I am a Northern Sydney writer in Dharug land, with Sri Lankan Tamil heritage. I published Poetry from Batticaloa, an anthology of my mother’s Tamil poetry with my English translation. 

I grew up in the palm-fringed east coast of Sri Lanka, in a home of poetry and books, prayers and love. I believe in education for all, especially women, as a means to equality and freedom of choice. I stand up against injustice, and I write to call out the need for action. We connect by telling stories and writing stories. We are built one story at a time. 

My story begins with an unfair political change that causes nationwide ethnic segregation impacting my young children’s social rights. I break free from the dominating government and move across Africa and Europe in search of a country that would offer my family what we had lost – a home, and freedom to make our own choices. We find both in Australia, in a suburb, rich in history – Wahroonga – meaning our home in the Kuring-Gai language.

And that’s how I get to be in this land of first-time storytellers, to tell my story that began half a century ago.