Upali Dharmadasa, a former president of Sri Lanka Cricket and a prominent figure in the country’s business community, has passed away at a private hospital in Colombo, multiple outlets have reported.
A senior member of the Nawaloka Group of Companies, Dharmadasa served as head of the national cricket body on two occasions. He first held the post from 1996 to 1998 — when the organisation was known as the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka — and returned to lead Sri Lanka Cricket again in 2012.
His first tenure coincided with a defining period for the sport in Sri Lanka, following the national team’s landmark 1996 World Cup triumph. Officials and commentators credited him with contributing to the administration and growth of the game during his years in office.
Beyond cricket, Dharmadasa was a well-known businessman who held senior positions in the Nawaloka group and served in the corporate sector, including a chairmanship at the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation.
His death was reported by the Daily Mirror, Ada Derana and the Sunday Times, among other outlets, with tributes noting his long association with Sri Lankan cricket administration.
Sri Lanka Cricket has produced a generation of world-beating players over the decades in which Dharmadasa was involved with the sport, and his passing marks the loss of a familiar figure from the game’s administrative history. Funeral arrangements were expected to be announced by the family.
