, economy, and global presence.
Mr. Kalana Hewamallika attributes his success to the guidance, support, and encouragement of his parents, the late Mr. Gamani Kodithuwakku Hewamallika and Mrs. Sripali Hemalatha, as well as to the unwavering dedication of Mrs. Sugi Sivayogarajan, Director of Operations, the Board of Directors, the Senior Management team, and all staff of Gamma Interpharm. His greatest strength, however, has been his wife, Mrs. Nishanthi Hewamallika, who has stood by him through challenging times her motivation and commitment towards the family has inspired Mr.Kalana Hewammallika achiechieve highest level in the coorperate ladder, They are blessed with four daughters — Anuki, Niseni, Sasuni, and Methuki — with Anuki and Niseni already serving as General Manager – Legal and General Manager – Marketing, respectively, poised to lead Gamma Interpharm to even greater heights in the generations to come.
