SLISJ student dies in Colombo
Imad Akbar, a 16-year-old student from the Sri Lankan International School (SLISJ) died at his residence in Colombo on May 24. He was buried at his ancestral home in Polgahawala, according to a press release.
He leaves behind his father who works for Juffali, his mother Nizaya and two brothers, Nabeel and Hamza.
Shahul Hameed Salih, founder and chairman of the SLISJ, said: “Imad joined the school when he was four years old in 2002 and remained until grade 10. Following sudden illness, he withdrew from the Cambridge IGCSE examination to undergo medical testing.
As a student, Imad gained General Proficiency Awards, rankings in Spelling Bees, Poetry and Oratory in English Day Competitions. He won the Subject award in Arabic Language in the 2009/2010 Awards Day.
“His leadership qualities and appealing personality easily inducted him as a prefect and he was working towards the Deputy Head Prefect but was hospitalized soon after,” said Salih.
Majaziya Mubarak, the principal of the school, said, “Grief manifests in different ways. The Sri Lankan Community, his teachers, classmates and friends will miss him dearly and will always remember him as a spark that lit up the world with love and kindness.”
“Our prayers are with Imad’s family, relatives, friends and anyone who has had the honor of knowing such a wonderful teenager,” she said.