Honouring the memory of Imtiaz Issadeen in Sydney with warm reverence. – By Dr Harold Gunatillake
On Friday, 24 October 2025, at the Ponds Community Hub, NSW 2769
Overview:
Imtiaz demonstrated a highly active role in social engagement, dedicating significant time to community service over the past decade while residing in Sydney. He initiated a community website named ‘OZLANKA’ around 1999, funded personally, which provided monthly updates for over twelve years. During that period, the Sri Lankan community lacked a dedicated platform to monitor events and access information, relying solely on OzLanka.com. A ten-year celebration of the OzLanka website was organised by SivaKumaran of Blue Elephant, marking a milestone attended by over 100 community members. The principal speakers included Harry de Sayrah, Harold Gunatillake, and Ananda Amaranath.
Imtiaz was a leader within the Muslim community and was actively involved in the Sri Lankan Association of New South Wales, serving on the committee on multiple occasions. He was a highly regarded emcee and was in demand for numerous Sri Lankan events during that period.
After over 12 years of service in Sydney, Imtiaz and his wife, Kimie, returned to Japan at the request of major Japanese construction companies.
Imtiaz served as Project Director on the construction and the fit-out of KVH’s Inzai data centre, which was completed precisely on schedule and within budget. Under Imtiaz’s leadership, the design, planning, and execution by the team was exceptional, and the entire process proceeded seamlessly from commencement to completion.
I have documented additional details about his curriculum vitae in my Tribute to Imty.
The Celebration of His Life
On Friday, 24th October 2025, a celebration of his life was held at the Ponds Community Hub in Sydney, attended by over 100 people.
The speakers:
Jabeer, President of the Muslim Association of Sydney
Joey’s son-in-law
Nihal Fernando, President of the Cultural Centre
KSATH PREREA ST Thomas College OBA
Kitsri Kaurnaratne
Sivakumaran-convener
Joehium
Faosal Muslims Association
Siva, Kimmi, Joey and Isumi
Roy, Kimmi & Imtiaz
My Phorgraphy Guru !!
It is with profound sorrow that I share the passing of Imtiaz Issadeen- founder of OzLanka (commenced in 1999) and, most importantly, my Photography Guru. Imty left us a few weeks ago in South Korea after a brief illness.
Imty was the first to champion my photography work back in 2006, when I published my first Sri Lankan concert photo gallery on OzLanka. From that moment on, he became my biggest supporter, encouraging me to document community events with passion and precision. Thanks to his unwavering belief in my work, I’ve had the privilege of contributing event photography to OzLanka almost every week since.
Beyond his role as a mentor, Imty was a generous source of wisdom, offering invaluable advice on capturing the essence of live events, sharing photo tips, and even opening doors to photography opportunities. But above all, he was a true friend, and his guidance shaped my craft.- Roy
The celebration of Imtiaz’s life was thoughtfully organised by Sivakumaran from Blue Elephant, who took the initiative to make this meaningful event happen. Our heartfelt congratulations to him
