Smile truly, together for all

Ruwini Jayawardana

She was the chosen one. The heart-warming girl in the commercial "Together for all", a campaign launched to boost security forces' morale. Dilith Jayaweera and Umesh Ukwatthe of the Triad advertising agency had been at their wits end to find the ideal girl when they came across this pretty, young woman from the Air Force Headquarters.

Kaushalya Iroshani Fernando, 21, a past pupil of Agamathi Balika Maha Vidyalaya in Panadura, was a Godsend. Not surprisingly, it was her mild manners, open cheerfulness, and friendliness that captured both the makers of the advertisement as well as the audience.

Kaushalya is the eldest in a family of four where her father is a contract dealer. Her younger sister is still schooling. Kaushalya is well-educated, having passed her G.C.E. (Advanced level) examination with flying colours. She admits that her parents' dream had been to see their daughter becoming a teacher but Kaushalya's heart had been set in joining the forces. Her parents, though somewhat concerned, had been supportive of her final decision.

"I have always been enchanted by the grandeur of the army. I sent an application and was called for my interview while I was facing my A/Ls. There were about 6,000 candidates and I was among the 18 selected. I feel very fortunate to be chosen as I love my career. Though I had to face many hardships during my training period, when I look back, I feel that the experience is worthwhile," she said.

Kaushalya had taken up dancing in her school and this gave her the opportunity to be chosen for the Air Force Band. She loves music as well. The trainees had to follow a routine of waking up early in the morning at 4 a.m. and engaging in arms training, PT, drill practice, and classes that taught them the rules of their duties. At the end of the training course they had the LAC examination. One bittersweet memory she recalled with a smile was when they went Map Marching at Diyatalawa.

"I lost my footing and fell down a slope. Luckily, the sergeant and corporals who accompanied us were able to reach me. We all got quite a scare on that occasion."

With the launch of the campaign in both print and electronic media, Kaushalya has made an impact enough to have a curiosity attached to her name. What kind of response does she receive from the public?

"That was a rare chance I got and I am overwhelmed to be chosen from so many. I never dreamed of being given such an opportunity! At the beginning, I was hesitant to face the camera but all the TRIAD crew advised and encouraged me. I am grateful for their co-operation and for the immense support I got from our Band instructor, Sergeant Sunil Thalgahagoda, the senior corporals, flight sergeants, and all my friends. A lot of people have recognised me as the girl in the advertisement, especially when I am in uniform."

Kaushalya had to spend four days out of doors for filming. Her first scene included bathing the feet of a Kiri Amma. This scene was shot in Galle. Then what about that striking scene with her and the elderly Tamil lady on a bicycle? Kaushalya couldn't help laughing as she refreshed her memory on that particular scene.

"At first, I was given a plump, Tamil Aacchi but either one of us kept losing our balance on the bicycle.

I felt a bit uncomfortable in that scene as I learnt to ride a bicycle recently and was not used to carrying passengers with me. That scene was done in Chilaw and the other at Udappuwa. Everyone treated me well and I enjoyed the experience."

And what are Kaushalya's future plans? Does she intend to shift from her present career into another field?

"I am a simple person and I have no great ambitions. However, I love my career a lot and at present I will concentrate on doing justice to my work. You need a lot of confidence and nerves of steel to survive in this field.

The work is challenging, but we get used to it."

That is the first time the soft spoken, charming young girl in front of me suddenly appeared tougher than she looked. She is definitely together for all!

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Bonsai: Nature in a nutshell

Anushka Nanayakkara

MINIATURE BEAUTIES: "Bonsai" or the art of miniature trees, is one of the most popular arts in Japan. Although the origin of Bonsai was in China, it was introduced to the rest of the world by Japanese.

Buddhist monks introduced Bonsai to Japan in the 10th and 11th centuries. In Japanese "Bon" means a flat container and "Sai" means a tree. That's how the term Bonsai was created, which means a tree planted in a flat container. Bonsai is a creative and a live art. In Bonsai the creation of art keeps changing and Bonsai enthusiasts should maintain and look after it. Any one will be enchanted by these perfect little trees.

The Sri Lankan Bonsai Association held its 15th annual exhibition "Reflections 2006 - Natural Images" last Friday at the Art Gallery, Colombo. Ambassador of Japan Hiroshi Araki and Madam Araki were the Guests of Honour.

Bonsai was introduced to Sri Lanka 20 years ago. Most of the Bonsai lovers would do this as a hobby. One specialty in Bonsai is it gives an opportunity to experience the natural beauty by bringing the beauty of a large tree or a landscape into a homegarden or to an upstair balcony.

A certain amount of skill is needed to mould a growing tree into an artistic, natural shape or a style in Bonsai. Bonsai means beautiful creations of nature. Understanding the style of Bonsai is similar to getting closer to nature.

Any person enthusiastic in art should explore the world of Bonsai. Suitable types of plants for Bonsai are plants that grow naturally, plants growing in fertile soil, plants stunted by effects of nature and etc. Plants should be with hardwood varieties with rough bark and relatively small leaves. A Bonsai tree must be trained and there are various styles which a Bonsai could be grown.

This exhibition, which exhibited over 100 Bonsais, was a step taken by the Sri Lankan Bonsai Association to encourage the local nature lovers.

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Know about Osteoporosis

Anushka Nanayakkara

WEAK BONES: People often talk about osteoporosis. It is a condition, which afflicts the elderly and more common among women. Women are encouraged to take calcium supplements to prevent their bones from becoming weak and brittle. You can prevent or slow down the bone loss, and if you have osteoporosis already, there are drugs, which can help restoring bones.

What is osteoporosis?

Bone is made of collagen fibres (tough, elastic fibres) and minerals. The main mineral is calcium. Bone is a living tissue and contains cells that make and mould bone. As people grow older, they start to lose a certain amount of bone material, especially after the age of 35. The bones become less dense and less strong. The amount of bone loss can vary due to many reasons. If you have a lot of bone loss, then you run the risk of osteoporosis.

Why is osteoporosis more common among women?

Bone density starts to fall after 35 years, but women are more prone to lose bone density compared to men. The female hormone, oestrogen helps maintain bone. After menopause, the amount of oestrogen produced in the body declines and therefore the bone loss rate increases. By the age of 70 some women have lost 30 per cent of their bone material.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

There are no symptoms as such. Often the first sign of osteoporosis is a fracture. Loss of weight, persistent back pain and a stooping posture can occur due to the vertebrae (spine bones) becoming 'squashed' with the weight of the body.

What are the bones that fracture due to osteoporosis?

The most common places for fractures are the spine (vertebrae), hip, or forearm near the wrist (the characteristic wrist fracture that occurs is known as a Colles' fracture). Unlike fractures in normal bone, these fractures can occur with very slight trauma, because the bones are so brittle.

Nearly 50 per cent women over 50 years may fracture a bone due to osteoporosis at some point. Left untreated, in elderly patients, these fractures may even result in becoming bed ridden for the rest of her life.

Are there any other reasons for a person to become prone to weak bones?

Yes there are many. Early menopause (before the age of 45), either natural or brought on by surgery where the ovaries are removed, will increase the chance of developing weak bones. Osteoporosis can run in families. We often say that being overweight is bad for your health, but this is one condition where being underweight can be bad! Very thin people are at greater risk for brittle bones.

People who exercise regularly are less likely to develop osteoporosis. Smoking is bad for many conditions, and it also worsens osteoporosis. Certain medications, in particular steroids used for long periods, can cause weak bones.

The lack of calcium intake and Vitamin D (due to poor diet or inadequate exposure to sunlight) can increase the risk of weak bones. As people grow older their bones are likely to get weaker. Certain diseases, like over-activity of the thyroid gland, and a condition called Cushings Syndrome, where steroids are produced in excess in the body, can increase the risk of osteoporosis, but these are rare causes.

(Next week how to diagnose and prevent Osteoporosis)