Jayatilleke: Raising the bars

RTR. Kamanthi Wickramasinghe

Evolution has thus far brought out the best in all species. It naturally suppresses the weaker kind and expresses the best. We come across introverts, extroverts, nerds, geeks and all sorts of human morphs. But they also possess an inner leader in them : an inner spirit that could change the world.

Versatility should be nurtured through experience for oneself to conquer the world. The society we live in is ever-changing and it only encourages the survival of the fittest. The following individual, too, is a seeker for a change : a volunteer who served the community for a cause : a pioneer who set new goals for the betterment of the youth : a Rotaractor: a friend to everyone alike and a proud son of Mother Lanka.

Initiating new ventures

Dilhan Sampath Jayatilleke, the Immediate Past District Rotaract Representative (IPDRR) of the well-known Rotaract movement is not a stranger to this family. Having his roots in the youth service since 1997, Rtr. Dilhan had always looked for a change.

Spending nine full years as a District Committee member out of the sixteen years he has spent with Rotary family, he was fortunate enough to reach the helm of Interact and Rotaract as District Interact Representative (2003/2004) and District Rotaract Representative (2012/2013). Vision was put into reality, by serving his year under the theme " Let's Unite to Make Dreams Real."Initiating new ventures, he installed the Rotaract spirit in every Rotaractor.

The most prestigious milestone of the Rotaract year 2012/2013 was the extension of Rotary District 3220 as Sri Lanka and Maldives. Taking Rotaract to a new platform, Rtr. Dilhan succeeded in reviving five clubs and introducing eight newbies to District 3220, thus initiating a "First-time-in-the-history-of-Rotaract" list. Therefore, the family broadened with clubs emerging from Point Pedro to Dondra.

As a multiethnic nation, he foresaw the urge to communicate better with the Rotaractors and encourage a better understanding of its purpose. In turn he launched the trilingual versions of the Pledge of Allegiance, Rotaract Invocation, Four Way Test and Goals of Rotaract. With mere dedication and guidance, he was able to see many projects popping out at their best, to the extent of them being honored on a Rotary platform.

An exceptional role model

Also, adding to the First-time-in-the-history-of-Rotaract list was the 'Pre-Rotaract District Assembly Awards Ceremony,'where many awards in selected categories were given away and was the final platform opened for the Rotaract year 2012/2013 prior to the Rotaract District Assembly. Communication is the most viable and effective method of maintaining bonds within and across borders.

Since social media is the reigning force behind this mass communication, he also initiated the District Mailing group to amalgamate the entire Rotaract Community under one communication channel. Being a Revival club president of the Rotaract Club of Colombo Fort and the Charter club president of the Rotaract Club of Battaramulla, DRR Dilhan was a role model to many. Thus he was admired and honored at the Rotary Assembly for his mere Commitment and Spirit of Service towards his second family.

Above all these formalities, Rtr. Dilhan is also a fun-loving character who would be seen cracking a joke or lending a hand to a friend most of the time. He was a man, looked up to as a leader and a soul with a heart. Success must bestow humility, but rarely do we see leaders possessing a humility trait. One such rare leader is DRR Dilhan who never raised demands being the numero uno.

Therefore, he was able to win the hearts of the thousands of Rotaractors and motivated his followers to work with a "differences in cultures and creeds should not matter" attitude, as mentioned in the Rotaract Invocation. Thus, he succeeded in setting a new track to his successors and walk away as an exceptional role model who would be remembered and honoured as a mentor and a pioneer in the movement. In his message he states," Rotaract is a platform which nurtures leaders. But, it is not the ground under any circumstances to be in a rat race with the sole intention of obtaining power and authority. All of us must keep in mind that Rotaract is a voluntary organisation. Volunteers do not expect anything in return.... All what we need to have is commitment and dedication while utilizing our skills."