An outstanding student, Apsara had received a Wellington Doctoral scholarship for academic excellence and was studying towards a PhD in Te Kura Tātari Reo—School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies at the time of her death. She had made warm connections with the Samoan community here and her proposed PhD would have focused on multilingual practices in Sinhalese and Samoan heritage language schools* in Aotearoa New Zealand.
She had completed a Master’s in Applied Linguistics by thesis at Te Herenga Waka in 2020, published two papers, and presented at nearly a dozen conferences.
Apsara was a fearless activist who stood up to any injustice she saw in society and took part in demonstrations in support of her home country. She had felt empowered and inspired by meeting former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and had planned to participate in political protests about the economic crisis during her visit to Sri Lanka.
To reflect Apsara’s commitment to higher education and the Sri Lankan community, the University is establishing a new award in Apsara’s name. The Apsara Wimalasiri Memorial Award for Sri Lankan Students will be given to a student from Sri Lanka or with Sri Lankan heritage enrolled in a degree with Te Wāhanga Aronui—Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Prior to establishing this award, the University awarded a doctoral scholarship in memory of Apsara to Sri Lankan student Upeksha Jayasuriya who is completing her PhD in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. Upeksha and Apsara had been friends since secondary school and both studied at the University of Colombo. They had planned to complete their PhD studies together in Wellington.
Upeksha was attracted to Victoria’s School of Language and Linguistics knowing that it ranks among the top 50 universities in the world for Linguistics. She had also been heavily influenced by sociolinguistics texts writen by former Te Herenga Waka academics Emeritus Professor Janet Holmes and Professor Miriam Meyerhoff.
Upeksha says that Apsara bloomed under her PhD supervisor Dr Corinne Seals.
“Her guidance and support were a massive strength that helped Apsara to perform well in her studies and her life. Apsara was a very hardworking girl, and she deserved the world for all the sacrifices she made in life. She was always a friend in times of need and had the purest of hearts.”
As well as her academic brilliance, Apsara is remembered for her kind, generous, and cheerful personality. Dr Corinne Seals described her as someone who “connected easily with people as soon as she met them, making them laugh and smile. She made people feel loved, everywhere she went.”
Apsara’s sister Rangana and a friend were also critically injured in the attack that took Apsara’s life. Rangana has since moved to Wellington, where she is now working. She has applied for refugee status as she doesn’t feel safe living in Sri Lanka where her sister’s murder trial has yet to begin, and the person held responsible is on bail.
Rangana says, “My sister’s absence can never be replaced, yet this idea of an award brings solace to my mother and me. For me it is like a dream come true to see someone from Sri Lanka completing their studies, because I see my sister in them.”
You can donate here to the Apsara Wimalasiri Memorial Award for Sri Lankan Students.
*Heritage language education is an area of applied linguistics research that focuses on Indigenous and community languages in countries where colonial languages have been dominant.