Colourful history of a historian
It’s the late 1960s. On most Fridays, Michael Roberts would make his way towards Colombo from Peradeniya, recording equipment balanced at his feet and his bag filled with assorted clothes strapped to the back of his trusty scooter. Navigating the sharp curves and turns on his two wheeler, once in Colombo, he would spend his [...]
Nature’s dazzle
A radiant Visna Fernando was crowned Derana Goya Miss Sri Lanka for Miss Earth 2015 in a spectacular show on June 3. Although the weather proved gloomy by the shores of Citrus Waskaduwa, inside, a dazzling display of beauty and glamour was being celebrated along with the reigning Miss Earth; Jamie Herrell who graced the [...]
Effort of 50 years on view
For anyone to be a prolific writer in today’s context while being a professional in another field is not at all easy. And to complete 50 years as a writer in such an environment is indeed an achievement. A lawyer by profession, well-known writer Wijesinghe Arachchilage(W.A.) Abeysinghe has achieved this feat. I have known this [...]
Childhood memories of my father
My eyes open early in the morning to the sound of singing. The singer is my father, Martin Wickramasinghe. Even as I turn my head to look at the wall clock on my right, I know that the time was half an hour past five in the morning. From as far back in my childhood [...]
There’s a time for everything, even at 99
The birthday is tomorrow but the grand celebrations are today. Surrounded by family and friends, Don Edwin De Silva will blow out the candles, before cutting the cake. It will indeed be an onerous task, for Mr. De Silva will have to blow out 100 candles, in preparation for being on the threshold of the second [...]
Our father made all his dreams come true
On November 16, 1922 in the small town of Kandy, Ethel Van Heer and engine driver William Alexander Blake Snr welcomed their first child. On May 17 this year, 92 years and 6 months later, we said farewell to William Alexander Blake Junior. As an adolescent he was sent away to study at boarding school [...]
A brush with fantasy and surreal give a peek into her emotions
It takes some convincing and a closer look to realize Geshany Balder’s latest exhibits are in fact paintings. Resembling a piece of digital art at first glance, her work is an unpredictable layering of genres ranging from fantasy to abstract. Intricate details that jump to life at a closer inspection, together with myth-inspired animals that [...]
Shakespeare, stripped down and uncomplicated
We’ve come dressed all nice to see Shakespeare, and we’re expecting it to be all posh and whatnot. But the house lights are on way after curtain time, and the actors are all out on stage, talking, laughing, putting their costumes on, tuning their instruments and such. Some of them are even walking out to [...]
Fashion and friendship take centrestage
Over 300 ‘Old Girls’ of Ladies’ College flocked in for the Friday night event put together by the Old Girls Association at the Galadari Hotel. ‘Style-Twenty 15’ was a fundraiser celebrating fashion, friendship and music. Entertainment for the evening featured musical numbers by Sureka Amerasinghe on the keyboards and vocals by Devashrie De Silva. A [...]
Africa Day in all its splendour
It was an exotic and colourful gathering when the ambassadors and High Commissioners of the African Consular Corps comprising Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt, Botswana, Mauritius, Seychelles, Rwanda, Zambia, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Senegal and Sudan jointly celebrated Africa Day with a reception held on Monday May 25 at the Taj Samudra.
Ashanthi’s jewels on wow.lk
Ashanthi Samarasinghe has a confession. “I don’t know why, but wearing jewellery doesn’t have the same appeal as making it does,” she smiles. Not surprising though considering she spends most of her day crafting delicate pieces in sterling silver and semi-precious stones. Ashanthi’s work has been up for sale under the label Ashanti Jewels for [...]
Unlike other boys he can’t run around
The father and son are in Colombo in a desperate bid for survival, while the mother and other two sons are eking out a living in remote Pallebage off Deraniyagala, wracked by worry. Hugging his 14-year-old son tightly, P.K. Kulatunga is close to tears as he pleads for help, to save Lakshan Udara’s life. Even earlier, [...]
Letters to the Editor
Pensions Dept: A place to solve our woes or add to our woes? The Pensions Department is notorious for harassing elders and treating them in a most abominable manner. Despite the watchword “Pride of a Nation” that features prominently on its website and on posters within the department, they are anything but respectful, compassionate and [...]
Let’s get vigilant about vigilantism
When mobs go on the rampage, the towns they live in go down in the history books. In our recent past, Aluthgama and Beruwela and Chilaw and Dambulla record for outraged posterity the ABCDs of violence and equally explosive civic responses. There was also, a while before these, the volatile and inflammatory acts committed in [...]
Appreciations
A man of infinite kindness Dr. Cecil Dayananda Tikiribandara Godamunne In his young days, a kitten he had saved would, at night, snuggle on his neck and Cecil would not move for fear of disturbing its slumber – this is only one typical example of his infinite kindness throughout his life. In his career as [...]
Coal into diamonds
Encouraging eloquent public speaking, the Toastmasters Club Colombo held their signature event last week. The All Island Best Speaker contest (AIBS) 2015 saw the five finalists bringing their best onstage in the traditional two rounds of competition. Welcomed by club president Toastmaster Sarma Mahalingam, the audience was treated to an array of speeches both by [...]
Appeal for bright student suffering from leukaemia
Kevin Melder who is a Grade 9 student of St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa is suffering from leukaemia (Stage 1). A bright student, athlete and member of the College Western Band, he is undergoing treatment at Maharagama Cancer Hospital Ward 15 B. Kevin’s parents are appealing for financial assistance to buy injections that need to be [...]
New Rotary District Governor
Rotarian George A. Jesuthasan, a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, was ceremonially installed as the new District Governor 2016/2017 at an elaborate ceremony held at the Grand Ballroom, Galadari Hotel, Colombo, on Saturday, May 23, amidst a distinguished gathering of Rotarians. Rotarian Jesuthasan had his primary education at St Henry’s College, Jaffna and his secondary education [...]
Medical photography exhibition
An exhibition of medical photographs from the 33-year collection of Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke, FRCS, Consultant Surgeon was held at the Vygayanthi Hall of Thopawewa MV Polonnaruwa from May 14-16, 2015. Large crowds numbering over 4000 visited this exhibition, among them schoolchildren from the North Central Province as well as the Eastern Province.
SLMA run and walk 2015
The ‘Run & Walk 2015’ organised by Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) kicks off on June 28 from the BMICH premises at 6 a.m. Organised for the fourth consecutive year by the SLMA to celebrate its 128th anniversary, this year the theme is ‘Walk for Health, Health is Wealth’. The schedule for the 28th is: [...]
SAARC Family Fiesta at WIC
The annual fund raiser of the SAARC Women’s Association will be held on Sunday, June 14 at the Women’s International Club, Guildford Crescent from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “The proceeds of the fundraiser will be channelled toward a noteworthy cause, the Cancer Transit Home, Maharagama, that provides shelter to thousands of cancer patients who [...]
B2b at Cinnamon hotels for World Environment Day
Colourful and trendy bags made out of recycled flexi banners went on sale on June 5 at all city properties Cinnamon’s city hotels joined hands this World Environment Day to launch the unique Banners to bag (B2b) recycling initiative at all Cinnamon’s city properties – Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo and Cinnamon Red. An initiative [...]
