Bala was brought up in the Methodist Church in Colombo. He is a member of the British Methodist Church in London and served for six years as the first Synod secretary of the newly formed London District in 2004. He was the Vice President of the Methodist conference 2018/19. Bala has around 35 years’ professional experience in the telecommunications sector, 20 years of which were in the international arena, much of this at executive level at British Telecom, ECI Telecom, CTell Inc. and Interoute Telecommunications Ltd. Until 2010 Bala was Chairman of University Hospital Lewisham NHS Trust. He has served on many public and charitable bodies. These include Ecumenical Aids Trust, Age Exchange, Applecart, Methodist Relief and Development Fund, Regional and District Health Authorities. Bala served an elected labour councillor in the brough of Lewisham and in the Inner London Education Authority. Bala is currently on the Board of Christian Aid, Chairs Change Alliance India a wholly owned subsidiary of CA UK. Methodist Homes (MHA), Dalit Solidarity Network, Well-Being Sri Lanka.