Victoria University alumnus Kandeban (Kandee) Balendran - educator, entrepreneur, and one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated personalities in Tamil media - has built on his Australian education experience to help develop Sri Lankan society and community.
When named as one of Australia’s nineteen most inspiring young global leaders in 2014, Kandee Balendran reflects that he was “honoured to be part of this list of young global leaders with an absolute sense of purpose, going after things we want to see changed in the world and having this unwavering belief that our generation can do it”. Since then, his endeavours demonstrate how he has taken this belief to heart and committed to Sri Lanka’s social and economic development.
Asa renowned media personality, entrepreneur and social activist, Kandee is a pioneer in the media, marketing and education sectors of Sri Lanka and India. His Australian education journey started in 2002 at the Australian College of Business & Technology (ACBT) in Colombo, where he studied a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Communication.
Following his undergraduate studies, Kandee earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Victoria University in 2010. After graduation, his achievements were recognised upon receiving the university’s Young Alumni Achiever Award. Kandee was also the recipient of the Australian Alumni Excellence Award for Business Administration and Leadership from the Australian Government (Austrade) in2014.
Kandee’s international studies and corporate career experience led him to return to Sri Lanka to continue his entrepreneurial journey, while also supporting his country’s economic and social development.
Kandeeis the founder and CEO of Academics Group, a Sri Lanka-based cross-sector education think tank that empowers young people to become the next generation of change makers. Through a vision to help create a more open and connected education system, it focuses on educational reform through technology and innovation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kandee created further opportunities for young people by launching several leadership programmes, as part of his Ivy Future Leader, an academy to develop future leaders as global citizens. Kandee is also the co-founder and board director of Centenary Movement and Centenary Academy, which aims to inspire and enable a new generation of leaders to lead Sri Lanka strategically towards the centenary of independence.
Kandee’s business ventures are strongly tied to his roots in education, marketing and technology.
Kandee also co-founded Sri Lanka’s first online marketplace for parents, known as beeboobaa, where parents can buy and sell preloved goods and services. His vision is to expand it as a global movement towards circular economy and sustainability, including developing online children’s bookstores and early learning centres.
Kandee is also one of Sri Lanka’s most recognised media personalities, having hosted WhoWants to Be a Millionaire in Sri Lanka ("Maha Latchathipathi") since 2012, Good Morning Sri Lanka and a socio-political prime time show called ‘Minnal’. Using his media profile, Kandee advocates for critical public health campaigns in Sri Lanka, including HIV, diabetes, dengue fever, as well as national road safety projects and #SafeChildSriLanka, a national child safety project.
Although Kandee has now anchored himself in Sri Lanka, he recognises Australia as a country of opportunities, underpinned by its cultural diversity and commitment towards excellence and innovation. Kandee also acknowledges the influence that this Australian education has had on his career, and how his own perspectives have developed during his time in Australia. As a graduate of Victoria University, he understands why Australia remains an attractive study destination for many Sri Lankan students: “Australia and Victoria University have provided me with the right tools for my personal and professional development, and the ability to contribute to the community. Sri Lankans hold Australia in high regard as a study destination that supports them to go on and achieve Sri Lanka’s national development goals.”
By building on his Australian study experience and keeping Sri Lankan society and community central to his endeavours, Kandee exemplifies the ongoing commitment between the two countries towards mutual understanding and development.
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