Ashcharya Peiris
Ashcharya Peiris | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nayana Ashcharya Peiris Jayakody |
| Alma mater | University of Warwick (Diploma in English) |
| Occupation(s) | Fashion designer, motivational orator |
| Known for | Sri Lanka's first visually impaired fashion designer; BBC 100 Women 2019 |
Nayana Ashcharya Peiris Jayakody (), widely known as Ashcharya Peiris, is a visually impaired fashion designer and motivational orator from Sri Lanka. She holds the distinction of being the nation's first fashion designer with visual impairment and is affiliated with the brand Christina Glory. Her blindness resulted from a suicide bombing incident in 2000. Peiris is acknowledged as a leading disabled female figure in Sri Lanka and was the sole Sri Lankan woman featured in the BBC's 2019 compilation of 100 influential and inspiring women.
Career
Peiris completed her early education at Devi Balika Vidyalaya before obtaining a Diploma in English from Warwick University. She initially pursued a career at HSBC Bank. However, her trajectory altered dramatically following the 2000 LTTE suicide bombing in Rajagiriya, which caused her to lose her sight, leading to unemployment and social isolation.
Transitioning into fashion design, she established Christina Glory in 2016, a label that has showcased collections at Ceylon Fashion Week. In 2014, Peiris was shortlisted as a finalist in Sri Lanka’s UP and Coming Fashion Designer Competition. The Independent Television Network recognized her among the Top 10 Most Remarkable Women of Sri Lanka in 2017. Additionally, she contributes her time volunteering with the Sri Lanka Army through the Arya Foundation and actively engages in delivering motivational talks aimed at youth, women, and individuals with disabilities.