Life Story

‘From rags to riches,’ How a Sri Lankan worker became a millionaire in Australia at 25

Published

2 years ago

October 14, 2024

The story of a Sri Lankan worker, who migrated to Australia less than a decade ago and has become a millionaire now, has taken the internet by storm. At the age of 25, Vinul Karunaratne has made enough money to quit and shift full-time to doing gig jobs.

Karunaratne moved to Australia in 2015 and started working at 7-Eleven stores. But in 2019, he started taking on end-of-lease cleaning jobs on Airtasker. It’s a Sydney-based online marketplace that enables people to outsource everyday tasks – such as cleaning, assembling furniture, or yard work – for others to complete in exchange for cash.

Karunaratne told local news channel 7News that he didn’t have much resources and equipment when he started. “When I started, I didn’t even have much equipment. I had a vacuum, mop, bucket, and some rags,” he said, adding, “That was the stuff I had at home.”

His hard work eventually paid off and he was soon able to ditch his job at 7-Eleven to shift full-time to Airtasker.

According to the platform, Karunaratne is one of the top 10 earners on Airtasker. He manages to pocket an impressive $1,000 to $1,400 everyday. Dailymail reported that Karunaratne mainly performs bond cleans but also steams carpets and cleans offices.

Tim Fung, Airtasker founder and CEO said, referring to Karunaratne’s success on the platform that anyone can earn extra cash by working hard. Fung also termed Karunaratne’s story as ‘inspirational.’ Fung hoped that more work will be available on his platform in the coming days.

Karunaratne also shared his experience of working with the platform, saying it enabled him to be his ‘own boss.’

“It’s physical work, but it’s good money. I enjoy the flexibility and working on my own terms. I’m my own boss,” he was quoted as saying by the Australian media outlet. (WION)

Life Story

18-Year-Old of Sri Lankan Origin Elected to French Municipal Council

Published

2 weeks ago

April 13, 2026

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Bilaal Lookman, a first-year law student of Sri Lankan origin, has been elected as a municipal councillor in France at the age of 18.

He secured a seat on the city council of Guyancourt, located on the outskirts of Paris, after contesting in the recent municipal elections—where he also cast his vote for the first time.

Born in November 2007 to a family with roots in Mannar and Jaffna, Lookman is among the youngest elected officials in France.

He developed an early interest in public affairs, gaining experience through internships in the offices of a Member of Parliament, a former Minister of Education, and the mayor of his town during his mid-teens.

Lookman has also engaged with senior political figures and diplomats, while actively participating in community service from a young age through local youth councils and volunteer work with a food-aid organisation.

Life Story

Sri Lanka’s Asha de Vos honoured at UN General Assembly

Published

1 month ago

March 17, 2026

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Sri Lankan marine biologist Dr. Asha de Vos’s portrait and words were featured at the opening of the UN General Assembly for International Women’s Day and CSW70, celebrating women who break barriers. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra has hailed her message as a powerful call to empower women to challenge limits, shape science, and bring pride to the nation.

Life Story

Sri Lankan-Born Dr. Ashani Weeraratna Appointed First Female Chair of Johns Hopkins Cancer Department

Published

3 months ago

January 28, 2026

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Dr. Ashani Weeraratna has risen to the forefront of global cancer research, specialising in melanoma and the effects of aging on cancer. She is the E.V. McCollum Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, and co-leader of the Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.

She also serves as a professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, joining the faculty in 2019. Her research focuses on the tumour microenvironment—the normal cells and structures surrounding a tumour—and its influence on metastasis and therapy resistance.

She was among the first to study how the aging microenvironment affects melanoma progression and treatment responses, examining biophysical changes that impact tumour and immune cell migration. Her work has revealed age-related differences in responses to targeted therapy and immunotherapy, insights that may inform future clinical practice.

Born in Sri Lanka and raised in Lesotho, Dr. Weeraratna moved to the United States in 1988 to study biology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She earned a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Oncology at George Washington University Medical Center.

She currently serves as President of the Society for Melanoma Research and is a passionate mentor for junior faculty, women, and people of colour in STEM. Handpicked by President Joe Biden in 2021, she now chairs the top-ranked cancer department at Johns Hopkins University.