Vihangi brings ‘Tales from an Angel’

Jayanthi Liyanage

An unusual event was celebrated in BMICH Committee Room A, on August 24. A little girl, aged six, sat at the head table with very distinguished guests, no less than the British High Commissioner Dr. Peter Hayes the Chief Guest, and Guests of Honour Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha, writer of children’s books Samanmali Padmakumara, writer and illustrator of children’s books Sybil Wettasinghe and Dr. Praneeth Abeyasundara, lecturer, University of Sri Jayawardenapura.

New words

The other guests were Chief Executive Officer, ODEL Otara Gunewardena and Managing Director, Derana Television Dilip Jayaweera.

The little girl in “lama saree” was the cynosure of all eyes. There was also a considerable number of child guests who had come with their parents to appreciate the honour being accorded to little Vihangi Rajapakse who, at that tender age, was launching her first book of stories, poems and illustrations titled ‘Tales from an Angel.’ “I have just finished my year one at Salcombe School in London,” said Vihangi addressing the gathering. “Ever since I can remember, I have loved books and poems.

I can remember my family reading books to me when I was small. When I was older, I read books myself. Books taught me new words and new things about life and the world around me. Then I started writing my own stories and poems.

The books I read had lovely pictures of princesses, castles, dragons, horses and other animals.

I started drawing pictures for my stories as well. My little sister Sanuli loves my stories the most and gets me to read her the stories before she goes to bed.”

Saying that she was very excited when told that her stories would appear as a book and thanking all her adult mentors, she added, “I hope many more of my stories will become books so that my little sister will have more books to read.”

“The whole point of a family, whether blood family or community family, is that we take pleasure in supporting others to achieve,” Dr. Peter Hayes told the gathering.

Creative side

“This is particularly true with children. The solution to the challenges the country or individuals face starts with education. As well as management, business studies, IT and international affairs, also important is the creative side of education. We must take time to nurture in young people imagination, the creative side. Imagination will see us through the challenges ahead and to believe that the impossible is possible.”

Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha said that Sri Lankan students that leave for higher studies in the Uk, USA or Australia, perform very well.

“We are witnessing the talents of Sri Lankan students whether they are in Sri Lanka or other countries. In 1998, we introduced educational reforms and began child-centred and activity-based education in Sri Lanka. This brings out the creative side of children.” Sybil Wettasinghe reminisced that when she wrote and illustrated as a child, no one believed that she could do those things. “In school, they thought I was copying. How happy Vihangi must be that we are all here to appreciate what she has written.

Her illustrations are new, spontaneous and very child-like which is what I love to see in children. I feel it is me many years ago. I have met many children who draw beautiful pictures but few attempt to write.”

Magic mantra

A poem composed for Vihangi by Samanmali Padmakumara was read out to the audience. “Prove to the world that you are a child of many talents in many fields,” Padmakumara told Vihangi who has demonstrated special skills in piano playing, singing, ballet, drama and swimming.

“She can become a very good singer too, and she will prove that very soon.” Vihangi’s uncle, Dr. Dulanka Silva, proposed the vote of thanks. The honour paid to this little girl is proof that even in this age of information technology and all its accompanying technical wonders, imagination is still the magic mantra captivating the human mind.

Vihangi is the daughter of Dr. Ravi Rajapakse and Upeksha Rajapakse, former Sri Lankan swimmer and grand daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dayananda Silva. She studies at the Salcombe Preparatory School in London.

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