We heard about a prodigy from the Kandy district who was born to do great things beyond imagination, even from the scent of milk on her lips. While others of her age played with dolls, she found joy in something far more extraordinary — the computer. At first, she created her own email address, all by herself. At that time, she was just three years old. This extraordinary girl was named Vashinyaa Premanand.
This story is about her.
Ten years ago too, we heard stories about her. At that time, she was 11 years old. The reason she made headlines then was because she became the youngest in the world to successfully complete a B.Sc. degree in Information Technology.
Now once again, she has come into the spotlight — this time, for obtaining a Doctorate in Business Administration at the age of 21.
Her name, Vashinyaa Premanand of Sri Lanka, is now written at the very top of the international student records for completing such an achievement at the youngest age.
She possesses an extraordinary ability to surpass educational milestones years before the standard age limits. The path she has carved is indeed remarkable.
She created her first email address all on her own at the age of three. By the time she sat for the G.C.E. O/L English paper in 2010, she was only eight years old. She passed with a distinction ‘A’. She began her studies for the British Computer Society’s certified degree in IT at age eight and completed it within three years, at a time when other children her age were preparing for the Grade 5 Scholarship Exam.
She did not stop there. At age 17, she obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of West London, UK.
By earning the degree at age 17, she pushed Harrison Show of the USA into second place, who had earlier held the record for completing the MBA at the age of 20.
Vashinyaa’s father, M. Premanand Nadaraja, is a businessman by profession. Her mother, Lakshi Premanand Shaktiwel, is also an MBA graduate. Both parents hold MBAs, and their only daughter, Vashinyaa, was born into this family on May 13, 2002.
Being the only child, she was nurtured like a precious flower from a very young age. Her mother, who worked as a computer instructor in an international school, resigned from her job to stay at home and support her daughter’s growth.
Because her mother was a computer instructor, Vashinyaa was introduced to computers from childhood. Instead of spending time with the dolls her father brought her to play with, she spent most of her time with the computer. Lakshi noticed her daughter’s quick ability to grasp anything taught instantly and therefore encouraged her to work with the computer rather than keeping her away from it.
This background led to Vashinyaa creating her own email address at age three. She went on to create her own website before she turned nine. She missed being the youngest in the world at that by a narrow margin, because an Indian child had already done it at age eight.
Before turning 10, Vashinyaa also obtained a Diploma in E-commerce and Web Engineering and the International Computer Driving License (ICDL).
With her father busy with business, her mother was the constant guiding force that helped Vashinyaa surpass milestone after milestone. Lakshi Premanand explained how her daughter’s success began:
“When she turned three, we enrolled her at Kurunegala International School for preschool education for two years. But in just one year, she finished the entire two-year curriculum. That was when we first realized she had a special ability to grasp things earlier than other children. At age five, we admitted her to Colombo International School in Kandy. Within two to three months of starting Grade 1, she had already caught up with Grade 2 work. Seeing this, the teachers decided to give her a double promotion to Grade 3 instead of putting her in Grade 2.
In Grade 4, she was promoted again straight to Grade 6. Because of these double promotions, she was able to sit for the O/L examination at the age of 13, where she obtained ‘A’ grades in all nine subjects. Afterwards, while preparing for A/Ls in the biology stream, she began her MBA studies at the University of West London at the age of 15.”
Vashinyaa is a perfect example that “Age is never a barrier to excellence.” She completed her MBA at 17, and later joined Lincoln University in Malaysia for her Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) studies.
At age 21, she successfully obtained her DBA, becoming the youngest in the world to complete it. Her graduation ceremony was held recently at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, presided over by Prof. H.D. Karunaratne, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, and Roshan De Lima, Country Director of Lincoln University, Malaysia. At the event, she was also presented with a special recognition award for obtaining the DBA at the youngest age.
She is currently serving as a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Management, University of Peradeniya, as well as at First Friends University and Imperial College.
While many children who focus on studies tend to stay away from extracurricular activities, Vashinyaa is completely different. She is highly skilled in playing the organ and guitar, having won several All-Island Championships. Her aunt, Swendani, who worked as a translator in the Colombo High Court, also taught her sign language. At age 14, she even underwent flight training in Malaysia, where she piloted an aircraft at an altitude of 7,000 feet.
Recognizing her talents, in 2013, the Central Provincial Council awarded her the Madharata Abhimani Award.
Apart from her parents, her closest companion is her pet dog Arhaan, who never left her side during her studies. He joined the family two years ago, after their previous dog, Shoor, passed away.
Interestingly, both her parents completed their MBA degrees after Vashinyaa, motivated to keep up with their daughter and encourage her.
Her father, Premanand Nadaraja, said:
“I love my country. I have received many invitations from foreign universities, but I rejected them all. That’s because I want to contribute to my own country with my knowledge. If we plan our education properly and work with dedication, we can walk a strong path. Obstacles will always come along the way, but from a young age, we must develop the strength to face them. There is nothing we cannot do if we are determined. What matters is commitment. Always try to do something that amazes the world, and never lose faith that you can do it.”
Every barrier is a step to rise higher, and age can never hold us back. This is the theme of Vashinyaa’s life — and she has proven it true with several world records to her name.
