Dr Udara Kularatne, who established indelible academic records in Sri Lankan school history and later excelled as an engineer, investment banker, and Cambridge-educated medical specialist, has passed away.

He passed away at a hospital in Oxford following a sudden heart attack while serving in the United Kingdom. He was 53 at the time of his demise. He was the son of Professor D. S. Kularatne, former Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Colombo, and Lalitha Kularatne, a science teacher at Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya.

Key Highlights:

  • Passed away at an Oxford hospital following a sudden heart attack at the age of 53.
  • Ranked all-island first in both the Year 5 Scholarship and GCE O/L exams, and third in GCE A/Ls.
  • Transitioned from engineering and investment banking to complete a medical degree at Cambridge.
  • Final rites to be held at 'The Respect' by Jayaratne in Borella after the remains are repatriated.

Incomparable achievements in school years

Having commenced his primary education at Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya, he secured first place in the island at the Year 5 Scholarship Examination. He subsequently entered Royal College, Colombo, where he went on to become island first at the GCE Ordinary Level examination.

Sitting for the GCE Advanced Level examination in the Mathematics stream in 1991, he was ranked third in the island, and was also awarded Royal College's prestigious 'Dornhorst Memorial Prize'.

From engineering to the medical profession

After graduating with first-class honours in Telecommunications Software Engineering from Monash University in Australia, he pursued a postgraduate diploma at the University of Oxford under the sponsorship of Nortel. He later worked for Fujitsu and Nortel in Singapore, and subsequently served as an investment banker in London.

Stepping away from those sectors at the age of 30 following his father's heart surgery, he entered the University of Cambridge in September 2003 and graduated with honours in medicine in 2007. Following his training in Birmingham and Nottingham, he worked as a Consultant Musculoskeletal Radiologist at the University Hospitals of North Midlands from May 2015. He also served as an examiner for the Royal College of Radiologists.

Artistic talents and social service

A multi-talented individual skilled in singing and writing, he also published an anthology of poetry titled 'Arunoda Seeyak'. A member of the Sri Lankan Medical and Dental Association in the UK, he travelled frequently to Sri Lanka to teach local medical students. He is survived by his wife, Binisha.

What happens next?

His final rites will be conducted at 'The Respect Home' by Jayaratne in Borella once the remains are brought to Sri Lanka.