Indra Perera, Attorney-at-Law, passed away peacefully on June 2, after a brief illness. He leaves behind his wife Dr. Chintamani (Chinta) and daughter and son, Aruni and Harenda.
Indra’s family was very close to me and my wife; though Chinta is a close cousin, it was more the long-standing friendship that we valued in our relationship.
Indra had an incisive mind and an extensive knowledge of civil law which was the main sphere of speciality in his legal practice. At the time he passed away he was held in high esteem as an upright lawyer at the Panadura and neighbouring courts where he had practised for some 45 years. Quite apart from the respect he commanded from his senior colleagues, generations of junior lawyers often sought his advice which he readily and willingly provided.
Not being a lawyer myself, I have no inhibitions about expressing the view that Indra was never the type of lawyer who was extortionate in levying fees from his clients. By nature he was an extraordinarily kind person with a streak of casualness. Pursuit of monetary enrichment and a desire to be amongst the professional big league were totally alien to him. He was content in being where he was notwithstanding the talent, ability and potential that his friends and colleagues were quick to detect in him.
Indra was passionately interested in sports and had a mischievous sense of humour. He loved the company of his friends and simple food and overly-relished the delights of Bacchus. He needed no invitation to sing at parties; he sang solo as and when he chose and at other times dominated the chorus with his stentorian voice.
He also had a fierce sense of intellectual independence and a deep interest in national issues; in the arena of national political conduct he would insist on righteousness at all times oblivious to the inherent murkiness of political realities. I will surely miss the fun of locking horns with him at gatherings with common friends. We hardly disagreed on most things but strangely, we generated some heat when we both competed to be the first to say essentially the same thing.
As I reflect on Indra’s life, unqualified love and affection for his family was the most appealing and touching quality of his personal life. Chinta has not been in the best of health for some time. It was Indra who tested her blood pressure, sugar levels and ensured that she took the plethora of pills prescribed to her by the doctors. As her eyesight was somewhat impaired, Indra always stood by her side guiding her path. As far as children were concerned, both Indra and Chinta were amply rewarded for their liberal and tolerant attitudes towards them. Aruni and Harenda are deeply family-centred and are drawn to their parents like giant magnets. Unsurprisingly, both of them have high profile jobs and great partners in marriage; Suren and Saruchi despite their own job demands have fused with ease into this wonderful nest of family affection.
When Indra said good-bye to this world, his family and the four grandchildren were the emotional centre-of-gravity of his universe. In illness or pain he had no self-pity, complaints or fear of death. I believe he left without baggage but with tranquillity and peace of mind; this departure with abandon was symbolic of what might have been his last act of generosity to his family and friends.
Tennyson Rodrigo |
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