Although his work plate was more than full with the duties that came with his positions as Rudd Foundation Distinguished Fellow at WSU’s Barton School of Business, director of the Center for International Business Advancement, and chair of the World Trade Council of Wichita, which he co-founded in 1976, Dharma deSilva still found time to enjoy and share the tastes of his native Sri Lanka.
Widely recognized for his expertise in international management, marketing and business administration, deSilva also knew his way around a garden – and a kitchen. “I enjoy, very much, gardening and cooking for people,” he said one evening at his Wichita home in 2003, as he put the finishing touches on the mango chicken curry dish he was preparing for members of a WSU international student group.
He earned his doctorate in international trade and business from Indiana University and held degrees and certifications from Southern Illinois University, the University of Evansville, Stanford, Harvard and Ohio State.
Arriving at Wichita State in 1975, deSilva taught courses in international business, global business and competitiveness, international marketing, and comparative and international management strategy. His research interests were many, and included marketing in a global context.
This teacher and scholar who advocated tirelessly for global trade and the internationalization of business education died April 1, 2017 in Wichita.
