Speaking on the eve of the "Young HR Minds Award 2008" Janaka Kumarasinghe, past President of IPM Sri Lanka and Chairman Panel of Judges; "Our aim is to provide a learning platform which encourages young HR practitioners to come forward and share their organizations experience in adopting and implementing contemporary people practices that drives business results. The organization case studies will be used to promote HR education and build on the local body of HR knowledge. In parallel the award program will also recognize these up-and-coming HR professionals for their contributions to best HR practices in Sri Lanka".

Detailing further, panel member Dr. Archana Arcot, Vice President - Human Resources at WNS Global Services, adds that "bedrock to creating the "Young HR Minds Award" is embedded in the changing new role of HR driven by business requirements. Today HR is propelled to the forefront of the business. Much is being asked of HR practitioners today – to know as much, if not more, about the ‘business’ of the organization as the business leaders do, ability to speak the language of HR in the context of the business and more importantly influence the business decisions that impact the people of the organization. In other words, there is a great need to move beyond traditional HR roles towards adding value through directly improving the performance of the business through people".

It is with this intention, that IPM Sri Lanka initiated the Young HR Minds Award 2008 by inviting young HR professionals preferably below 35 years, to come forward and share their organizations experience in adopting and implementing contemporary people practices on specified streams in line with the theme of the National HR Conference "People Drive Business". These young professionals were first required to submit a written paper in the first phase and this was followed with a paper presentation round to the panel. In the launch phase an overwhelming response of 44 paper submissions from 43 participants was received The panel members drawn from Academic and Industry alike included Janaka Kumarasinghe- Chairman Panel of Judges (Past President IPM Sri Lanka), Prof. Sudatta Ranasinghe, Professor Management Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Open University of Sri Lanka, Dr. Archana Arcot- Vice President HR of WNS Global Services, Sri Lanka and Ishan Dantanarayana- Director HR / Asia Head of HR (CCT Business Unit) of Virtusa.

From the paper presentation round, four aspiring young HR Professionals were invited to make their presentations at the Pre Conference session held on 2nd June, 2008 as part of the National HR Conference. The four topics and the winners representing leading organizations made a presentation on the following, in no particular order, first was on "Talent Management Approach – Attraction and Retention" by Ms. Shyamali Ranasinghe - Manager Learning and Development, HSBC, second was on "Developing Tomorrow’s Business Leaders" by Eomal Munasinha – Manager Talent Creation & Management, Dialog Telekom, third was on "Differentiation for a High Performing Culture" by Ms. Chathurika Amarakoon – HR Business Partner, Unilever and finally the fourth one was on "Developing Tomorrow’s Business Leaders - The MAS Way" by Ms. Chandi Dias Abeyagunawardane, Manager Group Training & Development , MAS.