Women’s Committee

Abbira Vijayakumaran

Women’s Committee

Abbira Vijayakumaran received her law degree from Queen’s University Belfast, and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2022. Prior to law school, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Western.

Abbira articled with the Wilton Martin Litigation prior to joining the Wilton Martin Litigation as an associate. As an articling student, she worked on employment, professional regulation and litigation matters.

Abbira has a special interest working on RCDSO complaint matters. Outside of work, Abbira can be found spending time with her friends and exploring the best hikes in Canada.

Anchana Balachandran

Women’s Committee

Driven by a fervent dedication to both real estate and the advancement of women, Anchana Balachandran is a committed realtor serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Durham region. Armed with an Honors degree in Life Science from McMaster University, Anchana brings forth a unique combination of analytical prowess and empathetic insight to every transaction.

Her journey into real estate was sparked by a profound realization: a home encompasses more than mere physicality; it embodies security, solace, and empowerment. Anchored by this conviction, her mission transcends mere property transactions; it is about crafting homes that inspire and elevate her clientele.

Proudly affiliated with the Women’s Committee, Anchana is resolute in her commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where women are nurtured, empowered, and celebrated. As a working mother of two, she intimately understands the intricacies of balancing professional endeavors with familial obligations that women often face.

Through advocacy, mentorship, and community engagement, she endeavors to amplify the voices and opportunities of women within the Tamil Community. Together, Anchana endeavors to pave the way for a future where every woman is empowered to pursue her aspirations and define her own path to success.

Dilani Gunarajah

Women’s Committee

Dilani Gunarajah is a Barrister and Solicitor who was admitted to the Ontario Bar in July 2005 after working as a lawyer in Sri Lanka. Dilani established her own legal firm, Dilani Gunarajah Law Office. She works relentlessly to find cost-effective and efficient solutions to her client’s issues.

She worked for the Ministry of Attorney General office for nearly a decade. Not only is Dilani Gunarajah an accomplished lawyer, but she also holds the prestigious title of the first female President of the Canadian Tamils' Chamber of Commerce. Her dedication to breaking barriers and paving the way for women in the business world is truly inspiring.

She also served as a board member on the South Asian Autism Awareness Centre (SAAC), in which she played a pivotal role in steering the strategic direction of the organization. In her free time, Dilani is an avid hiker who finds solace and inspiration in the great outdoors.

Jasica Mahalingam

Women’s Committee

Jasica Mahalingam, a recruitment officer and founder of Global Talent Nexus comes from a wide educational background ranging from the science & health field to the world of law.

She is also a life and health insurance agent. Beyond all the schooling she has completed and her wide experiences in her career life, she is most proud of being a mom to her three beautiful daughters. Being a mom to little girls has further pushed her to be a better role model. This means inspiring them to dream big and pursue their passions fearlessly.

Through my hard work, determination, and achievements, I hope to show them that anything is possible for women. With those skills and a helping mindset, Jasica is passionate about empowering women in business. This can be through mentoring, finding the correct support networks, or through advocacy, she strives to have an inclusive environment where women can thrive professionally and feel fulfilled in all their goals.

Lemooriya Ananthan

Women’s Committee

Lemooriya Ananthan is an Associate Family Law Lawyer at Paul Cooper Family Law Professional Corporation. Lemooriya obtained her Juris Doctorate from Osgoode Hall Law School. After successfully completing her Juris Doctorate in May of 2021, Lemooriya quickly found an interest in family law. Lemooriya represents a diverse portfolio of clientele across Southern Ontario, including Barrie, Newmarket, Peel Region, Toronto, Oshawa, and Kawartha Lakes, and is knowledgeable in a wide array of dispute resolution processes, including negotiations, mediation, arbitration, and litigation.

Lemooriya has considerable experience in matters involving family violence and/or parental alienation. She frequently appears before both the Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice. Lemooriya advocates for a compassionate trauma-informed approach to legal representation and is passionate about access to justice issues. She provides services in both English and Tamil.

Shobika Santhalingam

Women’s Committee

Shobika Santhalingam is the founder of Mint Media Social Agency
Inc., a boutique marketing agency established in 2021 offering cutting-
edge marketing solutions to businesses. Mint Media dominates the
marketing landscape for Tamil businesses, catering to a significant
portion, if not over 80% of the top businesses who are doing great in
digital marketing.

Shobika received her Bachelor of Arts Degree (Hons.) in Psychology
from Ryerson University, in which she attained skills to better
understand human skills and subsequently meet their expectations to
achieve effective marketing strategies. She carries a wealth of
experience in understanding client needs and ensuring outstanding
deliverables across a variety of industries. Shobika’s influence
extends beyond mere business success; she embodies creativity,
innovation, perseverance, making her and her company synonymous
with excellence in the industry,

With a heart full of compassion and a willingness to make a difference,
Shobika spends her spare time lending a helping hand to various
community organizations and causes, embodying the true spirit of
service and generosity.

Patricia Peter

Women’s Committee

Patricia Peter is an accomplished entrepreneur with a rich and diverse career spanning over two decades. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Bank Management from the University of Madras, India, and a Postgraduate diploma in Financial Service Underwriting from Seneca College, Patricia has cultivated her expertise across multiple domains. With over 18 years of specialized experience in Real Estate Sales, Finance, and life insurance sales, she has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities. In her previous roles, Patricia served as the President of MN Mortgage Corporation and excelled as a Managing Partner at Reliance Heating & Cooling Ltd., where she showcased her prowess in both financial management and operational leadership.

Currently, Patricia plays an integral role in the funeral service industry in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), holding positions as a Licensed Funeral Preplanning Director and Family Service Counselor at Lotus Funeral Home and Ogden Funeral Home. Leveraging her extensive knowledge as a Licensed Life Insurance Advisor, she provides invaluable support to clients during critical life stages. Outside of her professional pursuits, Patricia is deeply committed to community service. She actively participates as a member of the Catholic Women’s League and serves as a Mentor for the Centre for Immigrant and Community Services, exemplifying her dedication to supporting marginalized communities in their integration journey. Furthermore, Patricia holds influential leadership positions within the Tamil community, currently serving as the President of Our Lady of Good Health Tamil Parish.

Her longstanding involvement with the Canadian Tamil Chamber of Commerce (CTCC) since 2006 underscores her commitment to fostering business growth and cultural exchange. Notably, she has contributed to the CTCC Board as a Director, served on various subcommittees, and chaired the Women’s Committee. In embodying Simone Signoret’s profound assertion that “One is not born, but rather becomes a woman,” Patricia epitomizes resilience, adaptability, and continuous growth throughout her professional and personal journey.

Vinosha

Women’s Committee

From an early age, Vinosha was always fascinated with the legal profession and desired a career in which she could utilize her skill in advocacy. She aligned her path towards fulfilling this ambition by working in a busy boutique law firm at the age of 16. After obtaining her Honours Degree in Psychology from York University, Vinosha entered the Common Law Program at the University of Ottawa in 2012 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2016. Prior to opening her own practice, she summered and articled at two Toronto-based boutique personal injury firms. Vinosha also served as in-house corporate counsel for Sears Canada Inc.

located in the heart of the city. Vinosha specializes in residential real estate, wills and estates and small business law. She is a strong and tactful negotiator who appreciates building relationships with her clients. She is proud to provide services in both Tamil and English. Additionally, Vinosha serves as a lecturer at Medskool Reviews, teaching Medical-Legal Ethics to medical students and foreign doctors pursuing their Canadian medical licenses. She also does pro bono work for her home church. Vinosha is a member with the Law Society of Ontario, The Canadian Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association and Tamil Bar Association.

Outside of the office, Vinosha loves to travel the world with her two daughters.

Rakhavan Ketheeswaran

Director

Rakhavan began his journey with The Chamber in the early 2000s as the trumpeter and
drummer for multiple Chamber Events. He is now the President of 7 Diamond Group of
Companies, providing a myriad of services, including specialized security and event
management related services.

A Network Engineer by education, Rakhavan is a 11 Year Veteran with the Canadian Armed
Forces. He continually innovates and remains on the cutting edge of the Private Security
industry for the last 15 years. Rakhavan is instrumental in 7 Diamonds moving to the next
level.

Rakhavan is also a Mental Health trainer and an instructor to Private Security corporations in theoretical and Physical
defence procedures. He provides Close Protection for local and international artists, Dignitaries, corporate clients,
organizations, and other Security related Services.

With logistical planning as his forte, he carries an ongoing passion for music and production which initiated an AudioVisual division under the 7 Diamond umbrella and continues to provide various event related services to its’ clientele.

Ken Kirupa

Executive Director

The Canadian Tamils’ Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the appointment of Ken Kirupa as its new Executive Director. With a wealth of experience and a passion for serving the Tamil business community, along with having previously served as the president of the Canadian Tamils’ Chamber of Commerce Ken brings a unique blend of leadership and expertise to the role.

As the new Executive Director, Ken will be at the forefront of the Chamber’s efforts to further its mission. He will work closely with the board of directors to develop and implement a strategic vision, while overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Chamber. Ken will also be instrumental in building strong relationships with key stakeholders, including members and community leaders.

The Canadian Tamils’ Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization that plays a vital role in supporting and representing the interests of Tamil businesses across Canada. With a commitment to providing valuable services and resources, the Chamber is dedicated to helping its members achieve their goals and succeed in their respective industries.

Please join us in welcoming Ken to his new role, effective February 06, 2023. We are confident that under his leadership, the Canadian Tamils’ Chamber of Commerce will continue to grow and thrive.

Vina Devadas

Immediate past president

Professional Background

Mr. Devadas is a Lawyer cum Accountant attached to DevadasLaw Professional Corporation in Toronto. He focuses in the accounting related areas of law such as Tax Law, Business Law, Employment Law and Civil Litigation. In addition, his law firm deals in real estate law, family law, wills and estates law. Prior to that, he was the Senior Financial Analyst / Financial Analyst at CGI in Toronto for 6 years. CGI is the fifth largest independent information technology (“IT”) and business process services (“BPS”) firm in the world. He was also the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) for 8 years where he counts 12 years of experience.

Academic Background

Mr. Devadas is a Barrister & Solicitor licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. He is also a Chartered Professional Accountant of Ontario and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), United Kingdom (UK). He obtained his Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree with Merit from the University of Colombo.

Lecturing Background

He possesses over 15 years of lecturing experience as a visiting lecturer for various Professional Courses including the CIMA Examinations UK. His students have obtained CIMA World Prizes & CIMA Sri Lankan Prizes. He had conducted intensive revision courses for the CIMA students in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and in India.

Community Involvement

Mr. Devadas is actively involved in the community. He was a Past President of the SriLankan Accountants Association of Canada (SAAC) and a Past President of the Araly Cultural Organization, Canada. He is involved with the Old Boys Associations of Royal College and Hindu College Bambalapitiya where he was the Secretary in 2016. He was awarded the Mentee-To-Mentor award by Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) in 2011. He volunteered in the fund raising activities for the setting up of the Harvard Tamil Chair and the Toronto Tamil Chair. He has supported many community organizations through his Law Firm Devadas Law Professional Corporationby way of sponsorships.

CTCC Involvement

Board

He served the CTCC Board as the President in 2021-2022, as the VP Membership in 2019-2020 and as the VP Finance for two consecutive terms in 2017-2019.

Building Committee

He is one of the five founding members of the Building Committee that was created in 2017 which successfully completed the purchase of CTCC’s own building in August 2020 that was ceremonially opened in August 2021. He raised approximately $100,000 in contributions/donations towards the purchase of the building.