By Nihal Fernando, Ozlanka Webmaster Team
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend, Imtiaz Issadeen, founder of the Ozlanka Community Website, who passed away recently in South Korea after an illness. The Sydney Sri Lankan community has lost a highly respected and remarkable contributor.
Imtiaz was a distinguished Data Centre professional and Senior Fellow at Princeton Digital Group in Japan. He played a pivotal role in developing some of the world’s largest state-of-the-art data centres for leading global cloud providers. His expertise was recognised with numerous industry awards, and he was regarded by his peers as an outstanding leader in the specialised field of data centre design and construction.
Having lived in Sydney throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Imtiaz contributed immensely to the Sri Lankan community. In 1999, he founded the Ozlanka Community Website (ozlanka.com), originally created as a friendly challenge from a friend. What began as an experiment soon became a cornerstone of community connection, which Imtiaz voluntarily maintained for two decades. Even after moving to Japan in 2006, he remained closely connected with the Sydney Sri Lankan community and continued to operate Ozlanka until September 2019.
In 2019, Ozlanka was entrusted to the Sinhalese Cultural Centre (SCC), a registered charity in NSW, to continue serving the community. The SCC is deeply grateful to Imtiaz for entrusting us with the legacy he lovingly built.
The Sydney Sri Lankan community will always remember Imtiaz’s dedication, generosity, and friendship. His contributions have left an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire for generations.
May he rest in peace.
