By Aruna Fernando
Born without legs, Chameera Gayashan entered the world facing challenges that most people could never imagine. Yet, 29 years later, his story stands as a remarkable testament to resilience, determination and the belief that disability should never define a person’s future.
Born in Kalutara, Chameera was abandoned by his parents when he was just two weeks old. Unable to cope with raising a child with special needs, they entrusted him to a children’s home, where his life took an unexpected turn.
The caregivers at the home became the only family he knew.
“The children’s home became my home. Many children with special needs lived there and the caretakers looked after us like parents. They sent me to the nearby Roman Catholic Mixed School, where I received my education,” Chameera recalls.
Determined to build a better future, he completed his schooling up to the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) before earning admission to the University of Colombo. There, he pursued a degree in Human Resource Management in the Faculty of Arts, proving that physical limitations need not become barriers to academic achievement.
After graduation, Chameera joined an investment bank as a trainee Human Resources Officer. His dedication and performance soon earned him a promotion to the position of Operations Executive.
But while his professional life was progressing, another challenge remained unresolved—mobility.
Living in a boarding house in Kotte and commuting to work each day was a constant struggle. Public transport was not accessible, forcing him to rely on hired vehicles.
“Every journey was difficult. I had to lift my wheelchair into the vehicle and some drivers simply refused to take me because of my disability,” he says.
His search for independence finally found an answer through David Pieris Motor Company, which designed and modified electric three-wheeler specifically to meet his mobility needs.
The vehicle was engineered at the company’s manufacturing facility in Piliyandala with a range of custom features that allow Chameera to drive entirely by hand.
“Since I cannot use my legs, all the foot-operated controls were converted to hand controls. The accelerator, brake and other driving functions are operated manually and the vehicle also has an emergency braking system. I can board directly from my wheelchair, fold it inside the vehicle and move into the driver’s seat independently. Even the driver’s seat was specially designed to suit my height,” he explains.
The specially modified three-wheeler has transformed his daily life. He now travels independently between his boarding house in Kotte and his workplace during the week and drives to Kalutara every weekend to visit the children’s home that raised him.
What was once a difficult and exhausting journey has become part of his normal routine.
Despite achieving financial independence and career success, Chameera continues to set new goals. While working full-time, he is pursuing further studies and hopes to complete a postgraduate qualification in the future.
His story is not merely one of overcoming disability. It is a story of courage overcoming abandonment, education overcoming adversity and determination overcoming limitations.
Today, Chameera Gayashan drives towards his future with confidence, proving that the greatest barriers are often not physical—but the limits society places on possibility.