Charani Lakna Charithma Matara Patabendige

Charani is an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. She is a Research Analyst (Actg) and Research Assistant at the Institute of National Security Studies, with specialisation in national security, which includes peace building, counter terrorism, preventing violent extremism, gender, cyber and environmental security. She holds a Masters in Conflict and Peace Studies (Distinction, Gold Medalist) from the University of Colombo and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), second class from General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. She also holds a Distinction pass in the Advanced Diploma in Transitional Justice from the Bandaranaike Center for International Studies. She has experience in legal research, lecturing, reviewing, and policy analysis. Charani has won the Best Paper Presentation Award at the First International Conference on Business Sustainability by the University of Colombo in collaboration with ZPMC in November 2024 under the track social sustainability and the Best Poster Presentation Award at the 17th International Research Conference 2024 by General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University under the track Defence and Strategic Studies. She has represented Sri Lanka on international platforms virtually and in person. She is an alumna of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, Washington DC. She is also a visiting lecturer, a research supervisor and an independent reviewer as well.