Age, Biography and Wiki

Upali Wijewardene was born on 17 February, 1938 in Kamburupitiya, Sri Lanka, is a Sri Lankan businessman. Discover Upali Wijewardene's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 45 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation Businessman
Age 45 years old
Zodiac Sign Aquarius
Born 17 February 1938
Birthday 17 February
Birthplace Kamburupitiya, Sri Lanka
Date of death 1983
Died Place N/A
Nationality Sri Lanka

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 17 February. He is a member of famous Businessman with the age 45 years old group.

Upali Wijewardene Height, Weight & Measurements

At 45 years old, Upali Wijewardene height not available right now. We will update Upali Wijewardene's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Upali Wijewardene's Wife?

His wife is Lakmini Ratwatte

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Lakmini Ratwatte
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Upali Wijewardene Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Upali Wijewardene worth at the age of 45 years old? Upali Wijewardene’s income source is mostly from being a successful Businessman. He is from Sri Lanka. We have estimated Upali Wijewardene's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Businessman

Upali Wijewardene Social Network

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Timeline

1938

Philip Upali Wijewardene (17 February 1938–13 February 1983: උපාලි විජේවර්ධන) was a Sri Lankan business magnate and entrepreneur.

Upali Wjewardana was born on February 17, 1938, at his paternal grandmother's house in Sri Ramya, Colombo, to Don Walter Tudugalle Wijewardene and Anula Kalyanawathie Wijesinghe.

He was the youngest and only son; 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 that his father later joined.

Upali 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, ultimately becoming influential in local politics.

1956

He pursued a degree in economics at Queens College, Cambridge in 1956, and successfully completed his studies in 1959, earning a BA degree.

During the time at Cambridge, he held the position of secretary within the Marshall Society.

1959

On his return to Ceylon in 1959, Upali joined the British manufacturing company Lever Brothers as a management trainee and was assigned the responsibility of overseeing soap processing.

1960

An amateur racing enthusiast, Wijewardene participated in races with his mother's Opel Kapitan at the Katukurunde Races in the early 1960s.

He attended Ladies' College, Colombo, along with his two older sisters.

Afterwards, he enrolled at Royal College, Colombo and later attended St John's School, Leatherhead.

Upali Wijewardana founded the Upali Group of Companies in the mid-1960s, consolidating his holdings and forming a conglomerate of companies.

Upali began soap manufacturing, introducing the brands Crystal and Tingle Sikuru.

1961

However, he left Lever Brothers in 1961 due to a disagreement with its British Chairman.

He ventured into the business by setting up a confectionary business and establishing a candy ball machine on his property along Bloemendaal Road.

He later expanded the business and branded it as a 'Delta Toffee'.

1968

In the aviation sector, he founded Upali Air in 1968.

1970

In 1970, after the passing of his maternal uncle, Senator Sarath Chandradasa Wijesinghe, Upali assumed control of the underperforming 'Ceylon Chocolates Company'.

He expanded the 'Kandos chocolates' brand from a domestic to an international market.

With the help of one of his friends Ratnam, he cultivated 14,000 acres of cocoa in Malaysia.

During the transition of the business, he acquired cocoa plantations, processing plants, and factories in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

However, its operations started in the late 1970s with several aircraft for private, domestic and international flights.

He started the Upali Electronic Company in the 1970s, introducing Unic radios, calculators, wall clocks, Air-conditioners and NEC TVs.

1975

On November 7, 1975, Upali married Lakmini Ratwatte, daughter of Dr. Seevali Ratwatte, brother of Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

Lakmini is the granddaughter of Barnes Ratwatte Dissawa.

He moved into his house on Thurstan Road, designed by Geoffrey Bawa, which included a helipad for his private helicopter.

He also owned a country house, the Sunnycroft Bungalow, in Nuwara Eliya.

He held the position of Basnayake Nilame (chief lay custodian) at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, a temple that had been supported by his family.

1978

Upali's paternal uncle, Don Richard Wijewardena, was the press baron, and his cousin J. R. Jayewardene assumed the role of the second President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 to 1989.

Ray Wijewardene, a cousin, was an engineer, aviator, inventor, and Olympic athlete.

His sister Anoja married Stanley Wijesundera, a professor of chemistry, and he was the first vice-chancellor of the University of Colombo, while his other sister Kalyani married Dr. G.M. Attygalle.

1983

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."

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