SOMA AHANGAMA:

One of the best human beings

May 11, 2012 was one of the saddest days of my life when I heard from Dushantha of the passing away of Soma Ahangama. I came to know Soma Ahangama in 1990 when I joined Hatton National Bank to take the overall responsibility of setting up the Bank's Marketing Division, to drive the Bank's Marketing Communication and Marketing Strategy.

From the very beginning I used to call him Soma even though he was like a father to me and over the years it was like a father-son relationship that I built with him.

He was one of the most unique people and best ever human beings that I have come across in my life. Soma was heading a medium sized advertising agency named Soma Ahangama Associates. As HNB had embarked on a communication strategy that would suit the bank and the culture of the country the then Managing Director Rienzie Wijetilleke was very conscious that the bank should be in a position to reach out to the people's expectations.

In this endeavour Soma’s uniqueness was evident and was an asset to me where not only was he able to guide me in laying the correct framework for the marketing communications strategy for the bank but was also able to enlighten me on the in-depth aspirations of people of all walks of life and the nature of Sri Lankans.

Having worked in the Parliament as a Senior Editor of the Hansard and met senior level politicians and people of different levels, Soma had a rich and awesome knowledge and feeling for the culture of the country and its people and was able to build strong relationships through his simplicity and humble nature, which made me realize that I could not have had a better association in my life.

My close association with Soma grew by not a mere business-client relationship but like the relationship between a father and son. I used to go to him for many issues I faced in my life and the advice he always gave me was very appropriate and timely.

I also recall the many times that I have spent in Soma's office to discuss business and whilst writing the ideas he suddenly would come out with totally inspiring and thoughtful advice. In my personal life his encouragement and advice was the key to moulding me in the early stages at HNB. One of the special things I saw in Soma was that he was a very simple and a humble person with unique creativity, which I am yet to see in the current advertising fraternity. He was able to touch hearts through his campaigns and at times the very emotions are relived when I revisit some of the advertising work he did for HNB.

More than that, whilst being the best human being I have come across in life, he was a devout Buddhist, who did not visit temples regularly wearing white nor was he interested in building temples and making large donations in the public eye.

He was busy building the lives of thousands of less fortunate people and one cannot forget the number of lives he had transformed by admonishing and helping in word and deed. He was also involved in using his personal finances to educate hundreds of people who were unable to finance their education.

Almost a decade ago Soma passed on the leadership of Soma Ahangama Associates to his second son Dushantha together with his other sons Sudharshan and Sanjeeva. Soma Ahangama Associates is one of the leading advertising agencies in the country, which has acquired an international association and is now named Saatchi and Saatchi. In addition to having a close business association with the sons, I continued to keep a close association with Soma and had the opportunity to visit him with Chandrika, my wife to listen to him. He always treated me like a son and closely watched my progress as a career Banker and my involvement at international level.

He considered my son like one of his grandsons. I was unable to visit him this year and was planning to do so on my return from my holiday in Australia and pay him a New Year visit. However, this did not happen when Dushantha informed me about his passing away. It was a big shock and the saddest news I heard. Soma was a man of high calibre who was humble in nature and I to this day greatly value the advice and admonishment he has given me. Soma had requested for a private funeral with only the family but he had told his sons that only two other people should be informed and that was Dinesh Ambani and myself for whom he had some special affection. When Dushantha phoned me, he specifically related this to me.

In life God sends people to cross your path and you have to get the best moments with these people. I strongly believe that Soma was one such person God gave me. In the Book of Proverbs it says ‘As iron sharpens iron.’ Soma was one such person who was able to sharpen some of the qualities he had into my life.

In terms of these inbuilt qualities, he stands on a high pedestal, which is hard to reach and it is heartening to note that he has been able to pass on these qualities to his three sons. He had an awesome companion for a wife, who stood by him at all times and Soma could not have had a better life long partner than her. Soma, I will miss you.

Chandula Abeywickrema