My name is Vipula Hewavitharana. I was born April,1955 in Sri Lanka. I have three brothers. I am the third in the family. My parents my brothers live in Australia while I live in Sweden.
My eldest brother Shantha lives in Melbourne, Australia. The other brothers Jayantha and Janaka are living in Perth,Australia. Jayantha is an accountant and Janaka is a computing engineer. My father is working for the Western Power in Perth, Australia.
About me...
Time in Sri Lanka...
I was born 1955 at Maharagama, Sri Lanka. I started my studies at Isipathana college and was at Isipathana from grade one to grade five. I had to move from Colombo to Preadeniya with my parents because my father got a transfer to the engineering faculty in Peradeniya. This was in 1965 when the government decided to move the Technical College from Maradana to Peradeniya. I attended St.Anthony`s College for my ordinary level studies from 1965 to 1971. After my O,level studies I was at the Technical college in Kandy studying motor mechanism. I started my GCE A,level studies in 1974 at Kingswood College and left college in 1978. During this time I also played as fullback for the college 1St XV Rugby team. I played also as fullback for the outstation schools for the Gratian cup 1977. I left Kingswood 1978 and started working at CIC ( Chemical Industries, Colombo), PVA Plant at Ratmalana. I left the island in 1981.
Time in Sweden...
I started my rugby career again in Sweden while I studied Swedish language.
I played for the Helsingborg rugby club "Gripen" in Sweden and I also played Cricket for the Malmo Cricket
Club. After studying Swedish, I followed a course at the technical college in "Furulund" (Pneumatic and electronic).
As I started my career at Pharmacia & Upjohn, Helsingborg in 1984 I was forced to leave my maths studies at "Lund" university, Sweden.
It was the beginning of the new plant for
"Nicorette" gum manufacturing. I worked at this plant until 1998. I worked as the Head of Manufacturing
from 1992 until I left the Department. Now I am working in the same department in a new project as
project manager in the process group.Most of the time I am working in the Pharmacia plant in Puerto Rico, USA.Nicorette is a pharmaceutical
chewing gum used to quit smoking. So I have been working with this product in Pharmacia for
the past 16 years.
