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W. Karunajeewa
He was proud to be in the SLFP
Karunajeewa, “Karu” to his friends was a child of “1956”. When “1956”
took place he was only 10 years old. Perhaps he may have waved a blue
flag at that time. He entered the political scene after his education at
Dharmaraja College, Kandy and his graduation from the University of
Peradeniya.
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W. Karunajeewa |
He contested the Mulugampola ward of the Kandy Municipal Council and
was elected. Being close to Hector Kobbekaduwa, he entered SLFP politics
having worked with Kobbekaduwa for some time. Mrs Bandaranaike, the then
Leader of the SLFP, who was good at spotting talent, made him the
Administrative Secretary of the SLFP.
Soon a new chapter dawned. The party went into opposition having been
defeated at the polls in 1977. A split occurred in the party and this
had to be managed if not healed. The party was in disarray and leader
Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike was deprived of her civic rights. Karu had to
keep the party together and also look to the needs of the fighting
factions. For party supporters a rift in the party is the worst
scenario. There was a time when the party office was closed and meetings
could not be held. During this difficult time, Karu played a key role.
Party men were losing their jobs, others often being arrested for false
reasons. Many a time I have picked him up to go to the Narahenpita
Labour Tribunal to appear for party men unjustly dismissed by the UNP
government.
He never looked for monetary gain and lived a simple life. He had a
great dedication to the people of this country and to the members of his
party.
He was proud to be in the SLFP and never changed his political
affiliation. The eighteen years in opposition matured Karu and many SLFP
supporters. The UNP had changed the political structure of the country
and it looked impregnable. There was the UNP terror, under which SLFP
party men were killed, arrested and the referendum reduced the SLFP to
eight members of Parliament. Karu was engaged in helping SLFP supporters
in distress.
The landscape changed and the party found itself in power. Being a
close confidante of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he became the Chairman
of the Fisheries Corporation. The administrative skills he showed in the
party, now began to show in the administration of the entities under
him. He became the Chairman of the Employees’ Provident Fund. Finally,
he was made the Chairman of the People’s Bank.
He showed his ability as a Banker and laid to rest his critics who
said he could not do this job. As bank chairman he improved the Bank and
presided over its destiny in its 50th year.
The non-performing segment of the bank improved. He engaged in
religious activities with the participation of the bank and brought the
bank closer to the people.
The bank was meant to be by its architects, a bank that served the
rural poor. He worked without any holiday and his health began to
deteriorate. One associates a bank chairman with a big showy home. He
lived and died at Anderson Flats, a simple man. An honest public
servant, dedicated party man devoted to his leaders, his life and work
should be an inspiration to all others. We share the grief that he left
us all with his family.
May he attain Nibbana!
- S S Sahabandu PC
Janaki de Silva :
Reflections from a Grandson
My grandmother fed her children books. My mother’s favourite memory
of childhood is of Aththamma reading aloud a Midsummer Night’s Dream to
her and her two brothers while they had lunch. On an old bound thesis,
tucked away in a closet creaking with my mother’s publications, is a
quote from Strickland Gilland that my mother would often read aloud to
me: “You may have tangible wealth untold; caskets of jewels and coffers
of gold. Richer than I you can never be – I had a Mother who read to
me.”
The moment I was born Aththamma opened a book and read to me. First
from the Dhammapada and then those books that make childhood sweet. When
Aththamma and Amma read to me, they spun a silky thread that connected
us across time and place. Amma read to me of the gentle boy in the
Velveteen Rabbit and the spirited boy in Maurice Sendak’s Where the wild
things are. Aththamma read to me of the funny and ingenious Andare, the
folk jester in the Kingdom of Kandy and always, she read to me of the
truth seeking Prince Siddharata. While Aththa discussed with me the
crossing of the Alps by Hannibal the Great, Aththamma used to tell me
how the Buddha crossed the sea of suffering.
On birthdays and on regular days, Aththamma would mail me books – The
Dhammapada and the vast volumes of the Jataka Tales, the Mahawamsa,
Gandhi’s Experiment with the Truth, Nehru’s Discovery of India,
Rabindranath Tagore’s Gora and Aung San Suu Kyi’s Letters from Burma. I
have aththamma’s own grandfather’s gift to her of Omar Khayyam’s
Rubaiyat, moth eaten and pages so soft with age that they feel like the
silk of Aththamma’s much worn sarees. Aththamma kept pace with my
evolving tastes in books and mailed me a copy of Voltare’s Candide-a
faded and precious copy that belonged to her father.
Her book parcels with Master Akshan de Alwis written in her curving
handwriting would arrive across the miles. It was Aththamma’s way of
spinning those threads connecting me to her and to the magic of books. A
card often accompanied each book on which she had tenderly inscribed an
old Sri Lankan folk saying: “Just as the moon outshines a thousand
stars; a lone child of virtue may dispel the darkness of the night sky.”
When Aththamma fell very ill, I was far away from her and from my own
home in Boston. When I got back from a school debate, to seek comfort, I
went looking for her books that had nurtured me and helped me grow up.
At that moment, I knew that I was who I was because once there was a
mother who read to her daughter on sunlit days and in turn her daughter
read to her spellbound child on wintry nights, in another place and
another time and this will go on through time. When all else becomes a
dream, I known I have wealth untold because I had a grandmother who read
to me. Her legacy will endure through Ambritha, Malin, Raveen, Tavisha
and me.
- Akshan de Alwis. Noble and Greenough School,
Boston
Association of Past Singer Employees
At the 12th AGM of the Association of Past Employees of Singer, the
following were elected to serve in the Executive Committee for the year
2013
President - Bertie Fernando, Vice Presidents - Nelson Mendis, Kalyana
Dheerasekera, Secretary - Ananda Epa, Asst. Secretary - Vijitha
Jayawardena, Treasurer - A.M.M. Nissar, Asst. Treasurer - Janaka
Kaluhendiwela,
Committee Members - John Emmanuel, Gamini Wasalathanthri, Lashantha
Perera, W.G.E. Dabara, Kaushalya Murugadasan, Judith Vannitamby, H.L.M.
Nawaz, M.Z. Hassen
Carmen Dharmarathne:
A lovely friendly person
Carmen Dharmarathne's death anniversary fills my mind with memories
of our friendship and the strong ties between our two families. I had
special admiration for her because she was exceptionally talented and
versatile.
She was a lovely person always friendly and out-going, gifted with a
fine sense of humour and a cheerful disposition, never pompous or
haughty. There was never any insincerity nor a trace of pettiness in her
character.
She was the star pupil at O.L.V. Convent. In every school drama she
was selected for the main role and always gave a superb performance. Her
solo singing and ringing voice reverberated in the hall, delighting the
audience. In oratorical contests her clear diction and eloquence held us
spell bound. Coming from a family of lawyers, oratory came to her
effortlessly and spontaneously. She a bright student and much loved and
respected head perfect. Whenever she came to our place I would get her
to sing and play 'Sleepy Lagoon' over and over again. Her magical touch
on the keys, her lovely singing and beautiful flowing interludes gave
immense joy to me.
A few years ago when I commented on her playing to another music
teacher, she made this remark “Carmen's playing is like water flowing
down a precipice”. That was an apt description of her playing. She used
to go for music lessons to Irene Vanderwall who was the best teacher in
Sri Lanka.
Her God given talents were an inspiration to the scores of pupils who
came to her. For a few years she was on the staff of St. Sebastian's
College and was also an examiner in the Association of Western Music
Teachers.
She was a loving mother to four children and a faithful, caring wife
to her husband. During a crucial period of my life, when many of my
'fair weather' friends drifted away from me, she stood by, and her
beautiful qualities became apparent in her visits and the gifts and
consolation given to me when I was sick and house-bound. May her soul
rest in peace.
Rita Irene Fernando.
P.V. Pathirana:
A Mahaweli Accelerated Programme pioneer
In the early 1980s I heard about Pathi from Mahi Wickramaratne of the
Mahaweli Economic Agency (MEA). Later, I worked with Pathi at the Head
Office in Colombo as well as in Girandurukotte. As the Government Agent
Matara, Wickramaratne came to know Pathi as the Divisional Officer
attached to the Agrarian Services Department, Matara.
GA was aware that Pathi was a hardworking field officer. In the 1980s
Pathi was attached to the Agriculture Development Authority as District
Manager. With much difficulty, ED managed to convince Ranjan Wijeratne,
Chairman ADA and transferred Pathi to MEA. ED placed Pathi as Co-ordinator,
System C. Within a short period Pathi was appointed as Resident Project
Manager, Girandurukotte. This revealed that Pathi was capable to
accomplish any type of post offered by the management.
One evening Pathi invited me to visit the Army Commander, General T.I.
Weeratunga at his residence. As soon as General Weeratunga saw Pathi, he
invited both of us to tea. He associated the Army Commander very
closely.
When Pathi's wife was seriously ill in Colombo, he was unable to
visit her often due to his responsibilities in System C. During these
days when Lands Irrigation and Mahaweli Development Minister Gamini
Dissanayake visited System C, he too inquired about the wife. Eng.
Gamunu Silva, brother-in-law, took the responsibility of attending to
the immediate needs of his sick wife.
Pathi was always proud to proclaim that he was a Southerner and to
claim that he is from Puhulwella in Matara.
He was a Colonel in a Volunteer Regiment in the Army and shouted at
mistakes, but never bore them in mind. He treated all as friends.
Similarly, he treated the Mahaweli settlers as his family members.
When there was a threat of illicit liquor production and sales in a
Mahaweli village, Pathi caught the leader of the gang and handed him to
the high priest at the Girandurukotte Buddhist Centre, the Ven.
Ambaliayadde Somarathana for rehabilitation. After the rehabilitation
process the released man was the catalyst to prevent the irregularity in
that village.
Pathi had his own management skills to work with his staff as well as
Mahaweli settlers. Both these categories were fond of him because of his
humanitarian qualities (Manawa Hithawadi). About a year ago, Jayatissa
Bandaragoda (former ED, MEA) inquired of Pathi and I told him that he
was not well. Bandaragoda immediately decided to visit him at
Narammamala.
That was the last time I met Pathi. Pathi was one of the pioneers of
the Mahaweli Accelerated Development Programme and his genuine
contribution to the largest ever development project in Sri Lanka will
help him to shorten the long walk of Sansara.
May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana!
Senaka A. Samarasinghe , Winnipeg, Canada
Girty Wijesinghe (Kumari):
A Sri Lanka nightingale
It is with great sadness that I pen these words about our dear friend
Girty (Kumari) Wijesinghe who passed away recently. Girty retired as a
Senior Tutor Nursing Sister attached to the Health Ministry.
She was a devoted nursing tutor sister and helped the Health
Department to produce thousands of talented nurses who now serve
throughout the country. She served at the Colombo General Hospital
Nurses’ Training School and at the Mulleriyawa Nurses’ Training School.
After retirement from the government service, Girty worked in the
Oman Health Ministry as a senior tutor and later was attached to the
Central Hospital as a tutor.
Her fond memories will always linger in the hearts of everyone who
knew her well.
She was a devout Buddhist who lived her life in a very simple way.
She was a charming and a genial personality whom I knew very well.
Girty was a very devoted and caring mother to her son Menaka,
daughter-in-law Subodha and to her grandchildren. Her demise created an
untold void in everyone's heart for she always was a very admired
personality.
Her honesty, kindness and dedicated service to the nursing profession
and the goodwill she earned will never fade away. Her sincerity and
steadfastness to friends, relations and neighbours should serve as an
objective lesson to all in the world where changing loyalties and
shifting attitudes are the order of the day.
May she attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana!
A.D.T. Maithripala
Iyadurai Paraparan:
Race was no barrier to us
Paraparan was my best friend although he was a Tamil and I, a
Sinhalese. Race difference was no barrier to our friendship.
We joined the People's Bank together, studied for the Banking Diploma
together, obtained the AIB, read for the MBA at the University of
Colombo and sat for the CIMA exams - all together.
On December 23, 2004 we were supposed to go to Batticaloa together in
my vehicle to meet a friend of ours to spend the week-end together with
our families.
But fate prevented me from going there and Para went with his family
by the night mail train.
Very sadly, he along with his family became prey to the tidal waves
of the Tsunami.
It created an unimaginable void in my life. I lost a good friend as
well as a faithful companion and the People's Bank lost a competent high
officer who could work equally well in all three languages - Sinhala,
Tamil and English.
It is my sincere wish that Paraparan should be my best friend
throughout Sansara until we attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana together
W.P. Somawardana
Manik Fernandopulle:
A lovable personality
It is hard to believe that the noble-hearted gentleman Manik
Fernandopulle is no more. His untimely demise at the age of 54 was
indeed a shock to all of us who knew him. We have lost a lovable
personality with a vision, purpose, determination and a passionate
devotion to his near and dear ones, especially his family.
Today is a day to remember with gratitude their late father, by his
only son and daughter and his beloved wife who was the pillar of
strength and the driving force behind all his achievements and her
all-round performance in supporting him in every task.
It was a moving scene to see him say good bye to everybody at a very
unexpected time at very short notice. Hardly a day passed after showing
signs of illness.
It was very sad to see the family grieving, unable to bear the sudden
death. He hailed from a well to do respectable family from Morukkuliya,
Dankotuwa. He was the eldest in a family of three boys.
Their proper upbringing by the parents brought success to their
lives. His hard work had its rewards, for he too did his best towards
his parents, a notable feature known to everybody and later his own
family leading them towards a hopeful future, giving them more
refinement in education subsequently continued by their mother. What
they are today is mainly due to his guidance.
Thanks to him due to his far sighted planning they are both now
professionally qualified and the mother is relieved of her
responsibility regarding their education.
Going back to the early days of this illustrious personality will
reveal the amazingly wonderful rise in his professional career. His
record runs in life from his school days. Having had his primary and
secondary education at Maris Stella College, Negombo and St. Joseph's
College, Colombo 10 he distinguished himself brilliantly in numerous
ways.
He was a Chemical Engineer by profession. He did his Engineering
degree in India. A few years after his return to Sri Lanka he joined the
Colombo University to do his Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
His professional career was truly a unique achievement.
He served in a number of prestigious institutions. To begin with, he
performed a valuable service in the Oils and Fats Corporation. Later he
served at Dankotuwa Porcelain handling exports. In June 1984 he married
Mangala, a well devoted person from an educated, distinguished,
religious family, her uncle Guy Manuelpillai an eminent figure domiciled
in Canada, being a contemporary colleague of mine at the Peradeniya
University.
Physically he looked majestic with his tall figure, fair complexion
and stature. His powerful personality had a great influence on his
associates. During his youth he led an active public life too.
He was a prominent Rotarian and an active member of the St. Joseph's
College OBU, Negombo Branch. He devoted his money, time and energy for
religious work as well. He was a good friend of the Parish Priest as he
was involved in regular Church activities. Having performed all his
duties he remained a simple person with excellent qualities.
May his soul Rest In Peace!
Rupa Banduwardena
M.K. Jeewagathas:
A gentleman to the finger tips
I was shocked to be informed that Jeeva is no more. His death is a
blow to journalists in general and to the North Lanka Journalists
Association in particular. He was the Secretary of the Association after
the demise of Nimalarajan who steered the Journalists Association with
valour and dedication. While we were hunting for a person of equal
ability and popularity, by a unanimous voice Jeeva was chosen to don the
mantle of secretaryship.
The activities of our association rose in splendour during the
stewardship of Jeeva. He did not want the association to be a regional
organisation for journalists. He wanted the North and the South to merge
and be the untied voice of the Tamil and Sinhalese. The progressive
journalists in the South gave a lending hand in forming a New South
Journalists’ Association.
The inaugural meeting was held in Colombo and the office bearers were
elected. Jeeva was elected Joint Secretary.
Along with the Journalists’ Association he was drawn into “Aaravali
Poraddam” (Non violent direct action group of the Tamils). He was its
Secretary. The intelligentsia among the Tamils with the support of the
Sarvodaya activists entered the field of non violence and launched
several project to ameliorate the living condition of the unemployed
youths of Thenmarachchy.
Educated, poverty stricken women joined the non violent movement and
with financial aid of NGOs, hundreds of women became self employed.
Weaving and spinning centres were formed, tailoring marts were opened,
sewing and cookery classes were inaugurated and delicacies and handwork
of unemployed girls found a ready market in the South. Jeeva was the
brain child of these innovations. He found them life sustaining
vocations that sustained the life long.
He always had an arm to aid the weak, a friendly hand to raise the
fallen and a kind heart to hug the miserable. He was a man of able
talent, a gifted speaker, a writer both in Tamil and English and a
gentleman to the finger tips.
The sheet anchor of his success was the natural endowments in him
such as perseverance dedication and determination.
As a dutiful husband and loving father he gave his son a good
education here and abroad. Thiruvalluvar has enunciated this in
Thirukural “What a good father can do to his son is to prepare him for a
prominent role in the assembly of the learned”. This he has done to the
plaudits of everyone.
S. Kathirgamathamby |