Roy Ratnavel was born in 1969 in the capital city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. At the age of seventeen, he became a political prisoner, and spent gruelling months in brutal and oppressive conditions. After his miraculous release from prison, he arrived in Canada all alone at the age of eighteen. Ratnavel has recently retired from an executive position at Canada’s largest independent asset management company. He says that he is, “an accidental Sri Lankan by birth, an unapologetic Tamil by heritage, and a proud Canadian by choice.”

Roy Ratnavel recently visited Australia to promote his first book, Prisoner #1056: How I survived War and found Peace. Kulasegaram Sanchayan took the opportunity to speak to him in person.

This is the first part of the two-part interview.

To listen to the concluding part of the interview, click on the link below:

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Concluding Part:

“I didn't choose Guns to fight… I have chosen the Pen”

SBS Tamil

19/07/202316:51

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