Upali wijewardena biography of donald

Sri Lanka known earlier as Ceylon has produced several businessmen and industrialists of great repute over the years. There were however only a few who captured the popular imagination of the people. One such person was the industrial tycoon and media magnate Upali Wijewardene known widely as Upali. One could even say that there was none quite like him in the realm of Sri Lankan commerce. The dynamic Upali Wijewardene was truly an icon of his times. 

Upali interacted on a higher plane with transnational captains of industry and commerce on equal terms. Yet, he retained the loyalty and affection of his employees and workers who simply adored him. More importantly, the Sri Lankan masses despite being exposed to left wing rhetoric for decades, loved this high-profile capitalist. Upali was indeed a beloved homegrown businessman.

It was my privilege to be associated with Upali slightly and briefly during the years 1978-1983. As a journalist on the Tamil Daily “Virakesari”, I covered the Greater Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC) or “Free Trade Zone” from 1978-1981. Upali was the first Director General of the GCEC. Later in 1981, I began working as a staff reporter on the English Daily “The Island” published by Upali Newspapers Ltd. of which he was the proprietor. It was in 1983 that Upali went missing. I was then working at “The Island”.

If Upali Wijewardene was among the living now, he would have reached the age of 87 this year on 17 February. Alas, this was not to be, as he disappeared 42 years ago on 13 February 1983, just four days before his 45th birthday. 

I intend focusing on this remarkable personality in these columns to honour and pay tribute to his memory in this eventful week of two significant anniversaries in the life of Upali Wijewardene. I have written about Upali on earlier occasions too and would be drawing from such writings in penning this article. 

Philip Upali Wijewa

by D.B.S.JEYARAJ

Today February 13th is the 30th Anniversary of the disappearance of Philip Upali Wijewardena. If he was among the living Upali as he was generally known would have been Seventy-five years of age on February 17th.

Alas, this was not to be as he disappeared thirty years ago just four days before his forty-fifth birthday.

This article written five years ago is reproduced with slight changes as tribute to the man in this eventful week of significant anniversaries.

Legally Upali Wijewardena is presumed dead though his body was never found. He was travelling in his own lear jet from Malaysia to Sri Lanka when the plane disappeared.

The disappearance continues to linger in the collective memory of the nation as an unresolved myatery. There are people who ask me even now “I say what really happened to Upali? Dont know, no?”

Indigenous tycoon

Upali Wijewardena was a man who achieved much in the short period of his life. He was perhaps Sri Lanka’s first indigenous tycoon who captured the imagination of the masses.

Despite his privileged background Upali was basically a self – made man who reached the pinnacle through his own efforts.

The Nation at large recognized this and was proud of him. Though he hardly ever visited Jaffna the people of the peninsula appreciated him greatly. They admired his commercial success.

Needless to say the South was proud of Upali too.The flamboyant business magnate was to many a symbol of success and a role model to be emulated. The name Upali Wijewardena became familiar to the Country in the early seventies. Yet it was in the late seventies that he was really well – known.

This was when he assumed duties as Director – General of Sri Lanka’s first “Free Trade Zone” the popular name for the Greater Colombo Economic Commission. The GCEC has transformed into BOI nowadays. I first came to know Upali Wijewardena personally after he became head of the GCEC. I was then a journali

Sri Lankan businessman

Philip Upali Wijewardene (17 February 1938 – 13 February 1983: Sinhala: උපාලි විජේවර්ධන) was a Sri Lankan business magnate and entrepreneur. In 1983, Wijewardene had a net worth of US $50 million. He was the founder and chairman of Upali Group, the first multi-national business in Sri Lanka. Upali Group has businesses in the US, UK, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Upali Group diversified from confectionery to electronics, automobile manufacturing, publishing, print media, leisure, and aviation. It developed many brands, including Kandos, Delta, Unic, Upali Air, Upali Mazda and Upali Newspapers, which Insight Magazine UK said was achieved "largely through bravado and wit."

Wijewardene was presumed dead on 13 February 1983, when his private Learjet disappeared over the Straits of Malacca soon after leaving Malaysia en route to Colombo.

Early life and family

Wijewardene was born on 17 February 1938, at his paternal grandmother's house in Sri Ramya, Colombo, to Don Walter Tudugalle Wijewardene and Anula Kalyanawathie Wijesinghe. The youngest and only son of his parents, he had two older sisters, Anoja and Kalyani. The Wijewardene family was from Kelaniya. His grandfather, Muhandiram Don Phillip Wijeywardene, a timber merchant, founded the family business. Wijewardene lost his father when he was eighteen months old, and was raised by his mother in the family home Sedawatte Walawwe in Kolonnawa.

The Wijewardene family had made its money by supplying timber for construction in the city of Colombo. They reinvested their profits in various ventures, including real estate, and became influential in local politics. Upali's paternal uncle, Don Richard Wijewardena, was a press baron, and his cousin J. R. Jayewardene became the second President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 to 1989. Ray Wijewardene, a cousin, was an engineer, aviator, inv

Sri Lankan media proprietor and leader in the Sri Lankan independence movement (1886-1950)

Don Richard Wijewardena (Sinhala:දොන් රිච්ඩ් විජෙවර්ධන) (23 February 1886 – 13 June 1950) was a Sri Lankan media proprietor who was involved in the Sri Lankan independence movement. A successful entrepreneur, he established Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited and played a significant role in the independence movement.

Early life

D. R. Wijewardena was born as the third male child of seven sons and two daughters of Muhandiram Tudugalage Don Philip Wijewardene, a timber merchant of Sedavatta, Colombo and Helena Weerasinghe. He lost his father at a very young age and was raised by his mother. His brothers were Don Philip Alexander, Don Lewis, Don Charles, Don Edmund, Don Albert and Don Walter and his sisters were Harriot who married Dr Arthur Seneviratne and Agnes Helen who married Justice Eugene Wilfred Jayewardene.

Wijewardena received his primary education at the Sedavatta School after which like all his brothers, completed his secondary education at St. Thomas College Mutwal.

He then went on to study at Peterhouse, Cambridge. There he developed his interest in politics and met famous personalities such as future leaders of India like Lala Lajpat Rai, Bepin Chandra Pal, Surendranath Banerji and Gopal Krishna Gokhale. He was a contemporary of A. E. de Silva After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, he became a barrister at the Inner Temple.

Early career

Returning to Ceylon in 1912, he took oaths as an advocate of the Supreme Court of Ceylon and started his legal practice at Hulftsdorp in the Unofficial Bar. As a young advocate, Wijewardena to an active role in the local movements for constitutional change. In 1913 he was elected secretary of the Ceylon National Association, marking his formal entry into politics and together with its Presi