FactCheck.lk works with a large team of analysts, editors, advisors, and administrators to produce its well-researched fact checks. Key members of our team include:
This post is also available in: English සිංහල தமிழ்
Nishan De Mel
Editor-in-Chief
Nishan is the Executive Director of Verité Research, where he provides comprehensive oversight for the FactCheck.lk team, encompassing final research, editorial, and strategic guidance. He is an economist with extensive academic, policy and private-sector experience. Nishan taught and researched economics at Oxford and Harvard Universities. In the 1990s, he sat on multiple Presidential Task Forces in Sri Lanka, playing an instrumental role in designing national policies on Health Sector Reform, Social Security and Tobacco & Alcohol. He also served as the Executive Director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies and the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. He sits on multiple private sector boards and consults regularly as a strategist for some of the region’s largest firms.
Viran Corea
Legal Advisor
Viran Corea is a Legal advisor at Verité Research and serves as an advisor for analysis of legal statements for FactCheck.lk. He has extensive litigation experience, mainly in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka. Viran specialises in public law, constitutional law and fundamental rights, and has appeared in numerous landmark cases in these areas. Viran has public sector experience as a legal professional, having served as State Counsel at the Attorney General’s Department of Sri Lanka for several years. He has advised and represented state institutions and functionaries, as well as the private sector in litigation. Viran holds an LL.B. and LL.M. from the University of Colombo and is an Attorney-at-Law.
Deepanjalie Abeywardana
Senior Advisor
Deepanjalie is the Deputy Director of Media and Politics at Verité Research and advises the operations of the FactCheck.lk team. She has extensive experience in media ethics, media behaviour as well as media and women. Additionally, she has experience in conflict resolution and human rights through her studies at University of Oslo, Norway and the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Deepanjalie received a BA in International Relations from the University of Colombo and a MA in South Asian Studies from Pondicherry University, India where she was selected as one of the first two Sri Lankans to undertake the MA on a Madanjeet Singh Scholarship. Deepanjalie has worked with a wide range of local and international stakeholders and media practitioners on understanding the Sri Lankan media, media ownership and media’s role in fostering reconciliation.
Mahoshadi Peiris
Manager
Mahoshadi manages the FactCheck.lk platform. She oversees the core analysts and administrative team, shaping the platform’s strategy. Additionally, Mahoshadi provides initial editorial and research guidance to the analysts before the fact-checks undergo a final review by the Editor-in-chief. She also manages the weekly production and dissemination of fact-checks across both social and mainstream media channels. Beyond her contributions to FactCheck.lk, Mahoshadi serves as the Team Leader for Verité Media, a division of Verité Research. In this capacity, she has led and authored numerous research assignments spanning various thematic areas, including research on ethno-religious violence in Sri Lanka, personal law reform, language and media polarisation, and the challenge of information disorder. She holds a Bachelor of Laws with a Second (Upper) Division from the University of London and is currently reading for her Attorney-at-Law Bar examination at Sri Lanka Law College.
Jonathan Cruse
Administrative Assistant
Jonathan assists with managing the weekly production of fact-checks, including providing research and writing assistance to the Analysts in the team. He also conceptualises, curates and executes the communications for FactCheck.lk’s social media handles. He works as a Junior Research Analyst in the Media Team at Verité Research, where he is involved in research spanning several thematic areas, including ethical journalism, language and media polarization, and ethno-religious violence in the country. He holds an L.L.B. from the University of London and is currently reading for a BA, specialising in English Language and Literature at the University of Colombo.
Raj Prabu Rajakulendran
Analyst
Raj is a Lead Economist in the Economics team at Verité Research and an analyst at FactCheck.lk. At Verité Research, Raj has contributed to research and analysis on public finance, macroeconomics, governance, and debt restructuring. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management (First Class) from the University of London.
Sumini Siyambalapitiya
Analyst
Sumini Siyambalapitiya is a former Lead Analyst in the Economics team of Verité Research and serves at FactCheck.lk. Her work at Verité Research spans across socioeconomics, public policy and public finance. She holds a B.A. in Mathematics/Economics and Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies from Lafayette College USA. She is currently reading for Economic Policies for the Global Transition (EPOG+), an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in economics, supported by the European Union.
Mathisha Arangala
Analyst
Mathisha is a Lead Economist in the Economics team at Verité Research and serves as an analyst to FactCheck.lk. At Verité Research he is involved in research in areas relating to trade facilitation, trade policy reform, logistics and international relations. He holds a Bachelor of Business and Commerce in Economics and Banking & Finance from Monash University Malaysia and a Higher Diploma in International Relations from the Bandaranaike Centre for International Relations (BCIS).
Anisha Dias Bandaranaike
Analyst
Anisha is a former Assistant Analyst at Verité Research and at present serves as an analyst at FactCheck.lk. At Verité, she led and conducted research on several areas of research, including disinformation, media sentiment, and religious freedom. She is currently the Executive Director of the Lakmahal Community Library. Anisha holds an M.A. in Museum Anthropology from Columbia University and an A.B. in Linguistics and Literary Arts with honours from Brown University.
Pumudika Amarasekara
Analyst
Pumudika serves as a manager (former Research Analyst) for the Economics team at Verité Research and an analyst at FactCheck.lk. In her capacity as a Research Analyst in the Economics team, she contributed to the research for the PublicFinance.lk platform. Prior to her time at Verité Research, she was engaged in data analytics-related work at Asiri Hospital Holdings, Softlogic BPO and Durdan’s Hospitals. She holds an MSc in Business Analytics from Robert Gordon University, United Kingdom, and a BSc. (Hons) in Business Management from the Federal University of Wales, United Kingdom. She is a member of the CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) and ACMA (Associate Chartered Management Accountant).