Appreciations
View(s):Prof. Malkanthi Chandrasekera
A beloved cousin and respected colleague
My dear cousin Prof. Malkanthi Chandrasekera, a much loved, admired and respected person, passed away on January 30, 2015, aged 64 years.
She was the victim of a fatal road traffic accident on January 26 in Mahiyangana, not having worn the seat belt, being in the back seat.
She had cancelled an appointment with a minister as she had to deliver a lecture at the Faculty of Medicine, Eastern University of Sri Lanka, when she met with this fatal accident.
In spite of the care and the management at the intensive care unit of the Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, she succumbed to her injuries.
Malkanthi, or Kanthi (as all the relations called her) and I were “Ambayaluwo” during our schooldays at Visakha Vidyalaya. We travelled together to school in my father’s car with my sister Manthri and Kanthi’s sisters Viji and Priyantha.
When Thaththi was unable to come, we all walked back home. We did many things together. The gokkola decorations we made for the annual pirith ceremony in memory of Mrs. Jeremias Dias, the great philanthropist who founded Visakha Vidyalaya received the admiration of all.
However, we could not study together as Kanthi studied aloud and often became hoarse at the end of the day.
At school, she was the popular livewire of the class, the noisiest and the naughtiest, referred to as “Miss Bell” by our teachers. Her special friends in Visakha were Visakha Weerasinghe, Chaturani Perera and Sujee Ambegoda.
In later years she was President of the Medarata Old Girls’ Association of Visakha Vidyalaya for eight years.
When she entered the Faculty of Dental Science, University of Peradeniya we parted ways temporarily. However, we remained in close contact, meeting at various relations’ and friends’ gatherings when we sat together and chatted for hours.
Following the degree in dental surgery, she joined the Department of Anatomy of the University of Peradeniya and was awarded the Commonwealth academic scholarship in 1980 to read for her PhD. In 1991 she won the Commonwealth medical fellowship for post doctoral research.
In later years, we kept in touch regularly as we shared common interests in academic, social and religious activities. Just one week before her death we met each other and after a long chat, we kissed and parted. Sadly, little did I know that this would be the last meeting with my dear cousin.
At the time of her death she was Senior Professor of Anatomy at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Vice-Chancellor of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine, Malabe and a member of the University Grants Commission.
As a member of the academic staff of the University of Peradeniya, she held numerous responsible posts including that of warden, senior student counsel member of the University Senate, chairperson of the ethical and higher degrees committees, Head of the Department of Anatomy and Proctor of the Faculty of Medicine at various periods.
During the period she served as the Proctor, she managed to eradicate all forms of ragging at the Faculty of Medicine in Peradeniya.
Malkanthi was the first and the only dental surgeon so far, to occupy the chair at the Department of Anatomy of any medical faculty in Sri Lanka.
She held the very responsible post as chairperson of the curriculum coordinating committee of the University of Peradeniya for a period of four years.
She was also a vibrant member of the Board of Management of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine where she chaired the Boards of Basic Medical Science and the Specialty Board in Anatomy.
She was also the chairperson of the Board of Management of the Postgraduate Institute of English at the Open University of Sri Lanka.
She was a pioneer in establishing the Faculty of Medical and Allied Health Sciences, at the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka and was the founder Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, a post she held for two years.
As a member of the University Grants Commission, she chaired standing committees on medical and dental science, indigenous medicine and teaching of English as a second language.
She had a tremendous capacity for work as can be seen from the endless number of posts she held. She carried all her duties in a most efficient, capable and responsible manner, to the admiration of all.
Her diary was full and over flowing with all these academic activities and other religious activities.
Malkanthi contributed tremendously to medical education and research. She has over 150 publications, abstracts and presentations both at local and international levels.
She authored six books and two monographs in anatomy and embryology. She had several research interests, covering tooth eruptions, historic, pre-historic and contemporary population in Sri Lanka and extensive studies on the Veddhas.
For her scientific work she was awarded orations by the Sri Lanka Dental Association in 1997 and the Prof. Bambaradeniya Memorial Oration in 2009.
Visakha Vidyalaya awarded her the Susan George Pulimood Oration for her work on Veddhas in 2014. Kanthi’s dear friend Visakha Weerasinghe had the privilege of reading out Kanthi’s brilliant record at the citation given before commencement of the oration in July 2014 at the Jeremias Dias Hall at VisakhaVidyalaya.
She was also actively involved in uplifting of the Buddha sasana by helping to sustain dharma schools in remote villages and the construction of Budumaduru, dharmasala and water projects in remote temples.
For her services to the Buddha sasana she was presented with two awards: one by the governor of the Central Province and the other by the Mahapola Bhikkhu Trust of Kandy.
She was also involved in finding financial support for many needy medical students and school children of remote areas. The thousands who paid their respects to her at the funeral from all walks of life were very grateful for the help and services she had rendered to them for many years.
She was ably assisted by her sister Lilamani who was a great source of strength and support to Malkanthi in all her meritorious and day-to- day activities. It was to Lilamani that Kanthi turned whenever she needed support and guidance
The Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya headed by Prof. M.D. Lamawansa, the Dean, accorded her a memorable funeral.
It was indeed a long, sad, fond and fitting farewell surrounded by academics and medical students with whom she had spent a good part of her life.
Malkanthi was the role model in a family of eight children, hailing from the Balasuriya family of Malagala, Padukka. She brought much pride and happiness to her parents with all her achievements.
She was very helpful to anyone who requested help and was a source of strength to her extended family, and friends both from school, university and the ordinary people of Malagala.
Her only son Deepthika, to whom she was utterly devoted, is presently Registrar in Orthopaedic Surgery at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka.
She was a proud grandmother and doted on her baby grandson, Vinul. Kanthi was an excellent academic, strict disciplinarian, devout Buddhist and great social worker.
She was a doting mother, true friend and great relation. Above all, she was a great patriot who loved and served the country and its people with great distinction.
May she attain the supreme bliss of the Nirvana.
-Dr. Anula Wijesundere
Prof. Uditha Liyanage
To my guru with gratitude and love
It was a fine day in April, a decade ago, when I had a special encounter with a finer gentleman at ‘Vision’ (which was the ground for scores of visionary thinkers) at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM). The concept of marketing was the topic of the day.
I was part of the audience, the first batch of MBAs in Human Resource Management at PIM. Drawing from “Naama Roopa” (the mind and body – as in the Buddhist philosophy) this great teacher waxed eloquent to take the audience from the known to the unknown on the all important psychological aspects of marketing, followed by the mental files, the 4Ps, 7Ps, the positioning, the branding, etc.
I vividly recall responding to a string of questions at one of these lectures when I lost my train of thought and decided to withdraw my position. Very firmly, but affectionately came the advice ‘never abandon your thoughts and ideas’.
It was yet another striking piece of advice I had from a great teacher and fine gentleman – Professor Uditha Liyanage. Suiting his chosen field of work like a hand in a glove, he was a man for concepts, strategies and models.
November 10, 2015 marks three months since Prof. Liyanage’s untimely demise. I am yet to meet a teacher who carries nearly nothing physical to a lecture other than himself.
He was so thorough. He would always say “be brilliant in your basics’; he knew his basics, brilliantly. His audiences were completely enthused and almost mesmerised by this amazing teacher’s style of delivery, knowledge and depth. A class act indeed.
His influential teaching produced scores of successful practitioners. He strongly advocated the ‘Be an MBA’ concept, which delivered knowledge to make the learning practical. He inspired his multifaceted audiences and students.
Though he is often called a ‘marketer’ and earned the name ‘Marketing Guru of Sri Lanka’, to me he was an all-rounder who taught management, leadership, professional communication, human resource management, etc. An unsurpassed think tank of our times, he was unofficially a coach for life.
In 2011 when he was conferred the Professor of Management by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, the PIM Alumni organised a felicitation.
It also coincided with the university extending his appointment as Director PIM for a further three years. With all the attention on him at the event, for the first time I noticed him blush.
Humble and simple to the core, he had kept pushing the event to the backburner as the event organisers from the Alumni desperately tried to convince him. He finally succumbed to their pressure.
The speech he delivered that day was of a different kind. He reflected on his extremely colourful and exemplary journey from a corporate executive to an academic leader, thanking several people who supported and helped him along.
He was so humble as to share how hard it was for him to compile all his writings in order to apply for the professorship that the university was after!
‘This was my calling in life’ he said referring to his teaching and academic administration work, which followed a highly successfully corporate career he ended in 1993 to join PIM as a Senior Lecturer.
At this occasion he redefined the 4Ps as Purpose – sensing your calling and recognising what you want to be, Passion – the drive to do what you want to do, knowing that sacrifices have to be made, Process – knowing what you have to do, and Progress – evaluating your actions.
His writing competence I know was in his genes and in his name ‘Liyanage’ (house of writing) too, as I use to joke with him often.
His daughter Chaturi as I predict should have inherited both his eloquence and writing (the name Chaturi means speaker).
When Prof. Liyanage was first appointed as Director and Chairman – Board of Management of PIM in 2007, two positions that befitted him, he said that he had to fill big shoes as he took over the reins from his teacher.
After two terms at the helm, I now strongly believe the shoes he left behind are even bigger to fill. He maintained a very high standard of anything and everything he was endowed with, delivering results with utmost passion.
A selection of accomplishments during his tenure at the helm of PIM were- increased student intake, increased corporate training and consultancy programmes, rapid growth in income,establishment of PIM’s research arm, introduction of new infrastructure, restructuring and reorganising PIM Alumni, launching the Professional Manager magazine, etc.
I felt so humbled when Sir invited me to co-teach for a top corporate at a leadership development workshop at PIM in July 2014. I had no idea that it was going to be my first and the last with him.
This was the last workshop he ever did. When I ran to him a few minutes before the commencement with butterflies all in my stomach ‘Sir, I am nervous for the first time before a workshop’ he reassured me ‘Keep going, you’ll be fine’.
That workshop was special in many ways than one. The audience had several of my former supervisors from my first job, and here I had to teach with a larger-than-life persona, and my teacher!
To me, it was an absolute privilege to have met with his beloved wife Sriyani and daughter Chaturi and their extended families. Such beautiful human beings.
No wonder Prof.Liyanage had perfected a great balance in life that he believed in ‘work, learn, play’. He was not only preaching, but practising. His was not only a beautiful life but a complete one.
I continue to hear from Sriyani how spiritually inclined he was. No surprise there as his life bore testimony.
Unfortunately, his life was snatched away prematurely at such a young age when there were so many who could have gained unprecedentedly from this extraordinary teacher and human being.
Prof. Liyanage’s influence changed my professional life completely for the better. He was my best mentor and advisor, always encouraging me to ‘keep going’. I can’t thank you enough Sir.
I will continue my work, through which I will attempt to do you justice trying my very best, always. My humble appeal to his students out there and Chaturi is to take his teachings forward. You will make his legacy last.
May your journey through samsara be short until you reach the supreme bliss of nirvana!
-Deepanie Perera
Maithree S. Ranatunga
A bond shared and remembered with sadness
It is five years since the demise of M.S. Ranatunga (Maithree) my friend, colleague, kinsman and mentor.
I ran in to MS nearly 55 years back at the Trinco petrol station when he moved from Kurunegala to Trincomalee Range as Divisional Forest Officer while I served my first public service posting as District Land Officer at the Trincomalee Kachcheri.
Some strange chemistry brought us together, our quintessential southern-ness and kinship perhaps being not the least; there was an underlying family connection which made us comfortable with each other.
Soon he accommodated me in his official bungalow on top of Orr’s Hill overlooking the harbour.
Our regular interactions opened doors to learn from each other; for me the technical aspects of forestry and for him the intricacies and nuances of land administration.
This was quite consistent with my curiosity to understand anything ‘technical’ be it forestry, irrigation engineering or land surveying, despite my discipline being social science.
Often we did our field trips together where I learnt to identify the range of dry zone forest species driving or walking through uncharted territory and camping out with surveyors and irrigation engineers from Kokkilai to Verugal in that fascinating eastern quarter of the dry zone.
Maithree was not only a thorough going forester with post graduate training at Oxford University; he was also an able and upright administrator in an era when forest administration could be open to considerable abuse.
He was personally very disciplined and took his job very seriously; punctuality, dress code, responsiveness, respect for law and order, financial probity were all in a day’s work.
However when we met in the evening Maithree was a man different. He would play with ‘Kalu’, his doberman pinscher, visit the club, entertain friends and most important play older brother to me to prepare me for life’s higher responsibilities.
He also introduced me to many friends in the Navy at Dockyard and the Air Force at China Bay which made our life in Trinco quite diverse and interesting.
Being a senior sibling of a large family of professionals, Maithree took upon himself responsibilities for guiding his younger siblings all of whom eventually took key positions mostly in the public service. I think he included me in the lot.
Being in transferable services we moved to different locations but the bond we developed in Trinco did not wear thin; we kept in touch and met in different fora.
Professionally, my seven-year stint in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands in the 1970’s brought me close to the Forest Department where Maithree was a Senior Assistant Conservator.
However it was in the late 70’s that Maithree and I built a professional partnership for well over a decade. Maithree was General Manager of the State Timber Corporation when I took over as Secretary, Lands and Development.
As usual he was firm with the staff especially in matters where integrity was called for which was not a popular call in a government corporation.
This was STC’s loss and my gain- to make better use of Maithree’s professional knowledge and experience as Forestry Advisor to the Ministry at a time we were redefining the role and direction of the forestry sector.
In the decade of the 1980’s it was Maithree who provided the professional leadership for the Forestry Sector Survey, the Forest Sector Development Programme and for the first time in Sri Lanka developed a 30-year Forestry Master Plan with extensive donor support.
This was an innovative and multi-disciplinary effort unprecedented in Sri Lanka and although it ran into controversy initially, the final outcome was a lasting contribution to forest management and conservation and a model replicated in other countries in the region.
Maithree worked very closely with me and Minister Gamini Dissanayake in providing the technical credibility to the programme by mobilizing the technocrats and liaising with donors.
He travelled with me on many overseas missions attending loan negotiations and technical conferences and was held in high esteem for his professionalism by our international collaborators.
The UNFAO sought his services in Nepal and we were able to oblige as Maithree had built up a strong team that could ensure continuity of his tasks.
As a UN Advisor on forestry in Nepal he kept in touch with me regularly and by the time of his return, we had finalized arrangements to establish an IUCN office in Sri Lanka.
I had the pleasure of nominating Maithree as the first Resident Manager of IUCN, a duty he discharged with aplomb.
On completion of his tenure with IUCN he made an invaluable contribution for several years as a Ministry advisor to finalise and execute the Forestry Master Plan.
The final National Forestry Master Plan(1995-2020) was a landmark road map which assured sustained investments for the sector.
In his retirement Maithree kept a strict regime caring for his children and grandchild, yet keeping intellectually active despite the premature loss of his wife Swarna.
Hailing from a renowned clan in the deep south in Matara, Maithree brought with him a set of principles, values and interests which our families shared and treasured. He was not prepared at any point to compromise on these.
It was this set of values and discipline which his son Samantha and daughter Gayanthika have imbibed and enabled them to become business leaders in Sri Lanka today.
My distant kinship with the family came closer with the marriage of his younger brother Cecil to my first cousin Indu. As destiny would have it though, I was overseas when he was taken ill and declined quite rapidly.
The guilt of not being present then has been lingering in my mind; this brief tribute may serve as some recompense.
Maithree the devout Buddhist and practitioner no doubt will have a short journey to reach the goal of Nibbana.
-Nanda Abeywickrama
Joy Francke
She enriched the lives she touched
The sad news of the death of Joy Francke has had me struggling to find words to give adequate expression to my feelings. Joy was a cherished and much loved friend to many – especially our prayer group.
Having met her after first becoming friends with Marilyn, a younger sister, who succumbed to cancer and in order to intercede for Marilyn during her illness, the former Youth Fellowship of Christ Church, Galle Face, banded together to pray for her until the end.
I was so drawn to Joy from the time she returned after Marilyn’s sad demise in the UK and thus developed a close friendship with her. Her brand of love and kindness to others was unique.
We last met at Joy’s home when she had taken ill recently – the group had always evolved around her even from distant places via the internet. Joy had a huge heart which encompassed perhaps everyone whom she met.
She enriched every single life she touched showering us with generosity, love and care which was comforting and at times overwhelming!
She was loved more than she probably ever even guessed … and she and her household (who also emulated her caring and helpful ways) will live on in the hearts of those who had the privilege of enjoying her friendship, warm hospitality and measureless generosity.
Rest in peace, beloved friend – we have the assurance that you will find your peace enfolded in our Precious Saviour’s loving Arms.
To her family spread far and wide, we want you to know that we too share in your loss, will miss her immeasurably and treasure her memory in our hearts for all time.
-Sriani de Silva