Christopher Ondaatje

From Freepedia

Sir Christopher Ondaatje, KBE , OC (born February 22, 1933) is a businessman and author.

He was born to a wealthy family in Sri Lanka of Dutch-Singhalese origin and sent to Blundell's School in the United Kingdom. The family fortune was lost by his alcoholic father, however, and Christopher was forced to leave school a year from graduation. In 1956, Christopher emigrated to Canada, arriving in Toronto with virtually no money. He quickly began to rebuild the family fortune, becoming a wealthy stockbroker. He eventually became a multi-millionaire in the publishing industry, founding Pagurian Corporation. He also was an Olympic athlete, competing as a bobsledder in the 1964 Winter Olympics.

After many years of success, in which he was considered one of Toronto's most aggressive and predatory businessmen, he quit the business world in 1995. He moved to Britain and began a career as a philanthropist and adventurer. Travelling through India and Africa, he also became an author, following in the footsteps of his younger brother Michael Ondaatje, a world-renowned novelist. His books describe his travels and adventures. His philanthropic work and large donations to the Labour Party earned him a knighthood from the British government. He is also an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Recently, his book Hemingway in Africa was published, detailing his thesis regarding the life and motivations of Ernest Hemingway.