[2] After completing her studies in Princess of Wales College, Moratuwa, she entered the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo where she graduated with First Class Honours in the final MBBS exam.
Having functioned as a paediatrician in various parts of the country including Jaffna, she became the first woman in Sri Lanka to be appointed to a professorial chair, when she succeeded her mentor, Professor C. C. de Silva, as Professor of Paediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ceylon and subsequently the University of Colombo.
Widely known for her pioneering research in Nutrition and Infectious Diseases, she was also instrumental in imposing regulations restricting advertising of infant formula milk, and formulating the national policy on breast feeding, which recommended Exclusive Breast Feeding for 4–6 months.
She also served as a consultant to the World Health Organization and the United Nations Subcommittee on Nutrition.
After a protracted and lengthy litigation, that traversed the full breadth of the legal process in Sri Lanka, the Supreme Court ruled in her favour, holding that she was not negligent, and causation was not established by the plaintiff.