Nava Pic by Ravindra Dharmathilake Location: Cinnemon Grand Hotel Make-up by: Ramzi of Ramzi’s Salon

By Ishara Jayawardane
Nava as he likes to be called, is a man of extraordinary potential and who has led an adventurous life. He has been a sportsman who has represented his country and is now a banker and a model. Let us meet this man with many talents.

Nava enjoys his life as a banker. But his dream has always been modelling. From his childhood he wanted to be a top model as well as being an international model.

Nava who works for Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Global Resourcing showed great potential at an early age while studying at Wesley College. At school he won school colours for hockey. As soon as he left school, Nava joined the Colombo Hockey and Football Club (CH and FC). At CH and FC Nava attended the trials and was selected to the Sri Lanka hockey team. Nineteen year old Nava played in the AFRO cup held in India.

Nava said he had achieved the highest achievement for any sportsman by representing his country. He also said that wearing the Sri Lanka jersey was a proud thing for him.
“I balance both my work and modelling. My company is very supportive of my modeling as long as I do my work” said Nava

On the topic of banking, Nava started four years back and has gained a lot of recognition for his work. In terms of my banking career he wants to be top management personnel.
When asked whether he has any aspirations for the big screen Nava said that he has not acted but if he takes up acting it will be portraying a character by whom he will be remembered by.
Nava’s career in modelling is extensive having taken part in ramp modeling, photo shoots and commercials.

“My ambition is to become a Mr. Sri Lanka or Mr. World one day. I want to be a supermodel. I want to win a Mr. World contest” said Nava enthusiastically.
Nava has done more than ten big fashion shows such as Hameedia, Ramani’s and the launching of Vantage.

“Every model has a dream. Wearing the clothes and walking down the ramp for the company is a dream come true. Every sponsor, every clothing store such as Signature, Hameedia’s and Odel, every brand that they have, I wore and modeled. This is an achievement for me as far as ramp modelling is concerned.
However, Nava feels that where male modelling is concerned there is not enough modelling contests.
“For girls there is Ms Sri Lanka for Ms. World, Ms Sri Lanka for Ms. Universe, Ford Model of the year. But for guys, they do not have it. For international male pageants there is, well little participation from Sri Lanka,” explained Nava.

Nava went on to say that for international male pageants such as Man Hunt and Mr. World, participants in Sri Lanka are just nominated and a person goes for this pageant. So there is no title really.
Nava went on to say that there must be more modelling contests for men.
On the subject of his family Nava said they are a ‘small but strong family’. His father is an engineer and mother is a housewife and his brother works for a leading media company.

Nava also elaborated on how all of this started in terms of his modelling career.
“I want to thank Rozanne Dias. I started my career, when in the office they had this fashion show, Rozanne came over and I got selected as one of the male models. I did not know there was an inner model in me. So while I was doing modelling it was so natural to me. The way I posed and walked, so she identified me.

First and foremost I have to thank Rozanne Dias for pulling out my inner model which was hiding. Every man has talent, this was my inner or hidden talent which she identified,” he said.
In addition to thanking Rozanne Dias who identified Nava one and a half years back, Nava also wants to thank his family members for all their encouragement and his employee and the people working with him for their support.

Nava has done many commercials such as HNB, Fanta and Hutch and two more commercials will be done in the future; Tigo and Sri Lanka insurance.
“As far as beauty is concerned as far as my brain is concerned I want to be an intelligent model. I am thinking as an international personality. If you are not an international personality you cannot win the Mr. World contest. So that is why they say for girls; beauty with a brain.

You need to identify the concept. If you have a good sound educational background and if you do the modelling and you go with the proud Sri Lanka title and go to the international arena, the way you speak, the way you present yourself can get you a lot of things,” added Nava