Kumar Dharmasena's Rise from Cricket to the World of Business

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Dharmasena, a right-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler who was a member of the 1996 Cricket World Cup-winning team, now serves as the Chairman of Pintanna Holdings, renowned for its agarwood, or oud-based products. It's the only Sri Lankan company producing and marketing this rare wood-derived ingredient locally and internationally, sourcing the trees from plantations owned by the company.

- Words Jennifer Paldano Goonewardane.

In an interview with Business Today, Kumar Dharmasena shared insights into his journey from sports to entrepreneurship – his inspirations, lessons learned, challenges faced, and vision for the future. His transition into business has been shaped by his international cricketing career, instilling in him a resilient, never-say-never attitude that continues to define his entrepreneurial path.

What inspired you to transition from a successful career in international cricket and later as an umpire to entrepreneurship?

Ayagama estate, which began as Pintanna Plantations, has been part of my family for more than three decades, so it was always close to my heart, even during my cricketing years. The idea of cultivating agarwood emerged after an Indian friend, a fifth-generation member of a family engaged in agarwood production, introduced me to this fascinating tree while I was in Hyderabad. He shared with me the intricate process of cultivating trees of the Aquilaria genus, producing agarwood, also known as oud, and developing a range of value-added products from it.

The journey was far from easy at the beginning. I had to conduct extensive research on my own, and in doing so, I discovered that Sri Lanka has its own indigenous species, Gyrinops walla, popularly known as Wallapatta. This tree, which produces agarwood, has a history dating back thousands of years on the island. Interestingly, when compared to other species within the Aquilaria genus, Wallapatta has the most extended recorded history. That discovery inspired me to focus on cultivating Wallapatta on my plantation, while expanding production and refining my range of agarwood-based products.

How did your experience as a cricketer shape the way you approach business?