Life style

Upali Wijewardene: He reached for the stars

Published

5 years ago

2022/02/13

On a day like this 39 years ago on February 13, 1983, Sri Lanka’s much loved business leader, Upali Wijewardene, who captured the imagination of an entire nation vanished without trace in his Lear jet with five others on board. They were returning to Colombo from Malaysia where his Kandos chocolates had hit dizzy heights.

His disappearance engulfed the the region with shock and disbelief. US Orion surveillance aircraft, Soviet and Australian warships, Indonesian minesweepers, Indian airplanes, Malaysian patrol boats and Sri Lankan fishermen were all mobilized in search operations to no avail. ‘What if Upali lived? What really happened to Upali?’ continue to be yet unanswered questions.

If Upali Wijewardene was a sensation in life, he was elevated to a legend after he went missing just four days short of his 45th birthday.

Wild theories about his disappearance were floated around and Colombo’s children of the 80s were said to have devised a game called ‘Finding Upali’s Plane.’ A larger than life figure and a maverick who embraced life with such gusto had disappeared; but he continues to live in the heart of a nation.

The Sunday Island recaps the saga of its founder who was once dubbed ‘the ‘Quintessential Entrepreneur of Asia’ and ‘the man who would be President’

By Randima Attygalle

“My philosophy is to do what you know how to do well and from this I mean you must have the knowledge right all the way through…” reflected Philip Upali Wijewardene, or ‘PUW” as he was fondly called, in an interview with the Malaysian Business in December, 1981. In a technologically austere time, long before the digital revolution when a direct international call had to be ‘booked.’ Wijewardene plunged into chocolate-making, assembly of cars, newspaper publishing, aviation, plantations and much more. As was once documented, ‘the success story of Upali, is the story of how small Asian companies can grow into multinational corporations. It was a precursor of the coming of age of the ‘entrepreneurial Asian.’

Philip Upali Wijewardene was born on February 17, 1938 to Don Walter Wijewardene (from Sedawatta walauwa ) and Anula Kalyanawathi Wijesinghe (from Miriswatta Walauwa) at his famous paternal grandmother Helena Wijewardene’s mansion, Sri Ramya, in Colombo (where the present American Centre stands). Upali grew up amidst the affection of his two older sisters, Anoja and Kalyani and a bevy of cousins. He received his kindergarten education at Ladies’ College and later at Royal College, Colombo. When he turned 15, Upali was sent off to St. John’s School Leatherhead in England. Having read Economics at the University of Cambridge, the 21-year-old debonair Wijewardene returned home in 1959 and was recruited by Lever Brothers as a Management Trainee. The corporate rigours and an eternally irate boss left the young recruit drained in two years.

Having quit Levers in 1961, the blue-blooded Wijewardene did not fall back on his family wealth but sought his own fortune first with a friend’s ailing confectionery plant which he re-baptized as Delta and a few years later with Kandos – the brand promoted by Ceylon Chocolates Ltd. In 1970, with the demise of its founder Chairman, Senator Sarath Wijesinghe, his nephew Upali Wijewardene who was expanding his business empire took over the reins of that company.

True to Wijewardene’s philosophy: ‘plunge in and get on with it’, the expanding fully-fledged cocoa processing plants and factories in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand enabled Kandos to be internationally present and rub shoulders with Nabisco, Mars, Cadbury and Hershey’s. At the time of his disappearance, Wijewardene claimed to be the only fully-integrated cocoa processor in Asia, with businesses ranging from growing cocoa to manufacturing cocoa-based consumer products. The cocoa tree which still adorns the Upali Group’s head office in Colombo and the taller tree which once stood at the door to his luxurious home in Pantai Hills in Kuala Lumpur, which he aptly named ‘Cocoa Hill’, says it all.

Following his uncle D.R. Wijewardene, the press baron, he went on to launch The Island and Divaina snubbing feasibility studies of foreign experts who warned him that the national newspaper market was already saturated. The exercise, as he alluded to the Insight magazine in May, 1981 five months ahead of its launch, was one of his ‘fun-projects’ but analysts say that political ambitions down the road were part of the story.

Just two months following the success of the newspaper, in an interview with a Malaysian business journal, Wijewardene gleefully remarked: “it must be a world record of some sort.” He went onto note that the newspaper’s popularity probably has more to do with editorial policy and style, adding tongue-in-cheek: “they said there was no market, but people must have got tired of reading gazettes!” As the founder editor of the Island, Vijitha Yapa once recalled, Wijewardene was “an editor’s ideal publisher who never interfered with the independence of the newspaper.”

The present Managing Director and CEO of the Upali Group of Companies, Nimal Welgama recollects: “Upali was a man with tremendous energy which he employed in everything he did. He was mischievous, had a sense of fun and in the last lap of his life, not only gave of himself to his many private enterprises but also contributed his time and skill for public purposes; hence his period as Chairman and Director General of the Greater Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC), the predecessor of the Board of Investment (BOI).”

Having worked for the Upali Group as a young man, Welgama recounts his one-time boss ‘making waves in his own inimitable style.’ “He was ever conscious that his father died young and he did not expect to attain a venerable old age. At the time his life was so tragically snuffed out, he used to say that the accent is on enjoying”.

The emblem of the business group he set up – the blazing copper sun with a ‘U’ in the middle was a motif of Wijewardene’s own personality says the Upali Group’s CEO. “The warmth of his personality, like that of the sun, was felt by the many people he befriended. He was good to his employees, people who served him at various levels, and in return had not only their loyalty but their affection.”

From steering a multinational to being the Chief Basnayake Nilame of the Kelani Raja Maha Vihara, Wijewardene donned many hats. His string of thoroughbreds and Labradors stole a large part of his heart. His beloved ‘Charlie’ is said to have kept a long vigil for months after he disappeared, waiting for his master who never returned.

“My late uncle Upali’s signature facet was his love for speed. This he applied in expanding his business empire. He bought a Lear jet and obtained a Red Passport as the Chairman of GCEC because he was a man for speed and a fast decision-maker. Even his other indulgences including his love for horse and car racing reflected this,” recollects nephew, Dhammika Attygalle who was 18 at the time of his uncle’s disappearance and is now a Director of the Upali Group of Companies.

Sporting his ‘Red and Gold Cross Slash’, Wijewardene’s Rasa Penang, Varron, Kandos-Man, General Atty, King of Zulu and Cornwall Garden shone at Royal Ascot, Singapore Derby and Perak Derby, ridden by none other than Lester Piggot. “One time Chairman of the Board of Stewards of the Sri Lanka Turf Club, he would even do a tarmac transfer to his helicopter and would make it to Nuwara Eliya, sometimes just minutes before races were to start.

The luxury S-Class Mercedes Benz 116 which he imported from Malaysia was the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. Upali mama used to travel to Nuwara Eliya or Kamburupitiya (his maternal home town) after dinner to save time and to reach the destination fast,” recollects Attygalle who goes on to note that his late uncle initiated Ruhunu Udanaya Movement to develop his maternal home town Kamburupitiya from where he had ambitions of being elected to Parliament..

A fan of Victor Ratnayake, C.T.Fernando and Milton Perera, Wijewardene would also enjoy the country-western timbre of Jim Reeves, who as he had once conceded, ‘puts him in a pensive mood for thinking up new business schemes.’

Having built a global corporation which spanned several countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the USA in the 1970s and the early 80s in an era of snail mail, telegrams and pre-booked international calls when communicating with people abroad took weeks and travel overseas was expensive and a luxury, her late uncle’s confidence and ‘can do’ attitude inspired her, says niece Lakmini Wijesundera, Co-founder and CEO of IronOne Technologies and BoardPAC. “Today, we have instant communication access and the speed of business is fast-tracked. Asia and the South East Asian regions have comparably good infrastructure to perform. Therefore, the great strides and speed at which he operated despite the obstacles in a technologically-Spartan era is outstanding and stands out among the rest even by today’s standards,” says Wijesundera, a successful entrepreneur herself.

She further remarks that her uncle had his sights up high and was not discouraged by past benchmarks. Therefore, he was able to carve new paths and futures and created an impact in the minds and hearts of Lankans whom he inspired to ‘dream big.’ He hammered home the message that we didn’t necessarily have to be conservative in what we wished to attain.

“His focus on branding was unmatched,” reflects Wijesundera who points out that the Free Trade Zones and concepts of similar nature were supported and led by him to create a fresh economic future for Sri Lanka – models which were innovative then and sucessfully adopted by several other countries in the region.

Watching her Upali mama’s helicopter landing on the flat roof of his Thurstan Road residence was an unforgettable memory for young Lakmini and her siblings. “We were so excited to be part of this rare experience at that time,” she smiles adding that she recalls him to be full of life with a great sense of humour and always with a smile. Thirteen years old at the time her uncle vanished, Wijesundera who relished her mother’s stories about her brother ‘starting from scratch with great determination at a young age.’ She believes that her Upali mama personified the belief that anything is possible with the correct mindset- a mantra that she believes in today.

A man who would think big, Wijewardene would advance from Upali Fiat and UMC Mazda to ‘Upali Aviation’. – the only domestic flight which would bridge the North and the South. The halting of the operations of the Upali Airline was a double whammy to fellow Jaffna countrymen who not only saw the flight as a vehicle of better communication between Jaffna and Colombo but also its founder as a harbinger of hope who would have possibly bridged the economic disparity between North and South.

Describing Wijewardene as ‘Sri Lanka’s most colourful businessman who has made a fortune both at home and abroad’, Matt Miller in his article under the banner ‘The man who would be President’ documents in May, 1981, ‘now he is turning his abundant energies and resources to a new arena; politics.’ Noting that ‘Upali’s current passion for politics is matched only by his passion for racehorses,’ Miller goes onto write: “And now the 43-year-old commodities wizard has started what could be called Upali’s Third 20-Year-Plan: ‘The first 20 years were education,” he says, “the second business and the third politics.” He would “be willing”, he says with uncharacteristic restraint to become president of Sri Lanka someday.”

With his suave personality and witty repartee, Wijewardene was a darling of the press. Adorning cover pages of coveted international business journals, he still remains the only home-grown Sri Lankan entrepreneur owning a multi-national to have been featured in the prestigious Fortune magazine.

The present Editor of the Sunday Times, Sinha Ratnatunga, then a young journalist who was one of the close acquaintances of Wijewardene privy to the last moments of the tycoon recollects: “When Upali left for the airport around 6.30 p.m. that day, I left at the same time for Ana Seneviratne’s residence. He was then the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Kuala Lumpur. I was to stay there until I flew to join my father who was in Jakarta.

The High Commissioner was getting calls well past midnight and it was only in the morning I heard that Upali’s plane hadn’t arrived in Colombo. I was not particularly taken aback or overly concerned straightaway thinking it was typical of him to go off the beaten track as Upali could be so unconventional even in his planes. It was only by midday while at Genting Highlands watching the cable cars going about that I got that eerie feeling that the plane must be missing.”

As veteran journalist Ajith Samaranayake once commented, “politicians Sri Lanka had known before (included) poets, pundits, scholars, sportsmen, film stars and singers alike. Philip Upali Wijewardene, however, did not belong to any of these moulds. He was not moulded out of the common clay. He broke the mould and reshaped it closer to his heart’s desire.” In Wijewardene’s own words his image in the villages is of “an international businessman of whom they are proud… The villager identifies only with success and for the youth I am probably the culmination of their aspirations.”

On a personal note, although I was merely a child at the time of Mr. Wijewardene’s untimely demise, I was fortunate to have become a part of the legacy he left behind for Sri Lankan journalism. While Kandos chocolates, Delta toffees, his landmark home in Colombo and the resplendent Nuwara Eliya bungalow and its garden- (which often clinched the ‘Best Garden’ award during the April season) and his Lear jet were motifs I often associated with him as a young child, becoming part of his newspaper allowed me a vantage point to this towering personality.

One of my favourite research subjects, I often hear anecdotes about this trendsetter by my senior colleagues. My editor Manik de Silva who was Mr. Wijewardene’s first choice to edit The Island (which he has recounted under the title The job I didn’t take) has many stories I have savoured – particularly the one about the young Upali knowing he had got the Lever Brothers management trainee job when the sudda boss took him and his rival to the Galle Face Hotel to lunch to check out their table manners. “When my rival titled his soup bowl towards himself and not the other way, I knew I had the job,” Upali had said,

My other colleagues Zanita Careem and Anneston Weerasinghe who were recruited by Mr. Wijewardene more than 40 years ago remember him as a man of infectious charisma who would turn heads not just once but twice.

I’m only humbled to have clinched the award given in his name (Upali Wijewardene Feature Writer of the Year) multiple times – twice from a newspaper he founded. I’m indeed fortunate to have become part of the publication he founded 40 years ago as a platform for liberal expression without fear or favour.

Each time I hear the rustle of the wind blowing through the cocoa tree he planted in the Upali compound, and look at the splendid dome of St. Lucia’s Cathedral nearby towering overhead, I remember Elton John’s Candle in the wind he sang for Marylin Monroe.:

‘And I would have liked to have known you

But I was just a kid

Your candle burned out long before

Your legend ever did….’

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Life style

In love with linen: Minha Akram’s creative journey

Published

2 days ago

2026/10/4

Thilina Walpola

Minha and Shukran: Founders and their vision for effortless island linen elegance

By Zanita Careem

Linen has evolved from a timeless natural fabric into a modern lifestyle statement, and Minha Akram founder of ‘Tropic of Linen,’ has made linen her signature brand.

With her first store at Ward Place and its newest outlet at the Shoppers at Cinnamon Life, the brand continues to bring effortless, tropical elegance to contemporary fashion. In this interview, Minha speaks about her designs and the journey of taking ‘Tropic of Linen’ into a new chapter.

(Q) Why has linen become such an important fabric in today’s fashion and lifestyle market?

(A) I think linen has always had the qualities that people are looking for today. It is natural, breathable, durable and has a very particular beauty to it. What has changed is that people are now paying much more attention to those qualities.

There is also a growing interest in buying fewer things but choosing them more carefully. People want clothes that are comfortable enough to live in, but still have a sense of style and individuality. Linen fits very naturally into that way of dressing.

For us, the appeal of linen has always been quite instinctive. We didn’t choose it because it was fashionable at the time. We chose it because we loved the fabric and felt it was particularly relevant to how people live in Sri Lanka.

(Q) What inspired you to establish a linen-focused brand and bring it to Cinnamon?

(A) I had always been interested in fashion and design, and I studied Fine Art and Design at the University of Cape Town. That gave me a strong creative foundation, but my career subsequently took me into other areas before I eventually came to fashion as a business.

When Shukran and I started discussing the possibility of working together, we realised that our different experiences could complement each other very well. He had a strong understanding of apparel and linen, while I was coming from a creative perspective. Linen became a natural meeting point between the two.

We also felt there was an opportunity to create something that was specifically relevant to Sri Lanka rather than simply bringing international fashion concepts into the local market.

Where effortless elegance meets style

The move to Cinnamon is an exciting new chapter for us. We wanted to take the essence of ‘Tropic of Linen’ into a setting where both local customers and visitors could discover the brand and experience what we have been building over the years.

(Q) Why is linen particularly suited to Sri Lanka’s tropical climate?

(A) Our climate makes comfort an important consideration when you get dressed, and linen is naturally very good at dealing with heat. It is light, breathable and doesn’t cling to the body in the way that some other fabrics can.

But I think its suitability goes beyond the practical side. Linen has a relaxed quality that works beautifully with the Sri Lankan way of life. You can wear it during the day, to lunch, while travelling or in the evening, and it can be styled in very different ways.

That versatility is important to us. We aren’t designing clothing simply because it is appropriate for hot weather; we are designing clothes that people can genuinely incorporate into their lives.

(Q) How has the perception of linen changed from being seen as a simple summer fabric to becoming a fashionable, premium material?

(A) I think people have become much more sophisticated in the way they look at fabrics. Linen is no longer being judged purely on whether it is practical for warm weather. People appreciate its texture, its natural movement and the way it changes with wear.

There is also a growing understanding that the little imperfections of linen are part of what makes it beautiful. It doesn’t need to look completely rigid or perfectly pressed to look elegant.

And from a design perspective, linen can be incredibly versatile. The quality of the cut, construction and finishing can completely change the way the fabric looks and feels. That has helped move it beyond the idea of being simply a casual holiday fabric.

(Q) Today it has become a symbol of effortless style, comfort and conscious living. What do you think has driven this remarkable change in the way people view linen?

(A) I think our relationship with clothing has changed. There is much more awareness now of what we are buying, how often we are buying it and whether something is actually going to remain part of our lives.

Linen has a very natural relationship with that shift because it doesn’t need to be constantly reinvented. A good linen garment can be worn for years and can look different as it becomes part of your wardrobe.

There is also something very appealing about the fact that linen doesn’t try too hard. It has an ease to it. I think that resonates with people who want to look considered without looking overly dressed.

(Q) What inspired you to become an entrepreneur and enter the industry?

(A) For me, it was less about deciding one day that I wanted to become an entrepreneur and more about recognising an opportunity and having the courage to pursue it.

I have always enjoyed the process of taking an idea and developing it into something tangible. Building a business gives you the opportunity to do that in a very complete way. You are constantly moving between the creative side, the people side and the practical side of running a company.

With ‘Tropic of Linen,’ there was a clear sense that we were creating something that we believed was missing. That gave me the motivation to take the risk and see where it could go.

(Q) Tell us about your journey from your early beginnings to establishing your own brand?

(A) It has been a gradual process rather than a carefully mapped-out career path. Before ‘Tropic of Linen,’ I worked in events, marketing and advertising, so I came into the business with experience in areas that were quite different from running a clothing brand.

When Shukran and I began working together, we started experimenting and learning what worked. We were able to draw on his knowledge of the manufacturing side and my experience in the creative and commercial side.

The business grew from there. We started relatively small and allowed the customer response to guide us. Over time, we learned more about what people wanted, refined our designs and developed a clearer understanding of what ‘Tropic of Linen’ should be.

I think that gradual evolution has actually been one of the strengths of the brand. It has given us time to develop an identity rather than having to create one overnight.

(Q) How did you develop your vision for the brand?

(A) A lot of it came from observing the people around us and thinking about what was practical and desirable for them.

We wanted to create clothing that made sense in Sri Lanka; not just because of the weather, but because of the way people here dress, socialise, travel and live. That meant thinking carefully about proportions, silhouettes and the different ways people want to wear their clothes.

I also didn’t want the brand to be dependent on a particular fashion moment. The idea was always to create pieces that could remain relevant beyond a single season.

Over time, those ideas have developed into what I think of as the ‘Tropic of Linen’ aesthetic: relaxed but considered, comfortable but polished, and very much connected to where we are.

(Q) How do you keep yourself informed about changing trends while maintaining your own identity?

(A) I think you need to be curious about what is happening around you. I follow fashion internationally, but I don’t necessarily look at trends with the intention of reproducing them.

Instead, I look at how people’s attitudes to clothing are changing; what they are wearing, how they are styling things, what colours and shapes are emerging and, perhaps most importantly, what people are responding to.

Then I filter all of that through our own perspective. Something may be very fashionable internationally, but that doesn’t automatically mean it belongs in our collection.

The brand has its own language now, and I think it is important to keep that intact while allowing it to evolve.

(Q) Where do you see the brand in the next few years?

(A) I would like to see ‘Tropic of Linen’ continue to grow, both locally and beyond Sri Lanka, while retaining the qualities that have made people connect with it in the first place.

The next stage is about reaching more people and giving the brand greater visibility, but I don’t want that to mean becoming less personal or less distinctive. I think there is a real opportunity to show that a Sri Lankan brand can have a strong point of view and appeal to people well beyond our shores.

Ultimately, I would like Tropic of Linen to be recognised as a design brand in its own right, with linen at its heart but with an identity that goes beyond the fabric. I want the brand to continue evolving while always retaining that connection to Sri Lanka and to the way we live here.

Life style

What lies behind our waters?

Published

2 days ago

2026/10/4

Thilina Walpola

Professor Upul Premarathne

Professor Upul Premarathne on offshore exploration

By Zanita Careem

Professor Upul Premarathne is a professor in Oceanography and Marine Geology at the University of Ruhuna, as well as a chartered geologist. He formerly served as a Petroleum Geologist in the Economic Research Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. He holds a PhD in Petroleum Geology from Hokkaido University, Japan; an MSc in Petroleum Geosciences from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU); and a BSc (Hons) in Geology from the University of Peradeniya. With over 20 years experience in petroleum and marine geosciences, his research focuses on petroleum systems, basin analysis, tectonics, and seismic interpretation, particularly in Sri Lanka.

Professor Upal Premarathne of the University of Ruhunu is an academic and researcher in the field of oceanography and maritime geology, with a strong interest in Sri Lanka’s marine resources, ocean research and related environmental issues. He provides insights into Sri Lanka’s offshore petroleum, exploration prospects and the challenges of developing this emerging sector responsibly.

(Q) Which areas of Sri Lanka are considered the most promising for offshore, petroleum exploration, and why?

(A) When it comes to the petroleum potential of Sri Lanka, the land areas have relatively poor potential. This is because we do not have sedimentary basins on land with more than three kilometres of sediment thickness, which is required for the formation of commercial petroleum deposits. Therefore, petroleum exploration in Sri Lanka has mainly focused on the offshore sedimentary basins, particularly the Cauvery and Mannar basins.

The Cauvery Basin is located off the northern and northwestern coast of Sri Lanka, while the Mannar Basin lies south of Mannar Island, off the western and southwestern coast of the country. Both basins are shared between India and Sri Lanka.

On the Indian side, around 30 oil and natural gas deposits have so far been discovered in the Cauvery Basin. Though six hydrocarbon exploration wells were drilled in the Sri Lankan side of the Cauvery Basin from 1970 to 1981, none of them encountered a commercially viable hydrocarbon deposit.

On the other hand, two of the three exploration wells, Dorado and Barracuda, drilled in the Mannar Basin in 2011, encountered natural gas, while Dorado-North was a dry well. These discoveries established the existence of an active petroleum system in the Mannar Basin. In addition, high-resolution seismic data indicate more than 6 kilometres of sediment thickness, along with the geological structures required for the formation of larger petroleum deposits. Therefore, the Mannar Basin is currently the area of greatest interest for hydrocarbon exploration in Sri Lanka.

(Q) How strong is the geological evidence that commercially viable oil or gas deposits could exist in Sri Lankan waters?

(A) We have direct evidence of hydrocarbons because of the Dorado and Barracuda natural gas discoveries. However, the occurrence of crude oil has not yet been established. Analysis of drill cuttings and other important scientific data from previous exploration wells in the Mannar Basin, combined with basin and petroleum system modelling studies, shows that there is also a possibility of crude oil occurring in the basin.

However, finding hydrocarbons is not the same as finding a commercially viable petroleum field. We still need to establish the size of any accumulation, the quality of hydrocarbons, the recoverable volume, the production rate, the reservoir characteristics, and, ultimately, whether development would be economically viable.

So, scientifically, there is a sound basis for further exploration. But I would not say that Sri Lanka has yet to establish commercially producible oil or natural gas reserves.

(Q) Sri Lanka is embarking on another offshore oil and gas exploration drive. What makes this exploration round different from the earlier exploration?

(A) It has been about 15 years since the last exploration drilling in the Mannar Basin. However, during this period, there have been significant changes to the legal, fiscal, environmental, and administrative frameworks governing the Exploration and Production (E&P) sector in Sri Lanka.

To address some of the shortcomings, identified during the previous exploration round, the Parliament enacted the Petroleum Resources Act No. 21 of 2021 repealing the Petroleum Resources Act No. 26 of 2003. This new legislation restructured the former E&P sector regulator, the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS), into the Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka (PDASL), giving it greater powers to make decisions more efficiently and in a timely manner.

Previously, Sri Lanka entered into petroleum exploration without having direct scientific evidence confirming the occurrence of hydrocarbons in the Mannar Basin. This time, however, bids are being invited for a basin with proven hydrocarbon potential. This has significantly reduced the exploration risk. As a result, the Mannar Basin could be more attractive to international oil companies than it was during the 2007 licensing round.

There is also a difference in the way the exploration area has been divided. In the 2007 licensing round, only three out of the eight exploration blocks, covering approximately 42,200 square kilometres of the Mannar Basin, were offered for exploration. In the current licensing round, an area of 33,963.97 square kilometres in the Mannar Basin has been divided into only four exploration blocks. This means that exploration companies will have access to a larger area for petroleum exploration under a single exploration license.

There have also been significant changes to the fiscal and legal terms, the profit-sharing mechanism, the bidding criteria, the environmental regime, and the availability of exploration data.

(Q) What does offshore oil exploration mean for Sri Lanka?

(A) Sri Lanka has a large offshore area with significant geological complexity, but only a relatively small part of it has been systematically explored. Exploration can help us determine whether hydrocarbons are present, where they occur, how large the accumulations may be, and whether they have any commercial potential.

Oil exploration can bring a range of direct and indirect benefits to Sri Lanka, including the creation of new job opportunities. It can also generate opportunities for local businesses and service providers that support exploration activities.

If a commercial discovery is eventually made, the implications could be significant for the country. It could reduce our dependency on oil imports and strengthen the country’s energy security. A reduction in the annual oil import bill could also improve the country’s balance of payments and support greater economic growth.

However, I think we should first focus on establishing what resources actually exist, rather than assuming that petroleum wealth is already there.

(Q) Where exactly will the exploration take place?

(A) The current licensing round covers four exploration blocks, with a total offshore area of 33,963.97 square kilometres in the Mannar Basin.

The first two blocks, 2026-MB-01 and 2026-MB-02, are located in the northern part of the Mannar Basin, in water depths ranging from 100 to 2,500 metres. They cover areas of 5,948.95 and 5,689.05 square kilometres, respectively.

The other two blocks, 2026-MB-03 and 2026-MB-04, are located in areas with water depths ranging from 100 to 3,000 metres. They cover 10,597.67 and 11,728.30 square kilometres, respectively.

(Q) What is the biggest opportunity and the biggest challenge in this new exploration drive ?

(A) The biggest opportunity is that we now have a much better geological foundation on which to build. We have previous seismic data, well data, drill cuttings, and other geological and geophysical datasets, as well as direct evidence of hydrocarbons. Modern exploration technologies also allow us to reinterpret these existing data in much greater detail and with greater accuracy.

At the same time, the biggest challenge is the uncertainty combined with the high cost of exploration. Offshore petroleum exploration is riskier than exploration on land. Some of the prospects are located in deep and ultra-deep waters, with water depths ranging from around 1,000 to 2,500 metres and, in some areas, exceeding 2,500 metres. Exploration in such environments requires sophisticated technology and specialised drilling vessels, making it extremely expensive. Higher exploration costs mean that we need to discover larger petroleum deposits with greater recoverable volumes of oil for those discoveries to be commercially viable.

On the other hand, international oil companies have other attractive basins to choose from in different parts of the world, such as the Santos and Campos basins in Brazil, the North Sea offshore Norway, etc. In Norway, the government reimburses a large percentage of exploration costs if an exploration company could not discover oil or natural gas at the end of its exploration period. Therefore, oil companies are naturally more attracted to such locations for petroleum exploration.

(Q) From a petroleum geology point of view, how significant could a successful discovery be for Sri Lanka?

(A) From a petroleum geological perspective, a successful discovery would be very significant because it would provide much more information about the evolution of the Mannar Basin and its petroleum systems.

Such a discovery would help us understand how hydrocarbons were generated, migrated, and accumulated beneath the seabed. It could also provide important insights into the geological history and architecture of the Mannar Basin.

Of course, if the discovery proved to be commercially viable, its economic significance could extend far beyond geology.

(Q) Does Sri Lanka have the scientific expertise needed to properly monitor offshore exploration?

(A) One of the challenges is the shortage of scientific expertise needed to properly monitor offshore exploration activities. Some degree programmes at local universities already offer subjects relevant to the petroleum industry, including seismic technology, seismic data processing and interpretation, petropoliss, and petroleum economics.

However, we should recognise that a modern petroleum industry requires expertise across a much broader range of disciplines, including geochemistry, drilling, reservoir engineering, environmental management, economics, and petroleum law.

Therefore, I would say that we have a foundation, but we need to strengthen our capacity substantially. Access to modem software, computing facilities, real geological datasets, and research funding is particularly important.

We should use this new phase of exploration as an opportunity to build Sri Lankan expertise and capacity, rather than simply depending on foreign expertise.

(Q) As a petroleum geologist, how hopeful are you about Sri Lanka’s offshore oil and gas potential?

(A) I am cautiously hopeful. There are genuine geological reasons to continue exploring the Mannar Basin. We have a thick sedimentary succession, favourable basin architecture, prospective structures, and, most importantly, proven hydrocarbon occurrences.

However, I would not consider these a guarantee of commercially viable oil or gas. Petroleum exploration always involves uncertainty. The Dorado-North well illustrates this very clearly. It was drilled only about 2.5 kilometres north of the successful Dorado well, yet it turned out to be a dry hole.

So, my position is that Sri Lanka has a strong geological basis for further exploration. But ultimately, we should allow the exploration data to determine how much petroleum potential actually exists.

(Q) Finally, do you believe Sri Lanka has a significant opportunity beneath its sea that is yet to be fully explored?

(A) I believe Sri Lanka has an important geological opportunity that has not yet been fully evaluated. The Dorado and Barracuda wells have proven that hydrocarbons occur beneath our waters. What we do not know yet is whether those hydrocarbons occur in commercial quantities or not.

Our experience over several decades suggests that the main issue may not be the lack of petroleum potential. One of the bigger challenges has been that we have never explored our offshore basins continuously and systematically enough to determine their full potential.

So, I would describe this as a golden opportunity for Sri Lanka. We should explore seriously, make much better use of our existing data, strengthen our scientific capacity, and ensure that any eventual benefits are managed in the long-term national development.

Life style

Sri Lankan-origin actress will play Sita in a leading musical at Wembley Arena

Published

2 days ago

2026/10/4

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lankan born actress Bhavithra with Kiran Kaanan in a musical “the Journey of Ram’

Sri Lankan-origin actress Bhavithra Gananathan made her professional acting debut as Sita in the major arena production Diwali Story: The Journey of Ram – a musical at OVO Arena Wembley recently

The 19-year-old multidisciplinary artist and university student will appear opposite Kiran Kaanan, who plays Ram, in the large-scale musical retelling of the Ramayana. The professional cast will be joined by approximately 100 community actors and dancers. The production follows the success of the show’s sold-out 2025 staging at the Royal Albert Hall and will feature new material and original music.

Bhavithra is an actoress, writer and classically trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She began acting at the age of five, when she played Ursula in a production of The Little Mermaid. During the ensuing 14 years, she trained and performed with organisations, including the National Youth Theatre and the Rose Theatre. She currently trains at the Collective Acting Studio and won the National Iris Breuer Writing Award in 2024.

She began learning Bharatanatyam at the age of seven under her aunt, Smt Meena Elankumaran, and completed her Arangetram in March 2025. Bhavithra has also trained in Carnatic vocal music since she was 12.

Commenting on Sita’s connection with Sri Lanka, Bhavithra said: “As a young woman, it is especially meaningful to portray Sita. An important part of her journey unfolds in Sri Lanka, and the island’s landscape, history and traditions retain a powerful connection with the Ramayana. Playing Sita allows me to explore that connection while helping to bring this timeless story to a new generation.”

The musical begins in the home of a contemporary British family, where a teenager, named Luv, is introduced by his grandparents to the deeper meaning of the story of Ram and Sita. The production explores exile, sacrifice, duty and difficult choices while presenting the Ramayana in a way designed to engage audiences across different generations.

The Wembley production included original songs and music by Indian composer Rahul Ranade, with celebrated playback singer and Padma Shri recipient Kavita Krishnamurthy contributing to the new score. A newly created third act explored the five days of Diwali and the continuing influence of the Ramayana’s values on contemporary family traditions.

Directed and co-written by Sâmir Bhamra, the production was presented by Sanatan Events Ltd in partnership with The Palan Foundation and Golden Tours.