Asokkumar Mithursan Asokkumar

I am Mithursan Asokkumar, currently working as a Research Assistant at the University Research Council, University of Peradeniya, and a former lecturer in the Department of Management Studies, Faculty of Management, University of Peradeniya. I am currently working with Professor Henry Mintzberg under the research project of “Why not? Plural Sector in Sri Lanka- beyond business and government: The Diffusion of the Rebalancing Society in Sri Lankan Plural Sector Organizations”. I worked as a research assistant, for the study of study of “A Model on Sustainable Farmer Development in Developing Countries: A Test on Dairy Value Chains”.at MASSEY University, New Zealand. Recently, I completed a project as a research enumerator on “Influence of food environments on diet quality” under the R5n project, conducted in collaboration with the World Food Program, International Food Policy Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Peradeniya. Further, I worked as a research assistant on a UNICEF funded project during Covid-19 titled “Strengthening the knowledge, skills and practices of communities and community leaders on COVID-19 related prevention and response measures”. I am also a former management intern at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and was the National Coordinating secretary of United Nature International Peace Sri Lanka.
I completed my BBA Honors in Organizational Management (GPA 3.8/4.00), securing 2nd rank in my batch at the Faculty of Management, University of Peradeniya. I won the best researcher award for my final year research study on “Experimenting the role of Pro-sociality on the Effort and Engagement of Nursing professionals in Sri Lanka". I received several awards, including the Faculty Award, Dean’s List, highest GPA scorer in multiple semesters, and nominated for the Gold Medal Mural Award for academic excellence. I was the Best Performer at the Management Undergraduate Internship Symposium 2023, and won a Gold Medal in the Innovative Business Idea Competition 2022 organized by Business Linkage, Innovation, Incubation and Technology Transfer Office (BLII-TTO), University of Peradeniya. Moreover, I was a finalist, placing 4th in the European Union funded INNOTAL Business Idea Competition among 30 teams from state universities in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Recently, I received the Best Research Paper Award at the 8th International Conference on Contemporary Management 2024.