Preface

Every journey begins somewhere. Mine began in the small village of Kappangamuwa, where life was simple, opportunities were few, and the sky seemed far beyond reach.

In 1987, I joined the Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy (KDA) as a young officer cadet. At that time, it was an academy for training officers of the Armed Forces. Over the years, the institution itself transformed, becoming a degree-awarding university—the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU). In a remarkable way, my own journey evolved alongside it.

From a village boy, I became an engineer, an Air Force officer, a commander, a lecturer and later a business leader. Along the way, I encountered challenges, failures, friendships, responsibilities and opportunities that shaped the person I became.

Dust to Sky is not simply a record of my achievements. It is the story of the journey—the people I met, the experiences that tested me, the lessons I learned, and the unexpected turns that changed my life.

Looking back, I realize that the journey from the dust of a village road to the sky was not made in one great leap. It was made through countless small steps, taken with courage, faith and perseverance.

This is the story of those steps—from dust to sky.