Surani Punchihewa Migration Consultant Australian Migration Centre, Colombo, Melbourne, Dubai with daughters Oshini and Kiara

She is the epitome of success a woman can be. Surani has “Been there, Done that” as the Aussies would say. She’s a highly successful Migration Consultant, Businesswoman, Entrepreneur,  Political Activist, Philanthropist, dutiful Wife and Mom. She personifies an aura of calm and collected confidence whilst her ladylike elegance permeates through the room she’s present in. 
Currently running a highly successful migration consultancy firm in Melbourne and Colombo with more than twenty one years of experience, she has expanded business through to Europe recently through Dubai as the base, which will assist high net worth individuals and families gain residency in the Western world. Surani, with her husband Hemantha and two daughters Oshini and Kiara, all practicing   Law and in the field of Law, agreed to tell her story to Lanka Woman.

Words - Indika Sellahewa
Location - Cinnamon Life- City of Dreams - Colombo 
Photos - Jagath Dharmakeerthi

Surani, can you tell Lanka Woman readers about your story? Your education in Japan, the picturesque land of Sakura and Sushi and how you ended up Down Under, the beautiful and vast bush land with great open skies and of Koalas and Kangaroos, specifically Melbourne?

My story about the journey to the land of Sakura commenced long before I left high school. I was studying at Visakha.  In year 11, I got an opportunity to participate in an exchange programme with a reciprocal exchange programme with a high-school in Tokyo. Upon returning to Sri Lanka after three weeks of a memorable stay in Tokyo, I was determined to study the language at a higher level and decided to move to Tokyo. It was not easy being accepted to a language school, and it was the most expensive place in the world at the time! With the assistance of my family, relatives and friends my journey began in the land of Sakura. I spent seven years in total, until I ended up being accepted to the Graduate School at Waseda University. 
The reason for me to move to Australia is because I met Hemantha in Melbourne, while I was touring Australia in 1999. He was a resident in Melbourne by the time I met him, and we got married in the same year. I had no choice but to move to Australia. I can confidently say, my experience with the Japanese people and my exposure to their work ethic assisted me to shape up as an individual and as a professional. Japanese work ethic, their sense of responsibility, hard working nature, precision, attention to detail are some of the traits I acquired from my experience in Japan. It is amazing to think that a small exchange opportunity offered by the local school, was able to change my life, my future, and futures of many clients I am privileged to be serving today.