Dr Kolandaivel graduated from Madras Medical College in India where she lived until 1996. From 1996 until 2010 Usha lived in Malaysia where she gained a Masters of Anaesthesiology.
Usha moved Australia in 2010 and worked as a senior registrar at Royal Perth Hospital to gain her Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. In 2012, Usha and her family moved to Shepparton and she commenced work at GV Health.