Dr. Abhisheka Wimalaweera A Singer, Academic and Entrepreneur but above all else, a Mother and a phenomenal woman!

Words : Ronali Moonemalle Goonetileke
Photos : Nirmala Dhananjaya
Hair & Make-up : Suranga Akash

Engaged in a host of professions, Dr. Wimalaweera’s qualifications and years of experience as a Singer, Lecturer and Entrepreneur speak volumes about her resilient character. But, according to her the greatest role she has played so far is one of a Mother and protector – because family is priority above all else. By envisioning her aspirations and fuelling these dreams with hard work, she stays determined to succeed, proving her haters wrong along the way. Her story is one of grit and courage. One that reflects a ray of possibilities for young women and girls in search of hope and inspiration. Flip through to read all about this phenomenal woman’s story!

Let’s rewind back to the very start and dig a little into your childhood.

Being the only child in the family it’s safe to say my parents were a little protective over me. Although I didn’t get a lot of freedom to explore, they were a great source of strength to me. My father was unemployed for 14 years, so it was my Mother who bore the brunt of the family’s needs. As a child, my days were spent dreaming about my future. My list of ambitions was a lengthy one starting with doctor, teacher, lawyer and much more! But never for a second did I think I’ll grow up to be a singer and an entrepreneur!

Can you share with us a little bit about your schooling career?

Sacred Heart Convent in Galle was the first school I attended. However, after moving to Colombo I was unable to get into a school immediately. After a lapse of one year, I was able to attend St. Paul’s Girl’s School in Colombo. Whilst being academically inclined towards the Science stream for my A/L’s for a few months, I later realized it wasn’t for me. I found my interests leaning towards music, but unfortunately my school didn’t approve of it. So, I pursued Economics and Logic in the Arts stream and got three A’s with a district rank of 27 which helped me secure a spot at the Law Faculty.

Did you decide to continue your academic career? 

With my A/L results, I chose to pursue a Degree in International Relations and Journalism at the University of Colombo. Since music was a subject that I was most passionate about I read for a Masters at the University of Kelaniya and later proceeded to complete a Visharadha in Bhatkhande from the University of Lucknow in India. While I was engaged with the above disciplines I also focused my attention on studying Indigenous Medicines on skin for a period of 10 years and was able to become a skin specialist.

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