Editing Otara Gunewardene (section)

==Career==
Main article: ODEL
In 1989, Gunawardene began selling factory surplus garments and apparel from her car boot to family and friends.[8][5][9] In 1990 she opened her first store, ODEL, on Dickmans Road in Colombo[10] and by 2010 had eighteen stores throughout Colombo.[8][11]

In 2007 Gunewardene launched the Otara foundation, a non-profit organisation which focuses on environmental and wildlife conservation of Sri Lanka.[12] In 2007 she also launched the fashion brand, Embark, some of the income from which is donated to fund eradication of rabies, canine vaccinations, sterilisation surgeries, puppy adoptions, and caring for injured street dogs.[13][14][15]

In February 2010 she converted ODEL into a public limited liability company and it became the first fashion retail business to be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange.[8] On 11 September 2014 Gunewardene sold of all her shares in ODEL PLC to the Softlogic Group,[9] to concentrate on Embark.

In 2015 Embark opened its first standalone store in Galle, which was followed by an additional three stores in Kandy City Centre, Bandaranaike International Airport and at Dickmans Road in Colombo.[16] In September 2017 Embark opened its tenth store in K-Zone Ja-Ela.[17]