True friend remembered:

Bernard Granville Warnesuriya

O B Ratnayaka, the Hon General Secretary of the Association of Ex-Immigration Officers of Sri Lanka, of which I myself a member, conveyed the sad news of the unexpected and sudden demise of the current President of the Association. He had passed away in Texas in United States on April 13, Whilst holidaying with his son. Bernard Granville Warnesuriya has also been a past President. I myself consider it my bounden duty to pay this humble tribute as a mark of respect to the genial, versatile and many splendoured personality who endeared himself to one and all. Granville, as he was fondly called by the contemporaries was always soft spoken, gentle, kind, caring and graceful.

Granville was associated with the Immigration and Emigration Department for well over three decades in various positions as Immigration Officer, Chief Immigration Officer and finally as Assistant Controller. I myself enjoyed the proud privilege of interacting with him closely. He always called me "Nanda" affectionately, in which I really revelled as an endearing salutation.

During the halcyon days of yore Immigration Officers were burdened with numerous arduous agendas like arrests and deportation of illicit immigrants and visa overstays leading to their final deportation. They were in addition to port duties which necessarily involved night duty. He put his heart and soul to whatever task he was entrusted with. He was a very popular figure in the department due to his unquestionable candour.

Our turn of duty at the Sea Port Talaimannar (which is inoperative now) was for a period of one month, invariably once a year. Subsistence allowance too was paid in addition to the emoluments. After attending to duties connected with disembarkation and embarkation of passengers of the Twin Screw Ship "Ramanujam" we had plenty of time at our disposal. Clerical work involved was minimal.

This is where Granville proved his outstanding worth which was quite exceptional. He had the rather rare distinction of being a skilful raconteur and a superb mimic. He provided us mirth with his girth.

He was always full of life and had a very infectious laugh. Never ever have I seen him loosing his temper. Thus, he was our key provider of entertainment at no cost. This was all the more welcome as Talaimannar was a virtual dessert being remote and outlandish.

He regaled his colleagues with past stories of various events inclusive of his private life that had taken place over the years. Many were the interesting conversations over lunch or dinner, as the case may be, that at times went on for hours with his perpetual smile. He was always up beat and cheerful. His zest for life was epitomized in the joyful way he conducted himself all the time. Granville was also an accomplished musician. He could also play classical music as well as the 'oldies' with equal aplomb. In short, he was a joy to be around. His mental equipoise and worm humanity endeared him to all those who associated with him.

He was courteous even to the most junior subordinate and kindness was the key note of his character. He was indeed a model of decorum. His fine temper and quiet sense of humour were invaluable assets to the coveted position he held in the UNHCR as Senior Protection Assistant, which he entered having served in Immigration.

Granville was a devoted husband, beloved father and a sincere friend. The happy memories we associate with him will remain etched in our lives. May he rest in peace!

Nanda Nanayakkara

Retired Assistant Controller of Immigration and Emigration

Remembering D B Welagedara

D B Welagedara is a name that dwells in the hearts of the people of Kurunegala, because of the memorable services he has rendered to them during a period spanning a half century.

It is 22nd year since his demise. D B Welagedara Commemorative Society met at 8.30 am on April 22 at the Welagedara memorial on Colombo Road to revere his memory. This year too there was an alms giving, other meritorious activities and donations of spectacles and equipment to facilitate the mobility of the handicapped. The award of D B Welagedara scholarships too took place at the time.

D B Welagedara was born on October 31, 1915 at Panaliya, Polgahawela as the only son in a renowned family of the area.

He had his education at Ananda and Nalanda Colleges in Colombo and at St John's College in Jaffna. He then joined the Law College of Sri Lanka for his law studies and at the end of his studies he became a Divisional Revenue Officer - a member of the first batch of such officers who replaced the Rate Mahathmaya who were holding office at the time. He was elected the President of the Divisional Revenue Officers Association.

He was outstanding in rendering services to the rural public. At their insistence he resigned from the public service, sacrificing his pension to contest the snap General Election of 1952. He was elected the MP for Kurunegala defeating no less a person than the Queen's Counsel H Sri Nissanka, a stalwart in the political arena.

Welagedara served the public as Mayor, Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister, Cabinet Minister and Provincial Governor, right to the day he passed away. His services in this regard was mainly in the fields of education, health, transport, agriculture and religion, but not restricted solely to them.

He was exemplary in his conduct and was a model to be emulated.

His most outstanding quality was his punctuality. Once having accepted an invitation to be the chief guest of a school ceremony, he visited the school at the exact time indicated to find that the ceremony would not start even after some delay. In resentment, he left the school forth with advising the principal to train the schoolchildren to work on time.

He was very keen to follow to the letter the Buddhist ways of living. His position was that he did not need any additional protection as he was protected by the Holy Triple Gem. He functioned as the Secretary of the Mahiyangana Chaitthya Renovation Society, when the late D S Senanayake was the chairman of that society, followed by his son Dudley Senanayake.

His last request fully reflects his Buddhist Traditional Values. It was as follows: "Request made to my relatives and friends."

* Death, just as birth, is common to all beings including myself. It cannot be avoided. Therefore, no purpose will be served by grieving.

* My eyes should be used to provide vision to a person who could make use of them.

* My body should be given over to a hospital or research institution that could make use of it for advancement of the medical sciences to benefit others.

* If I have done any wrong to you, bury its memory forever.

(The remains of Welagedara were handed over to the Sri Lanka Medical College while the eyes were handed over to the Eye Donation Society of Sri Lanka).

King Dutugemunu who vanquished King Elara, had much respect for the latter. He ordained that any person passing by the tomb of Elara, should pay homage to his memorial.

Welagedara too had these inimitable virtues. He named a school started by him as H Sri Nissanka Vidyalaya - being the name of a political rival. The inaugural entry in the Log Book of the Maliyadeva Model School - a school that Piyadasa Wijesinghe planned to start and effectively completed by Welagedara is an order by him that Piyadasa Wijesinghe should be invited for all the ceremonies of the school. These examples truly illustrate his qualities.

Welagedara took pride in his being a Sinhalese and a villager.

He believed that if any person remembers the Buddha first and noble Sinhala kings like Parakkramabahu and Dutugemunu secondly and refrains from adopting the wicked practices of the foreigners. He was bound to prosper. His practices truly reflected this philosophy.

He moved in regal circles but never forgot his rural background nor did he forsake his bond with the common man.

All his efforts were directed at making a Bath Korale (a rice bowl) out of Sath Korale. He was himself an experienced farmer. His example induced others too to take to cultivation. A tree planting campaign was an indispensable item in any birthday celebration for him. His policy was that a tree should be planted for every tree uprooted.

His adorable qualities are the gift he left us.

May D B Welagedara attain Nibbana!

D B Welagedara Commemorative Committee.

Karunadasa J Liyanage

It has been eight years since my father passed away, even time just doesn't have the ability to heal the wound that it caused me and my family.

My father was a great man, not just a caring father to me and my sisters and a loving husband to my mother, but a guide and mentor to all. He was kind to everyone around him and went to great lengths to ensure that any injustice did not befall anyone, even those who sometimes opposed him. He was a dynamic person and I wonder how different life would have been if he was still with us.

But he is gone, and we had to face many difficulties up to this point, difficulties that I am sure would never happen if he was still with us. We used to live in the Middle East, in Oman and the UAE, where my father worked as a Senior Quantity Surveyor.

My father held the opinion that education was the key to success no matter what your station was in life and when he saw Sri Lankan children in Oman lacking a proper school to provide education, he got together with other well known members of the Sri Lankan community and formed the Sri Lankan School in Muscat, a school that at present provides education to over a thousand students coming not only from Sri Lankan but from other countries as well. Even when my father migrated from Oman to UAE, he saw how many Sri Lankan children were out of touch of their heritage and there too helped to conduct Daham Pasala in the premises of the Sri Lankan Embassy. That too has developed into a major operation with separate buildings and a much qualified staff dedicated towards it.

My father was a skilled Quantity Surveyor and even won the award for the Best Quantity Surveyor in the UAE in 2001. He always helped his colleagues whenever they had any sort of problem be it at the workplace or elsewhere. Known as 'Karu' among his friends, he was respected by nearly everyone in the community. I remember how many of them visited our house frequently when we were staying in Dubai.

He loved me and my sisters very much but yet did not show his affection outright. I remember when I learnt how to ride a bicycle properly without using training wheels, my father came out to see me ride a few times even though he was very sick at that stage and how happy he was to see me do it.

He was firm as any father should be and dealt with discipline when it was necessary. He made me and my sisters who we are today.

Randika Liyanage