Appreciations
View(s):SQN. LEADER EDGAR COORAY (RTD)
A true leader, guide and friend
I was introduced to Edgar some 50 years ago by Walter Fernando, a top Sri Lanka Air Force pilot who later became the Air Force Commander, on a beautiful Sunday evening at the Negombo beach. Later I came to know that Edgar was really interested in my sister Madonna. Edgar had recently passed out as an Air Force pilot.
He had been earlier selected by the Royal Ceylon Air Force to undergo training as an Apprentice at Halton, England at the age of 16. Soon he rose in the ranks and was made Squadron Leader in 1972. He was later offered a post in the Royal Oman Police Air Wing and was recognised by the Sultan of Oman for his services.
He was a special, lovable person, my most adorable relative who brought into our family that sense of joy. He always had a smile on his face. This was such a remarkable feature which expressed contentment, innocence and happiness.
He was a simple man and looked at everything in an unbiased way. He was a master planner even in small things. His simplicity was shown in his dress, expenditure and lifestyle, basically in whatever he did. He did not take a ‘cent’ from another without a reason and every cent earned was well earned and well spent. He never craved for luxuries.
His dress was always immaculate and he could fit into any occasion. Never did he speak of his achievements and if it had to be done I am sure he did it for the benefit of others. He earned his bread and butter with honesty and sincerity and every step he took in his career was with utmost patience His destiny guided him and brought him to the limelight. He never bowed to injustice and stooped to low levels to gain money or prosperity which makes me quote H. W. Longfellow, “His brow is wet with honest sweat, He earns whatever he can; And looks the whole world in the face; For he owes not any man.”
He not only served his country but also served in his field in countries like the Maldives, Singapore and the Sultanate of Oman.
He was true leader, a guide to his family and commanded their respect. He was a true friend and always cared for his friends and relatives especially his sisters and their children.
He served the Sri Lanka Air Force with dedication and loyalty which was fully appreciated by all at the service funeral accorded by the Sri Lanka Air Force.
-S. Croos Moraes
Punyakanthi de Silva (nee de Soysa)
She worked silently for the betterment of others
Punyakanthi de Silva (nee de Soysa), was a much loved and respected person who passed away on December 22, 2013, aged 68 years. She battled with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a disease which affected her from the age of 17 years. However, she survived SLE for 51 years due to her good karma and the medical treatment she received for over half a century.
Punyakanthi was a devout Buddhist and great philanthropist. She was a great benefactor to our organisation, ‘Success – Colombo’. She contributed lavishly to the restoration of Buddhist places of worship in the North and East, in the former threatened villages in Weli-Oya, Trincomalee, Vavuniya and Ampara. One of them is the Buddha statue at the Thiriyaya junction on the Trincomalee-Gomarankadawella Road.
Punyakanthi was a silent donor to many other Buddhist organisations as well. It was at the 7th day Bana ceremony to offer her merit , that I realised that she was a great benefactor to ‘Arya Nikethanaya’, an institution to nurture young samaneras, initiated by Ven. Mavarale Bhaddiya Thera, in Mullegama, Homagama. The welfare and progress of the Jathika Hela Urumaya, was very close to her heart.
When she heard that ‘Success Colombo’ had organised a relief programme for the flood victims in the Polonnaruwa district in 2011, she sent a lorry load of rice, sugar, milk powder, tea, soap etc., to be distributed among them.
She contributed lavishly to the ‘Thavalama organisation’ which was involved in restoration of tanks in the Eastern Province. Col. Anil Amarasekere of ‘Thavalama’ said that Punyakanthi contributed to the restoration of Nuwaragalathenna tank , which provided sufficient water to farmers of Arantalawa, Nuwaragalathenna and Mangalagama to cultivate paddy during both seasons.
Punyakanthi was also an active committee member of the De Soysa Maternity Hospital, donated by her paternal great grandfather, the late Sir Charles Henry de Soysa. She personally funded the air-conditioning of the labour room.
Punyakanthi always shunned the limelight and publicity. She sat in the shadows and helped whatever charity or organisation she found that needed help. It was after much persuasion, that she finally agreed to be the chief guest at the annual general meeting of ‘Success – Colombo’ in 2009.
She looked after her aunt, Mrs. Chandra de Zoysa, past vice principal of Visakha Vidyalaya, with great devotion until her death, well into the eighth decade of life.
Punyakanthi married Chanaka de Silva, a well known cricketer and former head prefect of Royal College and was blessed with Anjalee, their only offspring. Anjalee became head prefect of Visakha Vidyalaya in 1988.
Punyakanthi was very proud when her grandson, Tarusha was selected to perform the “Dorakadaasanaya” ceremony at the Gangaramaya Viharaya. I recall the pride on her face when her grandson walked in a perahera, dressed like a royal prince and chanted the pirith potha by heart. She was overjoyed when Anjalee had her second son many years after Tarusha.
Punyakanthi was a great benefactor to her alma mater Visakha Vidyalaya and lavishly contributed whenever urgent funds were needed.
Dear Punyakanthi, your dear parents could not have selected a better name for you, because you performed “punya” or good deeds all your life. May your journey in sansara be short. May all the good deeds done during your lifetime help you to attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana.
-Anula Wijesundere
Charles Valentine Manoranjan Santiapillai
Remembering a man of many talents
“Like a stone dropped into a pool, the ripples of a loved one’s life spread on and on to touch the lives of others”.
Charles and his wife Anoma and my late husband Jeff and I were close friends for many years. We lived down the same road in Kandy for several years and met frequently at each other’s houses or would go to his favourite Chinese restaurant in Malabar Street. We also did a couple of field trips together.
It was Charles who wrote a fine appreciation for my late husband in 2006, and I consider it a privilege to write this appreciation for him, our long-standing and loyal friend.
Dr. Charles Santiapillai, affectionately called Charlie by us and some of his close friends, passed away peacefully on October 29 after a brief illness bravely borne. Charlie’s two children Praveen and Shyama, and the immediate family were all of immense support to Anoma during his illness. Just as important was the support comfort and love shared by numerous relatives, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, both locally and from overseas. The support extended to the family during this difficult period was ample testament to the relationships fostered by Charles during his life.
Amidst a large gathering of family, friends, old boys, academics and students, his funeral took place on November 2, commencing with a beautiful service at his home, organised by the family, where the old boys of St Patrick’s College participated in a big way. This was followed by his cremation at Mahaiyawa cemetery the same afternoon. On November 6, Charles’ ashes were interred in the family vault in Jaffna after a simple service held in St. Patrick’s College chapel. It was the end of a great life.
Charlie was born in Karampon, Kayts, Jaffna on May 12, 1944.He was the eldest of four sons of the late S.F. Santiapillai, a well known master at St Patrick’s College and Daisyrani Santiapillai. He attended St Patrick’s College and was an exceptionally clever student. From his school days Charles had a keen interest in science and had a passion for music and films. He played the accordian for pleasure and spent most of his pocket money at the local movie theatres.
Charlie entered the Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya and obtained a BSc. Hons. degree in Zoology in 1969.In the first year itself he spotted a very charming batchmate with a million dollar smile – Anoma Alagoda, an old girl of Girls High School Kandy, and he proposed to her. There was no way he was going to take no for an answer from Anoma or her father! Charlie and Anoma married on his birthday in 1971.
Soon after graduation he was appointed to the Department of Zoology, University of Peradaniya as an assistant lecturer. He was sent overseas, to read for his PhD, in 1972, to the university of Southampton in the UK. Anoma, too, joined him and he returned in 1975 with his doctorate and their infant son Praveen who was born there.
On his return Charles was confirmed in his post in the department of Zoology as a lecturer. In 1983 he left on a year’s sabbatical leave and joined the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. In 1984 he resigned his post from the university and joined the World Wild-Life Fund (WWF) as a senior scientific officer, and worked there till 1992.His work in Indonesia spanned from wild-life research and conservation efforts to advising the Indonesian government. While working for WWF Charles held academic and advisory positions.
From 1987 to 2006, he was the editor of Gajah, the journal of IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group. From 1998 to 2006 he was the Deputy Chairman of IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group.
He returned to Sri Lanka in 1992 with the family and rejoined the University of Peradeniya as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Zoology, and quickly rose to the position of Associate Professor in view of his phenomenal research. He retired from this post in 2009. Charles had a knack and love for teaching and was a well-respected and dedicated teacher.
After retirement he worked as a consultant for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey and was the country coordinator for the joint Rajarata University /Centre for Elephant Conservation U.S.
Charles also received many local and international awards for his wild-life conservation efforts. His humility was such that even we, his close friends were unaware of these awards! He received the Gold Medal from Prince Bernard of the Netherlands for conservation, and was appointed the “Knight of the Golden Ark” by him in 1990, he was listed as one of several world renowned environmentalists by WWF in 1998, and was honoured with the Vidya Nidhi award in 2005.
Charles loved his work and accompanied his students on many field trips. He helped his students financially when they were in need. No wonder he was richly blessed!
The hallmarks of his character were his integrity, forthrightness, simplicity and his generosity. His strengths were his intellect, his excellent command of the English language, his teaching and writing skills and his spontaneous wit and humour. He had a special skill in writing appreciations for his friends, peers and teachers and would forward them to us for our reading pleasure.
Charles was a devoted husband to Anoma, and a loving “papa” to Praveen and Shyama. He was also a caring son and brother and a loyal and sincere friend to many.
Charlie is no more with us but his memory will live on with us forever.
Farewell dear friend-till we meet again on that beautiful shore —–
You lived an exemplary life and made a silent and dignified exit.
May your soul Rest in Peace.
-Dr. Mary Babapulle
Shelton Perera
Simple and mild- mannered man who stood tall
A mighty (Kingswood) oak has fallen. He was truly the least imperfect of Kingswood’s gentlemen. To my generation of Kingswoodians, Shelton Perera was a hero, mentor and one to be emulated. We looked up to him, both literally and metaphorically, for he was physically and spiritually a tall man; and we wanted to be like him.
He was a simple and mild- mannered person. In the near 50 years or so that I have known him, I have not once seen him angry or violent either in word or deed. Often these attributes of gentleness, simplicity and mildness make people ineffectual. Shelton was far from ineffectual. He was a man of strong convictions which in turn made him a very strong personality. He never wavered or prevaricated. He was direct, honest, truthful and straightforward in all his dealings in both his official (at retirement from the public service of Sri Lanka , he was Acting Registrar of Companies) and personal life.
His strength came from his inner being not from any external manifestation. He was a devoutly religious person, true to his faith and to his God. He was a devoted husband to Myrtle who shared and mirrored most if not all of Shelton’s qualities. They both made a lovely pair. They were gracious hosts and many have been the occasions we have broken bread in their home.
All of the above might make him seem to those who did not know him as a stuffily-serious or pompous person. Happily, he was not that at all. He was one of those rare men who could be serious- minded without ever being remotely pompous. And, he could let his hair down whenever the occasion demanded it. He had a quiet but impish sense of humour. And like all educated and civilized men, he was able to laugh at himself.
My first encounter with Shelton was on a cricket field. Shelton and his cousin and lifelong friend Asoka Perera unfailingly turned up to play in the traditional annual Present Boys versus the Old Boys cricket match we played mid-season at Randles Hill. Thus it was in 1965, in my freshman year in the College First Eleven cricket team , that I initially encountered the quiet and unassuming Shelton . My predecessors in the College team had spoken with respect and affection of him, how he had captained the team in 1951, and excelled as a cricketer throughout his career. He was also the College Senior Prefect in the same year, his annus mirabilis. He was doubtless a high achiever in his Kingswood days. Never once, however, did he brag about his accomplishments, either on or off the field, as those of us lesser men tend often to do. He was always there to whisper a word or two in the ear of a gifted player while also finding the time to encourage a dedicated if less naturally talented one who strove hard to make it to the top.
Shelton was a man of the utmost integrity and refinement of character. He served his country and his Church loyally and manfully as his school demanded of him. He received much from his school and gave of himself to it in ample measure in return. Together with Asoka, Brian (Elias) and a few others, he provided solid leadership to the Colombo Branch of the Old Boys’ Association of Kingswood College. The annual Founder’s Day Service at the Methodist Church, Kollupitiya, was never complete without Shelton at the organ and later during fellowship following the service.
We shall miss the affable and decent Shelton as we complete the days on earth left us. Myrtle will doubtless miss him the most but there will be countless friends and family who will remain bereft. Much as we may miss him, we are relieved that he has gone before suffering too much the indignities that life and advanced age force upon us. We shall continue to keep you in our thoughts, Shelton, for we know that;
Life is eternal, love is immortal and death is only a horizon and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.
-Tissa Jayatilaka
Cletus Gomez
Reminiscences of a sibling
My younger brother Cletus was born in Colombo in December 1944, the third in a family of 10 siblings. Our parents ensured that we were a closely knit, loving and caring family unit
My earliest recollections of Cletus was that despite his young age he was mischievous but imaginative; robust but self-effacing; energetic but unpredictable — these qualities endeared him to his friends
During his childhood he suffered from Hay fever, colloquially labelled catarrh. He was given dozens of home remedies but sadly few were effective. One of these preparations ironically called a blood purifier caused distressing side effects of a facial rash, which I recognised many years later to be due to an additive it contained, which was Arsenic.
During the annual Easter vacations that we spent in Bandarawela, Cletus was obliged to wear a balaclava to counteract his runny nose and sneezing. It was amusing to see this diminutive figure, his head covered and his vision partially obscured, running down the hilly slopes, only to lose his balance, roll down the slope, pick himself up, only to trip over soon afterwards and repeat the performance again with no ill effects
Our Dad was kind but a stern disciplinarian with a sharp temper. Cletus often used his versatility to outwit him; he would sneak out for a late evening film, wearing a sarong over his trousers leaping over the garden wall to join his friends. More often than not he was given a clip on his ear for his efforts.
Cletus was a bright student in the science stream, at St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena. With his burly stature and height he excelled as a lock forward in the pioneering school rugby team and was nominated as Captain. But my Father had earmarked him to be his successor in the family business and training him in the field of commerce rather than the field of rugby
His rapport, friendship and influence with the Catholic priests in the parish church was so strong that his opinion was sought on important issues
His generosity was immense, an inheritance from the family genetic pool, that even in the midst of revelry and celebrations he rarely forgot those who were less fortunate and marginalised, there being no limit on his bounty and generosity
Quite prematurely, health issues arose which necessitated major cardiac surgery in a hospital in the UK, which was successful, but nevertheless, slowed down his pace of living.
His end was quite sudden following a later medical misadventure, which left an enormous void in our family circle and in the hearts of those who had known him
Following his premature demise, tributes were paid both by friends and acquaintances, where they recalled that he often waived the costs of the stay at the family hospital if they requested a reduction in the bill
Had he lived, he would have celebrated his 70th birthday this month, which would have been a wonderful celebration
We all remember him as one who was all things to all people and with a heart as large as his self – May God grant him his eternal reward.
-Gaspar
Indranee Hapugalle
A life dedicated to the spread of classical music in Lanka
“Pitter patter, go the raindrops, on the tin roof falling” begins one of the first pieces in John Thompson’s Modern Course for the Piano. “So have you listened to raindrops making pitter-patter sounds on your roof?” asked Aunty Indranee of a small, serious looking boy of six. “No,” said I, “our roof has tiles.”
This is Nuwan Senaratne’s (award winning pianist and composer, currently working for Facebookin the UK) recollection of his first piano lesson with Indranee Hapugalle. As her cousin Nalini Senanayake put it, “Indranee has a secret: she has not lost the child in her”. Due to her simple, soft-spoken, child-like nature and diminutive figure, Indranee Hapugalle was a person you would underestimate in an instant. Yet inside this child-like figure you would have found a rock: a person dedicated passionately to music – classical music to be exact, expecting nothing less than for you to go beyond your personal best, and rooted in unshakeable core values of personal honour, respect, and equanimity.
In her chosen field of classical music, for which she dedicated over 50 years of her life, she was a respected ‘colossus’, albeit a gentle one. And, if the true measure of a piano teacher and performer is to produce more outstanding piano teachers and performers, then Aunty Indranee has earned nothing less than a standing ovation: she has produced pianists who can play with ease in the finest concert halls in the world, and piano teachers who can have a magical touch on their students. She bequeathed this gift to her two daughters Sujeeva and Ruvini, and countless other pupils who had the good fortune to learn the ‘ebony and ivory’ from her.
With a few like-minded musicians, she initiated the Tchaikovsky competition at the Russian Centre. She served the Institute of Western Music & Speech (IWMS), the pioneer Sri Lankan music examination body, both as an examiner and a member of the board. She zealously discharged her duty at IWMS for many years, travelling across the island as a music examiner, until ill health forced her to retire.
Aunty Indranee was also an artist – a painter to be more exact. She passed this talent to her only son Priyanga who paints during his leisure – when work or golf does not occupy his time. She selected Royal College – her husband Paddy’s alma mater – for Priyanga. She made sure that he attended Royal, after a brief spell at S. Thomas Preparatory School. In fact, she chose schools for all three of her offspring. She selected Ladies’ College for her two girls since she found the school homely and welcoming, “with lots of trees” – perhaps she thought it was the perfect setting for her two daughters to blossom as pianists and teachers, not to mention good human beings.
Aunty Indranee could not have possibly chosen a husband so diametrically opposite to her personality: the dashing, rambunctious UK-trained engineer Paddy Hapugalle, much loved in family circles for his bon homie, joie de vivre, and his signature umbrella dance. After Uncle Paddy’s untimely demise in December 2002, her actions bore witness to the fact that she adored and cherished her departed mate.For a wife who had come to depend so much on her husband to accomplish life’s chores, Aunty Indranee never winced, never complained, never was ‘difficult’ – and she continued this way for 12 long years after his death. Until the very end, she bore every challenge, every illness, every pain with grace. She was a model of equanimity in facing the vicissitudes of life.
When we come to the final score, it is to music that we must turn (the pun is intended) – for that was Aunty Indranee’s life. “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything” said Plato. When these words are applied to the life of Indranee Hapugalle, we can conclude that she has given ‘life’ to tens of hundreds of people whom she has come in contact with for over 50 years – a life dedicated to the spread of classical music to people across Sri Lanka. That is her legacy – to her descendants and to our nation.
May she attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
-YG