A figure many girls would die for, beautiful, large, luminous eyes, finely chiselled features and thick, lustrous hair makes young Devangi Wickremasinghe a beauty who turns heads wherever she goes. But with Devangi it is beauty and brains both. At present, she is reading for a Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology Degree (BICT) majoring in cyber security and minoring in networking at Western Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia.
Devangi, born and bred in Sri Lanka and currently domiciled in Sydney because of her studies is a well balanced young woman making the best of both worlds. Daughter of dance guru Chandana Wickremasingha and Dilhani, Devangi hails from a closely knit family with a disciplined home background. She has the freedom to mix with friends and attend fun events but is not allowed to go far out of her parents’ orbit and often they chaperone her to and back from parties and other such events. Even in her schooldays if her parents were unable to pick her up her grandmother would do so. Unlike some youngsters of today, Devangi realises the value of her parents’ rules and regulations and respects them. The same applies to her in Australia where she is under the guardianship of her paternal uncle (father’s brother) Hasitha Wickremasinghe, where the same rules are observed.
Asked why she chose cyber security and networking Devangi said she had been interested in computing from her days at Lyceum International School in Panadura. So, it was only natural that she chose affiliated subjects, cyber security and networking. She is fascinated by the vastness and diversity of cyber security and networking. They are also areas which get updated daily with new features and additions. “Cyber hacking is an international problem affecting many. Even individuals are at risk as shown by the many cases which have come to light. Much needs to be done to make cyberspace safe and I like to contribute to it in my small way,” she said.
Talking about the facilities available for studying she said they were very much up-to-date and that the university environment was pleasant.
Many Sri Lankan youth dream of greener pastures abroad but Devangi finds Sri Lanka more exciting than Sydney. “In Sri Lanka there are more things to do – in Sydney, it is University, back home , study, sleep and go back to campus in the morning. Weekends are also mostly stay - at - home days. Outings with friends or going to the movies is limited.”
When the Youth Observer met Devangi in her beautiful, artistic home in Moratuwa she was at the tail end of her vacation and getting ready to take wing to Sydney. “I come home for every vacation” she said. Asked how she spent this vacation Devangi said she was fully involved with the organization of Salamba 3, her father’s concert. It was held at the BMICH on February 3.” It was a huge affair with about 30 dance items and many dancers. Devangi herself presented a fusion dance as a surprise item, which she practised for just two days only. Most of the time she is at the dance studio down her lane helping out, practising or just watching the dancers. She also hangs out with friends and does things with them while falling in line with parental rules.
Devangi dances as a hobby. “I am not a full time, professional dancer” she explained. “ I am not here for most part of the year. I do dancing with my father and his troupe whenever an opportunity arises”. She has gone on tour to several countries including Australia, India, Jordan and Singapore. “Actually, I have been going on tour since I was two” she laughed. She is an exponent of traditional Kandyan and low country dances. She is also very creative by nature and loves to work with her hands and does much crafting including drawing and designing special clothes which she wears on special occasions. However, her passion is for movies, especially, Bollywood. Her idols change from time to time . Her current favourites are Priyanka Chopra and Ranvir Singh.
What makes Devangi unusual is her absolute unselfconsciousness of her beauty and grace. She does not frequent beauty salons or go on special diets.” I eat anything” she said. However, exercise is important to her.
Family time is also important to her and she tries to spend as much time as possible with mother Dilhani, father Chandana and twin kid brothers Manuga Lakdiv and Thanuga Mandiv aged eleven, and nine years her junior. “ We are very close but we also fight a lot” she said laughingly.
A Buddhist by birth she respects all religions due to her upbringing. “In our home we have the Bible and the Holy Quran and statues of Hindu gods too”.
As for her future plans, “ right now I am not looking too far into the future. Right now, I want to graduate early. A total of 240 credits are needed . She already has 160 credits and dreams of graduating this November.
Good luck Devangi and may all your dreams come true.