[1] Chanaka Dinushan was born in Galle to a Sinhala- Buddhist family, the son of D. V. Upul, a Provincial Council Minister (Southern Province)[2] and has two brothers and a sister.

[3] He then entered the Southeast Missouri State University at Cape Girardeau, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and Design.

[3] Chanaka is currently reading for his master's degree in financial economics in the University of Colombo.

He was appointed by the 2020 Rajapaksa government as State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development [4] Chanaka contested the 2015 parliamentary elections, where aged 28, he was one of the youngest candidates.

He currently serves as a member in the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Youth Affairs, Project Management and Southern Development.