Dr. Kapila Yakandawala graduated with a BSc (Honours), majoring in Botany from the University of Peradeniya. He subsequently joined the Department of Botany as an Assistant Lecturer and later joined the Ceylon Chocolates Ltd as a Quality Assurance Executive. Dr. Yakandawala then spent three years at the Institute of Fundamental Studies as a Research Student Fellow, working on Plant Tissue Culture and has developed a protocol to micro propagate Giant Bamboo. Subsequently, he joined the Department of Agriculture as a Lecturer. After serving there for four years, he joined the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka in 2001 as a Lecturer. He obtained his Masters from the University of Reading, UK in Horticulture, specializing in Landscape Gardening and a PhD from the University of Colombo in Plant Sciences, specializing in landscaping with native plant species. He has completed a certificate in teaching in higher education from the staff development centre, University of Colombo and a certificate in web design and Development from the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. Dr. Yakandawala is currently working in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening in the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management as a Senior Lecturer and serves as the Head, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening.

Landscape horticulture, Environmental horticulture, Ecological planting designs, Plant propagation, Medicinal plants, Biodiversity conservation and management