Tribute - Percy Abeywardena:

Contributor to agriculture education

Percy Abeywardena

As one of his closest associates and friends, it devolves on me to write a few lines to commemorate the untimely death of Percy with whom I had a very close association for nearly 40 years from the time we studied in University, joined the Agriculture Department and spent most of the years serving together, initially at the Dry Zone Agricultural Research Institute in Mahailluppalama until about 1965 and later on many assignments thereafter.

When Percy moved to the extension services we were still closely associated with mutual activities in agricultural research and extension.

When Percy left for his postgraduate studies to England we parted company to rejoin two years later. Upon retiring from government service as Agriculture Deputy Director, Percy served in Nigeria as a World Bank consultant for over five years.

Percy served the Agricultural Department having also been the Principal of the School of Agriculture at Kundasale training young students in agriculture as part of his extension vocation he dedicated himself to serve.

His contribution as a lecturer and as a Principal was recognized when the alumni of Sri Lanka School of Agriculture conferred an award for his service to agriculture education in Sri Lanka, just a few months before he passed away.

Percy had varied talents not only as an excellent teacher but as a leader in agricultural extension with excellent rapport with farmers as well as with his colleagues.

He was also an excellent communicator with a keen sense of humour who wasn't afraid to let his thoughts be known and as a result left a lasting impression on many who knew and worked with him.

Percy enjoyed music very much and was quite popular among his students and subordinates at many social functions he graced. His skills as a singer were legendary and he never failed to oblige a request to sing his favorites from CT Fernando, Sunil Shantha or Pandit Amaradeva.

- Dr Edward Herath

Los Angeles, USA