Captured and tortured by government soldiers for being Tamil at the age of 17, Roy Ratnavel sought refuge in Canada. After being released from the prison camp where many of his friends died, Ratnavel's father helped him immigrate, before being shot and killed. To repay his hero father, Ratnavel made the most of his opportunities and rose from the mailroom to the executive suite of the country's largest independent asset management company. Prisoner #1056 recounts this harrowing experience and highlights the populism that tore Sri Lanka apart.

When you can read it: April 18, 2023

Roy Ratnavel was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1969. As a teenager, he became a political prisoner before fleeing to Canada. Ratnavel is now an executive at Canada's largest independent asset management company. He lives in Toronto.