Prof. Kusuma Karunaratne:

An icon in the literary world

Suharshi Perera

‘Knowledge is power’. Man exploits knowledge to dominate and gain control over others. Thus it leads to suppression.

But when woman gains power through knowledge, it could not be the same story. She could be powerful yet create a difference in the accepted structure.

Prof. Kusuma Karunaratne is such a woman who has carved her name in Sri Lanka’s academic history being the first woman to pass many cornerstones in her academic discipline.

Her deep rooted love for Sinhala literature fetched many opportunities and much fame for her. She never rested on her laurels but strove to reach the zenith.

“From my childhood I grew up in a literary background. My senses imbibed the essence of stories narrated by my parents and I grew up with a literary flow,” Prof. Kusuma traces her roots.

Born in Dodampahala, in Dikwella, Matara a bedrock of many eminent literary figures and literary works she breathed the same breeze that swept across the region.

Kusuma was the third of the family which had six siblings. “Affection, protection and good education were assured in our family,” she notes.

She received primary education from the Dodampahala Maha Vidyalaya and later attended Vijitha Vidyalaya in Dikwella.

Her bright future was predicted at her school itself. “My literature teacher who read one of my creative essays titled “Padaviyata Pitathweema” (Leaving to Padaviya) had entered a remark on the left margin of the paper “You have a bright future”. That was the first recognition of my literary skills,” Kusuma recalls.

She realised her potential which drove her towards becoming the first female university lecturer in the Sinhala Department and from there to be the first female Professor in Sinhala and even further.

Victories lined up from the Peradeniya University where she graduated with a first class. She was the first female student to reach that level in her discipline. The university awarded her a gold medal for her brilliance.

Reading gives lot of strength and enormous knowledge. It penetrates one’s feelings and adds to the experience. That is how a person gains a subtle vision to sail smoothly through life and its obstacles, she believes.

“When I entered university it was a both physical and cultural journey. I grew up in a very peaceful, friendly, well-protected atmosphere. So I had to traverse from the down South to hill country and the university. The academic culture was very different. But I adjusted to that environment and that was the most interesting period of my life. I moulded myself following the footsteps of my great teachers,” Kusuma recalls.

She was a student of a group of lectures of high calibre like Prof. D.E. Hettiaarachchi, Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra and Prof. Ariya Rajakaruna. “I followed them and my students follow me. That has been a tradition,” she remarks.

As she excelled in her academic arena she joined the Colombo University. During her four decades university career she became the first ever female Professor in Sinhala, first woman to head the Sinhala Department and the Dean and the Acting Vice Chancellor in the Colombo University.

“Today there are many avenues for the younger generation. But unfortunately most of them lack literary skills as they do not read much. They are deviating from the arts and moving towards technology. Technical knowledge is very important but reading creates a full human being with feelings,” the Professor adds.

“We had a thirst for literature and reading quenched it,” she says. She holds works of art by Martin Wickremasinghe in high esteem.

“He depicted life in a realistic, genuine and subtle way. It was applicable to our lines too,” she remarks.

Natsume Soseki, Earnest Hemingway and Tolstoy are among her other most-liked authors.

“Classical literature never outdates as literature is not restricted to fiction or poetry, it is about life and it adds to life,” she observes.

Electronic media is the major force that distracts children from reading. Parents and teachers should inculcate the reading habit to create healthy human beings, Professor Kusuma notes.

Prof. Kusuma retired after having served as a professor for over 40 years and imparting knowledge to hundreds of students. Now she is relaxed and content. Her students held a felicitation ceremony for their dear teacher on July 19 and launched a book containing research articles of eminent scholars in the country.

“Now I am fully satisfied as I have moulded many bright students to carry on with my duties. I believe that if a teacher says that there’s no one to take over after she or her retires, that teacher has failed somewhere,” she remarked.

She has received many awards including the prestigious ‘Order of the Rising Sun-Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon’ by the Japanese Emperor. She was the first Sri Lankan women to receive that award presented for in recognition of her long-term efforts in strengthening cultural relations between Japan and Sri Lanka.

The Ruhunu Putra Award and the ‘Liya Waruna’ Award by ITN on International Women’s day are among the other awards.

“I am a mother of two sons. Both have reached a high level in academics. My husband was very cooperative in all my efforts”, Prof. Kusuma said.

Her husband Sam Karunaratne is a Professor in electrical engineering. He held many posts at the Moratuwa University.

“He became my inspiration and mentor after marriage. I managed time and was methodical in my work which spared time to spend with my children and family. A mother should be very close to children and discuss their problems,” she said.

“In today’s society women have entered many disciplines and career avenues. They have the strength and determination. Only certain evil forces try to prevent them reaching greater horizons,” she says.

“All women should have freedom. She is given enough freedom by the social and religious set up but she has to overcome those challenges created by men with a weird mentality.”

Pictures by Palitha Gunasena

Indulge in healthy munching

When you are with friends or in office you easily tend to munch on snacks. Try these healthy options to avoid unnecessary munching on junk between meals.

Try fruits like apples, pears, grapes, and cherries.

Grams and salads consisting of carrots, cucumbers are other healthy options. You can also eat fat-free yoghurt.

Drinking green tea is also helps to recharge when you are too bogged down with work.

A few tips:

* Don’t wait till you are famished. After eating lunch at around 1.30 pm, eat something again at around 4.30/5 pm instead of waiting till 6.30/7 pm.

* Carry snacks from home so that you don’t bite into any available junk like burgers, pizzas and puffs.

* Keep chewing sugar-free gum if you have a sweet tooth to avoid indulging in sweetmeats.

* When it comes to beverages, drink anti-oxidant rich green tea, which is good for the heart and helps in weight loss. You can also carry dip-it-easy tea bags. Also try sugarless tea.

Eat foods low in fat and sugar but high in complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains and pulses).

Don’t skip a meal; eat regular small meals instead of infrequent big ones -you won’t feel as hungry and your body will use more energy in digestion.

Eat slowly, savouring each bite. It takes about 20 minutes for the feeling of fullness to register; wait that long before eating more.

Note: Exercise regularly. Not only does it burn up calories, but it can also make you feel temporarily less hungry.

Women to have final say in financial matters

CHANGE: More women than men will make financial decisions in the home in just over a decade, according to a report.

The fairer sex will have the final say in the majority of financial decisions in Britain by 2020, if current trends continue, according to National Savings and Investments.

The savings provider said men currently make key financial decisions in 20 percent of households, a decline of two percent in the past five years.

Over the same period, the proportion of women having the final say has risen from 10 to more than 12 percent.

Women are also predicted to be the main earners in one in four households by 2030, up from 14 percent today.

Although women continue to earn less than men — an average of 1,080 pounds per month, compared to 1,486 pounds among men — they are catching up fast, particularly at younger ages.

Women in their 20s earned a wage equivalent to 93 percent of their male counterparts’ wages in 2000, a figure that has risen to 96 percent today.

Women in this age group will overtake men in the earning stakes by 2015, if the trend continues, the report says.

William Nelson, deputy head of consultancy services at the Future Foundation, said: “We are seeing the emergence of a generation of women who are better educated, more ambitious, and more financially confident than any before them.

“This generation is already more likely to handle day-to-day financial matters than their male partners, and demands to have at least an equal say in the big decisions.”

Reuters

Corn and Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

Corn Kernel - 21/2cup
Red Bell Pepper - 1
Whole Green Chillies - 6-7no
Diced onion (medium size) - 2
Minced Garlic - 5 cloves
Vegetable stock - 2cups
Milk - 2cups
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4tsp
Black Pepper Powder - a pinch
Whipped cream - 1/2cup

Method:

Deseed bell pepper and dice it into cubes. Coarsely chop green chillies.

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic till light brown. Add corn kernels, bell pepper, green chillies, vegetable stock and milk. Bring it to boil and reduce heat. Allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add red chilli powder, black pepper powder and salt. Mix them. Remove from heat and stir in cream.

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Beetroot soup

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1/2kg
Big Onion - 1
Potato - 1
Lime - 1/2
Mint Leaves - little
Cream - 1/2cup
Salt, Pepper - to taste
Oil

Method of Preparation:

Peel beetroot and potato and cut them into small pieces. Chop the onion into tiny pieces and saute it in the oil. When it is becomes red in colour, add the vegetables. Saute for a while and cook it by adding some water. When it is done add salt and pepper. Remove from fire and grind it.

Boil the soup once again adding lime juice. Add cream and mint leaves before serving the soup.