Anudi Gunasekara

Anudi Gunasekara
Born	(1999-11-07) November 7, 1999 Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Alma mater	Anuradhapura Central College University of Kelaniya
Occupation	Model
Height	171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Awards	•The Most Inspirational Youth of the Year (2025) •Soorya Top 40 Youth Winner for the North Central Province (2025)
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title	Miss World Sri Lanka 2024
Major competition(s)	•Miss World Sri Lanka 2024 (Winner, Best in Evening Wear, Miss Popular) •Miss World 2025 (Top 5 Asia - Talent, Top 5 Asia - Head to Head, Runners up Asia - Multimedia Challenge)

Anudi Gunasekara (Sinhala: අනුදි ගුණසේකර, born 7 November 1999) is a Sri Lankan model, social activist, and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World Sri Lanka 2024.

In 2025, she represented Sri Lanka at the 72nd Miss World pageant held in Hyderabad, India. Her contestant introduction video became the most viewed among all delegates, amassing over 300,000 views on YouTube. Gunasekara is best known for her Beauty with a Purpose project, Saheli, a campaign to combat period poverty in Sri Lanka. She is also the first Sri Lankan contestant to reach the finals of the Miss World Talent, Head to Head and Multimedia competitions.

Early life and education

Gunasekara was born in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. She had her primary education at Anuradhapura D.S. Senanayake Model Primary school and her secondary education at Anuradhapura Central College. She further obtained a degree in International Relations from the University of Kelaniya.

Pageant career

Gunasekara's pageantry career began in 2024 when she competed in and won the Miss World Sri Lanka title. Alongside the main crown, she was also awarded the Most Popular and Best in Evening Wear mini titles. Her Beauty with a Purpose project entitled "Saheli", aims to alleviate period poverty in Sri Lanka. She represented Sri Lanka in the competition for the 72nd Miss World title.

At the 72nd Miss World pageant, Gunasekara became a finalist in the Miss World Talent segment, the Head to Head Challenge, and the Multimedia Challenge. She was the first Sri Lankan contestant to reach the finals in all three categories. She was eventually selected as the first runner-up from Asia in the Multimedia Challenge, placing her among the top eight winners of the segment. Despite being one of the strong favorites, the judges did not advance her to the semifinals, which was seen as a shocking decision by international pageant critics.

Advocacy

Gunasekara's Beauty with a Purpose project, titled Saheli, focused on addressing period poverty in Sri Lanka. The initiative aimed to improve menstrual hygiene awareness and accessibility by distributing sanitary products and providing education to women and girls in both rural and urban communities. Saheli also conducted awareness campaigns and school outreach programs to reduce stigma surrounding menstruation.

In addition to community engagement, the project included a policy advocacy component. Gunasekara held discussions with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya regarding the taxation of menstrual hygiene products, proposing a reduction to improve affordability. The initiative was presented as both a grassroots and legislative effort to address menstrual health challenges in the country.

For her work through Saheli, Gunasekara was recognized as a BleedGood Ambassador by the Selyn Foundation. She was also appointed as an honorary member of Rotary International District 3220 in acknowledgment of her contributions to social welfare and public health advocacy.

In June 2025, Gunasekara was appointed as an ambassador for the Little Hearts Foundation by Rotary International District 3220 at the Rotary District Awards. The Little Hearts Foundation is a Sri Lankan initiative dedicated to building and supporting a cardiac and critical care complex for children at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo, aiming to provide lifesaving treatment for children with congenital heart diseases and critical illnesses.

In the same month, Gunasekara was conferred with two recognitions at the Youth Top40 Awards 2025 organized by New Generation Sri Lanka, held at Shangri-La Colombo. She was named The Most Inspirational Youth of the Year and was also recognized as the Soorya Top 40 Youth Winner for the North Central Province. The Youth Top40 Awards celebrate outstanding young Sri Lankans across diverse sectors, acknowledging their contributions to the nation’s progress. Organized by New Generation Sri Lanka, under the leadership of founder Dr. Sulochana Segera, and supported by Soorya, the awards aim to promote youth leadership, personal growth, and social impact.