top stories

Velupillai opted for ACCA after meeting Malaysian students who were studying for the ACCA qualification in Sri Lanka . "I became friendly with some of the students who lived in my building complex and found out about the excellent opportunities for ACCA members outside Sri Lanka ," he explains.

In the 1970s, preparing for the ACCA examinations in Sri Lanka wasn't easy. "Books and study materials weren't freely available," says Velupillai, adding: "We established a student organisation to help overcome these difficulties and to raise money to pay for lecturers."

Hard work and enthusiasm enabled Velupillai to complete his studies. In the workplace, he rose from a clerical accounting position to become Superintendent of Audit in the Auditor General's Office and finally Deputy Auditor General.

During the 1980s, Velupillai realised his dreams of working outside Sri Lanka when he was assigned to work as an Internal Auditor for the Minister of Finance in Bahrain . "That was an incredible time," he recalls. "My salary was several times more than what it was in Sri Lanka and I enjoyed many other benefits."

Velupillai has also worked with audit teams in the National Audit Office of Australia, leading to fellowship of the Australian International Development Association. He continues to travel widely and has attended the Commonwealth Auditor Generals conference and Conference of Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions.

"ACCA membership is very important to me," he asserts. "It gives me enhanced credibility and respect when dealing with top officials of public sector institutions and representatives of the World Bank and other donor agencies."