Enterprising tea planter

Sepala Illangakoon, who died on June 26, 2009, aged 84, was a legendary Planter. After an illustrious career in the tea plantations, he transformed with ease into a model Administrator when he became the Chairman, Sri Lanka Tea Board in 1990.

It was an immense privilege for me to have worked under him as Deputy Director-General Sri Lanka Tea Board. He was a unique personality. His style of working is worthy of emulation. An achiever, stern disciplinarian and quick decision maker, he exuded confidence among all those who worked with him.

He considered long and meandering meeting as a waste of executive time. As Chairman, Sri Lanka Tea Board, he insisted, Board Paper should not exceed one page.

He also directed that the submissions made to him in the files should be brief, to the point with specific recommendations. And he returned the files the same day with precise and clear decisions. Sepala chose a team of officials to assist him in the Tea Board.

Hemaratne and Weerasekera from the Tea Commissions Division, Mervyn Wijeratne from Tea Promotion, M.S. Jayasinghe and myself from the Head Office.

All of us worked together as a team to support him and he stood firmly by the Officials. To me personally, he had been very supportive. It was gracious on his part to have acknowledged our contribution in his memoirs published in 2003. I have accompanied him on some of his overseas travels - to Russia, Middle East and World Bank. An early riser, he would prepare meticulously for the meetings and make impressive contributions at the deliberations.

Sepala retired in 1996 after nearly 50 years of dedicated service to the tea industry - an industry he loved and breathed. His lifetime service to the tea industry will always be remembered.

- T. Sambasivam