Appreciations
View(s):Au revoir! Gentle knight, friend and cousin
Gamini Wijeyesinghe
Friday April 26 was one of those days in my life, I wish had never occurred. It was only at 9 that morning I phoned Gamini and agreed to meet Eustelle and him on Sunday, which was the eve of our departure to the States. To my horror and consternation, I was informed at 11.30 a.m. that Gamini had passed away. As it was a sudden death, a post-mortem was held. This revealed that he had died due to a massive heart attack. It took Nalini my wife and I over a week to get over this shock, especially with our imminent departure to the States.
As I sit down to pen together a few recollections of my long friendship with Gamini, the years rolled back. I remember Upatissa Hulugalle introducing Gamini to us at the Bambalapitiya Catholic Association at Lauries Road. He was always a gentleman, courteous and soft spoken. He was a stylish tennis player, a cricketer who opened batting for Royal College and a public schools putt shot champion. He was also a good swimmer.
It was not long before Gamini joined our select coterie of friends, which included Tony Don Michael, Quincey Rabot, Mano Chanmugam, Anton Perera and Ashley Halpe. Trips to Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela and the numerous dances we attended, come back to haunt me. On a visit made to the Pelmadulla Planters Club dance, organised by my cousin Elmo, Gamini accompanied me. I was courting Nalini, my wife-to-be. Little did I realise that Gamini had been attracted to my cousin Eustelle. The courtship which followed, included many enjoyable trips to Freds- Ruhe Baddegama, Hikkaduwa and Galle.
Our student days were soon over and our marriages followed. Gamini and Eustelle were married on August 29, 1959. I was one of his groomsmen. A series of Abeyesundere weddings, including mine, followed.
Gamini chose Accountancy for his career. He excelled in his studies and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He joined Ford Rhodes and Thornton (later changed to K.P.M.G) and rose to become the Senior Partner. He was a Fulbright Scholar. He also completed a successful course at Colombus University Ohio. He earned a reputation of not only being innovative but also that of possessing the rare quality of integrity. Tony, Mano and I have frequently followed his advice, which was ungrudgingly given.
Families then followed and we enjoyed holidays together. Our children grew up, married and had their own families, but our friendship did not diminish. It matured as the years rolled on. Gamini and Eustelle visited us at a number of places where I was stationed during my tenure as a Government Medical Officer. During my WHO assignment, they visited us in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
After retirement, our trips together both in Sri Lanka and abroad were more frequent. Visits to Tony and Sharmini in Bakersfield where we enjoyed Sharmini’s lavish hospitality. The four of us visited New Orleans, Vegas, Washington, San Francisco and other places in the USA which were memorable. It was great to have Tony, Gamini and Eustelle for my daughter Nilani’s graduation at Chapman University, Orange County California.
Another eventful trip with them was to the 2000 A.D. Passion Play at Oberammergau with Lalith, Selvie and a host of others. The three cruises we did together with Adrian, Shireen,Clifford and Shiranti were unforgettable. In the last two years we enjoyed monthly evenings at Adrian’s, listening to recorded operas, ballets etc, followed by gourmet dinners at exclusive restaurants. Let’s not forget experiencing Mano’s lavish hospitality at his picturesque residences which included week-ends, banquets and unique concerts with his pianos and organs.
Gamini was my guest speaker at the annual sessions of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka and again at my 80th birthday. He was an excellent speaker, much sought after by friends and relatives. Accountancy was not his only forte. Besides becoming the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, he was President of the Organization of the Professional Associations and a director of the Colombo Symphony Orchestra. He was periodically on many other boards, including the Word Bank and IMF internationally. On the national scene, he served on diverse boards, such as the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine. A few years back, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Literature. Gamini was one of those persons who never stopped reading and learning.
I remember Gamini in our youthful exuberance, where we enjoyed the games we played and the passions we experienced. As we mellowed through time and age, our experiences and joys became more mature and refined. The sniff and a taste of Dom Perigon; Hors- d’oeuvres; turtle soup followed by oysters and lobster thermidor; main course – rib-eye steak- medium to rare, followed by dessert; coffee accompanied by crackers and gorgonzola cheese would be a sumptuous repast for us. Not forgetting the appropriate drinks which included a prelude of Johnny Walker Blue label Whisky. Each course would have an excellent Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and finally a sip of Remy Martin XXO Cognac. The time may soon come Gamini, when I shall join you to sip and dine on an ethereal repast.
Au revoir! Gentle knight, friend and cousin.
Nihal Abeyesundere
Birthday hugs to a wonderful Amma from all of us
Rene Aryaratne
Born on June 16, 1919 up in the hills of Nuwara Eliya to parents Dorathea (Dora) and Vivian Perera, she was christened Irene Ruby but affectionately known as Rene.
She grew up to be a caring daughter to her beloved parents, and a loving sister to Doris, Lorenz, Manique and Sita. She used to fondly remember her grandfather Rev. Mathias de Silva who was the first Ceylonese assistant priest appointed by the English Trustees of Holy Trinity Church Nuwara Eliya. She schooled at St. Paul’s Milagiriya, St. Mary’s Polwatte and lastly a hometown school, Good Shepherd Convent Nuwara Eliya. She began her teaching career at a very early age at Holy Trinity College, Nuwara Eliya in 1938. She left to get married. She would relate to us the story of how she met our Thaththa, Dan Aryaratne who would become her lifelong partner and friend.
The story goes, one of her parents’ friends had promised to take our father and four of his friends as “paying guests” for the Easter vacation. The day before they were to arrive, this friend’s children took ill with chicken pox. With nowhere to turn the friend appealed to our grandmother Dora and begged her to accommodate the paying guests. Thaththa and his four friends called themselves the “Disorderly Conduct’ Crew” (DCC). At the time Amma’s family was living at “Intan Villa” a house bordering Lady McCallum Drive. After sometime, they moved to “Ashley Cottage”. From this point on, the DCC spent their Easter and Christmas vacations with them in Nuwara Eliya.
When our father and his crew went for walks they invited our mother, Doris and Lorenz and they were allowed to go only on condition their maternal uncle accompanied them. They would bribe their uncle who would sit on a rock and let his three charges continue with their walk which was usually on the Ramboda Pass (they went only half the distance). It was at “Ashley Cottage” that Thatha proposed to Amma one late evening.
They were married on November 8, 1941. She soon earned the title of “Amma” to the five of us, Ananda, Indira, Nimal, Olinda and I. She raised us with love and care sacrificing her own career. We would go to Nuwara Eliya every year sometimes twice for the April and Christmas vacations when our grandparents were living at Elephant Nook.
When our sister Olinda was still a toddler, Amma decided to follow her passion -teaching. She returned to teaching in 1954 at St. John’s Boys College Nugegoda. She was a dedicated teacher who was well liked and respected and was affectionately known as “Aryaratne Teacher”. She taught from the Lower Kindergarten to the GCE (O/L and A/L) students. Her favourite subjects were English and Christianity. After over 30 years of teaching, she retired but not for long. She earned a Montessori School Diploma and set up her own school at home. She also prepared GCE (O/L and A/L) students in English. She would devote long hours to coaching these students without looking at the clock. She would go the extra mile and be considerate to those students who couldn’t afford and never charged them. When our Thatha fell ill she closed the Montessori school to care for him.
She tirelessly gave her time to voluntary work, both in Sri Lanka and in Canada. She was a member of the Mother’s Union of the Church of SS Mary and John Nugegoda. After our father passed away in 1985 she ventured abroad to Canada. She lived with my family and me for eight years. She taught my daughter, Ione from age one, the rudiments of Montessori methods and for this her granddaughter is ever so grateful.
While in Ottawa, she volunteered her services to teach Sunday School and was a member of the Altar Guild. She was invited twice to Ione’s Junior Kindergartten, Elgin Street Public School in Ottawa where she made presentations on Sri Lanka and made sweets and kiribath for the kids.
She was very quick in making friends and made many. She travelled to Trinidad and Tobago. In 1993, after eight years in Canada she returned to sunny Sri Lanka. Since her return she witnessed the births of 11 great grandchildren: Sanuli, Nethme, Savidya, Tharindu, Naveen, Keshan, Nelane, Reshan, Sanchali, Arushi and Vithum.
Writing was her passion and remained her first love. She says that she may have inherited it from her late father who was a journalist and free lance writer. Her obsession for writing was from a very early age. However, it was at age 13 that this chance for serious writing came along. The Daily News introduced a Magazine Section on Saturdays – the Blue Pages. Included in this was “The Junior Scribblers”. She says that competition was keenly contested and one of her competitors was the late Tarzie Vitachi with whom she says had many wordy battles in the Blue Pages. My mother kept in touch with him and wrote to him in 1986 from Canada. He promptly wrote back to her. I quote part of his letter to my mother: Dear Rene, your letter was a voice from half a century ago when we were young and bright as new-minted coins without a trace of being handled and abused by life..”
Back in Sri Lanka she kept busy writing articles on her beloved home town, Nuwara Eliya to the various leading Sri Lanka newspapers such as The Sunday Times, The Island, The Daily Mirror, the Ceylon Observer on topics such as Hakgala Gardens, Holy Trinity Church Nuwara Eliya, Ginipeti Kochchi, The Ceylon Brewery to name a few.
She was also a sports enthusiast. She was a great rugger fan in the 70’s. Her favourite team was the “Army”. She never missed a game. She would mark the games on the calendar and somehow bought tickets for all of us. To all those who joined the family Wimala, Anthony, Valerie , Ranjith, Jayantha, Charitha, Hasitha, Ravi, Firoza, and Sureshini she showed love and affection without borders.
Darling Amma, you brought us up so lovingly with so much thought and care. You always gave so unselfishly, the sacrifices you’ve made for us. You did the things that counted, that we are thankful for today.
She left us on April 10, 2012 to return to her place of birth and was laid to rest in the family burial grounds of Holy Trinity Church Nuwara Eliya. You are now in Heaven to join your Mummy and Father, your grandparents, Thaththa, your son Nimal, and your siblings Doris, Lorenz and Sita and also your tiny brother and sister.
Age cannot weary you nor the years condemn at the rising of the sun and at its settling. What the world has lost Heaven has gained – you truly are one of the best the world contained. You deserve your rest.
Sending Birthday Hugs from all of us.
Your loving daughter, Vinitha
Hers was a life well spent
Yvette Rodrigo
“We pass this way but once, hence whatever good that we may do, or any kindness that we may show, let us do it now!” After her demise in February this year, we look back in retrospect and find that this could well have been for Yvette, the credo of her life.
Married to senior planter Clinton Rodrigo, with two small children to care for, she still found the time to work part-time for UNICEF, in the Social Development Sector, fighting to improve the quality of life of the estate labour. Not for her the life of leisure of a planter’s wife.
In 1980 the family moved to Colombo, where her husband took up the post of Region Chairman, JEDB. Yvette continued her good work as the Manager of the Social Development Division, in charge of the estate Health Sector & Children’s crèches. Her conscientious commitment to duty did not go unnoticed by the then Chairman of the JEDB and her position was elevated to Deputy General Manager of the Goods and Supplies Sector, where her responsibilities were magnified.
All this she did, whilst being there to guide her children in their studies, who later went onto hold responsible positions in society. Her daughter is a solicitor in the UK and her and son Chief Operating Officer of the Hatton National Bank.
On reaching retirement in 1990, Yvette did not rest on her laurels but chose to serve her alma mater Aquinas College. She was the Hon. Secretary and later the Vice President of the Alumni Association, until ill health forced her to relinquish her duties. But she was a faithfully attendee at every meeting and function, freely giving of her wise counsel and guidance. She was posthumously recognised for all her good work, at the recent ‘Aquinas Walk’ when a plaque in her memory was awarded to her spouse.
On a personal note, I remember her as always being elegantly attired and affable. Never have I seen her, even when seriously ill, with a hair out of place. My husband who worked with both her husband and her, remembers her charming graciousness that left an indelible impression on all who came in contact with her. Hers was a worthwhile life, well spent.
With her sorrowing husband, we echo Tennyson’s “In Memoriam”,
‘Forgive my grief for one removed,
Thy creature, whom l found so fair,
I trust she lives in thee, & there
I find her worthier to be loved!’
Priyanthie de Silva (on behalf of Aquinas Alumni Association)
His life was as colourful as the many gems he dealt with
Mohamed Yahiya Farook
In the early hours of May 22, Yahiya Farook passed away at his home in Bambalapitiya. This sad news plunged many of his close relatives and friends into grief. Mr. Farook led a remarkable life that was packed with many achievements and multi-faceted accomplishments.
Mr. Farook left Sri Lanka to Hong Kong at the early age of 22 in 1958 and established himself in the gem and jewellery industry. He was a pioneer of the coloured gem stone industry in Hong Kong. In 1966 he incorporated and founded the Sapphire Gem Group of Companies.
He participated in many trade fairs throughout South East Asia, Europe and USA till the end of his life. He supplied some of the finest jewellery houses with precious stones from all over the world. He further established contacts with the finest jewellery and gem stone houses. In the course of his illustrious career he gained a worldwide reputation as connoisseur of exquisite gem stones and diamonds.
He projected the image of Sri Lanka as an important geological source for fine coloured gem stones throughout the world. In his own inimitable manner he brought reputation and prestige to his country. He was a living example of national integration, ethnic and religious harmony.
His achievements were not confined exclusively to the gem trade alone. He participated in many literary, social, cultural and Islamic religious activities. He served as a President of the Lions Club of Hong Kong peninsula branch. He was elected as a President of the Islamic Association of Hong Kong. He was a founding member of the International Coloured Gemstone Association. He was an active member of the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong. He was a contributing life member of the Gemmological Association of America in addition to being an active member of the Trade Development Council of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Tourist Board. His last official engagement was as the President and Founding Member of the Prince M.U.M. Salie Foundation.
His relatives, friends, the international gem trade community and the general public at large will forever remember him for his genial, friendly and endearing ways. He was despite his glories a living embodiment of piety, simplicity and humility. Yahiya Farook was indeed a gem of rare fascination.
Zem Zem Akbar
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