Vimukthi Adithya
This guy here is the first and only cricket bat manufacturer in Sri Lanka. ‘Staunch’ was established in Angoda, Sri Lanka with a backstory of sacrifice, commitment, passion and hard work. He chose an uncertain path after dropping out of one of the best universities in the world; Monash Australia to live his dream.
Sahan Dikmadugodage was born in Australia to Sri Lankan parents. Just like all brown parents they asked him to be a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer but that’s not who Sahan saw himself becoming.
The guy struggled to graduate high school; repeated grade 11 and failed grade 12 but getting in to Monash proved everyone that grades are not always a reflection of your success.
Who would leave a university in the caliber of Monash after a year, leave your job in Australia, sell off your car and come back to Sri Lanka to invest in something that has higher risks?
Sahan’s journey on being the ‘first and only’ is not a walk in a park. After having sacrificed many things in life he then had to put his heart out to establish ‘Staunch’. Many sleepless nights, low cash flows and after so many produce faults he was able to achieve his goal, his dream. Living on one meal a day became a common norm but the hunger to achieve the goal was more than filling his stomach.
He broke the stereotypes in his culture, showing everybody that you will always find a way if you have the will and the passion. He is innovative, hard working and focused.
In whatever path you choose, the most difficult thing would be the startup and getting established. You will have to toil hard for 3 to 5 years and then success will follow you. All you need is passion, commitment and sacrifice.
It’s time that we support him, it’s time that we help a Sri Lankan business to boom and expand, after all ‘Staunch’ is the first and only international standard cricket bat manufactured in the island.
Expect a full interview with him soon.
Namal Rajapaksa I guess these are the kinds of businesses that need assistance and we should help a local business to establish
Good luck Sahan!