Appreciations
View(s):He excelled as a multi-faceted leader
Rajan Yatawara
Rajan Yatawara’s first death anniversary fell a few weeks ago -born on 16.06.1946, he departed from this world on 07.11.2017. I was a close associate and key subordinate when he was Managing Director / CEO of Haycarb Limited of the blue chip Hayleys Group.
What comes to my mind first, is Rajan’s exemplary leadership. He was an ‘action centered leader’, who had the ability to extract ‘extraordinary’ performances from ‘ordinary’ subordinates. He was also a ‘persuasive leader’ who, like Dwight Eisenhower, would smile and get a thing done. In this way he was a great motivator. Rajan never failed to recognize and compliment his subordinates’ good work. Often, this was not confined to mere ‘lip service’, but there were tangible financial responses for good work, at the annual or semi-annual incremental times.
Another facet of his personality was his avowed simplicity. Calling him ‘Sir’ was prohibited -we were required to address him only as ‘RY’. This trend became part of ‘Haycarb culture’. At many a formal occasion while introducing his senior subordinates, stating their academic and professional qualifications, he would humbly say that he held only a science Advanced Level.
The success of his career was marked by his firm determination to learn. ‘The difference between the impossible and possible lies in one’s determination’, they say. This was true of Rajan. He was not only a great listener but a great learner. Using as a base, the fragments of information he had gathered about activated carbon manufacturing technology, he read voraciously on this subject, thus acquiring a vast knowledge on the manufacturing technology, which coupled with his own research, made him an authority on the subject. He started an Activated Carbon Manufacturing Factory at Madampe, in the North Western Province which blossomed into the largest activated carbon manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka and perhaps in the world, using an unmatched technology of revolving horizontal activation kilns. With Haycarb’s resounding profit base, Rajan moved in to acquire by purchase, other rather unsuccessful smaller activated carbon manufacturing outfits in the North Western Provinces.
Haycarb’s activated carbon manufacturing facility grew into a huge empire running on its own steam, with a reasonably large team of competent and dedicated technocrats. The company acquired international stature, exporting activated carbon to various countries, for innumerable purification processes, and largely for gold extraction in South Africa. Haycarb at this stage had subsidiaries in Britain, USA & Thailand.
Rajan’s innovative industrial mindset did not stop at that. The province being the hub of the Coconut Triangle had a multitude of coir fibre manufacturing outfits, in all of which there were coir dust mountains occupying acres of land. Coinciding with this phenomenon, was the acute demand in Western countries, for suitable substitutes for peat (a semi-decomposed water absorbing and retaining medium – widely used in horticulture and floriculture). Rajan’s innovative mind quickly recognized a substitute for peat, in the coir dust mountains. Coir dust had to be dried to required levels of dryness, sifted, and then compressed under high pressure into coir dust ‘brickets’ (bricks), which were hard, waterless, of uniform size, which were easy to pack for export to sophisticated markets. ‘Bricket’ making machinery was developed using in-house expertise and thus was born, another profit making export oriented subsidiary company called LIGNOCELL in Madampe, with a staff of its own.
By interaction, Rajan not only listened and learnt from his knowledgeable subordinates, but used their expertise to the optimum.
Rajan is also remembered as a meticulous time manager, who conformed to a rigid daily routine in office. He devoted his high energy times in the morning till lunch time for strategic thinking and actions. After lunch for an hour or more he was free to meet staff and engage in routine administrative and financial matters. During his second high energy time, after evening tea, he would recommence his strategic involvements till late into the night, often carrying work home to complete.
Rajan was a devout Catholic, and an absolute democrat with his family and children. He was an Old Thomian who took great pride in his alma mater.
Haycarb from its very foundation to its eventual state as a giant industrial empire, is stamped with the hallmark of Rajan’s commendable and multi-faceted leadership – as a thinker, planner, innovator and also an admirable friend. His good name will live forever in our minds. ‘May he rest in peace’.
Linton Jayaweera
Thank you for leaving your handprint on my heart
Irene Felicia Gunasekera
“It isn’t often in our lives we come across someone so special who’d be a haunting memory lingering in our thoughts.
“Achchi” for me was a kind of a living monument of love and we can never forget that there is a part of her in each of us, something she so lovingly gave us and asked nothing for in return. Though we know that you are no more with us, the memories we shared with you will remain for as long as we live,” said Anishka, her beloved granddaughter paying tribute from the pulpit of Christ Church, Kotte.
What makes a great teacher? Teaching demands broad knowledge of subject matter, curriculum and standards, enthusiasm, a caring attitude, a love of learning, knowledge of discipline, classroom management techniques and a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people.
It’s hard to find great teachers like Irene Felicia Gunasekera, a former In-service Advisor (Master Teacher of English – Western Province) and English teacher at Thurstan College, Colombo.
Her father, late Samuel Alfred Perera was a famous photographer of his day in Diyatalawa. Her mother, late Sarah Lillian Wijesinghe, was a teacher of repute who hailed from the then famous Pagoda House in Nugegoda. Her sister, late Alfreda De Silva, was a well-known writer.
She married P.S. Gunasekera, former principal of Thurstan College, Colombo. Her eldest daughter, late ‘Roshi’ as she was fondly known was an English teacher at Royal College, Colombo. Nirmali, Thilantha, Irusha and the writer are her other children.
A past President of the Inner Wheel Club of Maharagama, she served as English Instructor at the Ladies’ College Vocational Training Institute.
On completing her education at St. John’s Girls School (present Samudra Devi Balika Vidyalaya) in Nugegoda, she entered the Government Teachers Training College (present National Institute of Education) at Maharagama and graduated with a Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language.
Her first appointment was to St. John’s College, Nugegoda. She moulded futures. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, professionals, academics and educators while also moulding people who were passionate about what they did. She embodied the phrase “do it with a passion or don’t do it at all.”
The passion she exhibited for a subject many students (openly) disliked made it not only bearable but enjoyable. Many young people later remembered and showered their “beloved teacher” with love and appreciation. I remember an instance, where she showed me a photograph where former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had his right hand over her shoulder, as if showing his love and respect to her. The photograph was one of her treasured mementos.
She spent her twilight years surrounded by the love and care of her children, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren and a band of care-givers. We used to sit often by her bedside, help her have a generous bite of chocolate cake (one of her favourites) and chat for long hours. She passed away at the venerable age of 93.
Dear teacher, dearest “Amma” thank you for gracing our lives with your presence, thank you for the memories and thank you for leaving your handprint on my heart.
Jai Sunthush Abeyewardene
Appa, you made our lives richer in every sense
Thambo Kumarakulasingam
People come into your life for a reason, Some just pass through, some linger, and some leave impressions that last. Appa falls into the last category.
I consider it my luck to have had an opportunity to be a part of his family. Appa was unique, I know it would have been really hard for him to accept the fact that me and my kids, had entered his son’s life, but he did it with such grace and welcomed us as his own. He was a man of very few words. Never said anything bad about others and lived a life centred around principles he had set. His achievements were immense. Sports was his passion and a cupboard full of trophies that stands in the hall bears testimony to his talents.
He was a visionary and had strong views and opinions on most things which eventually turned out to be right most times
He was the man around the house, made it his duty to make sure everything around the house was done properly. We had very little to do as he took care of most things.
The Kumarakulasingam Trust which he formed many years ago to help under privileged university students during college years was his way of making a difference to those who needed help.
This was a wonderful initiative which helped a large number of students focus on their studies without worrying about funding. The programme was mainly executed by him.
His health was becoming weaker during the last few months but he had the will most times, to go on. He missed his sports and I feel that made the ailments progress faster. Although he had a relatively trouble-free life for the most part, the complications pulled him down at the end. Somehow he still chose to bear even when the pain would make him miserable.
Whilst we miss him immensely I am glad he was relieved of the pain. But we who were left behind have not come to terms with it even three months hence. I guess it will never be the same. For Amma, there is a permanent void and KK will never be able to get used to it. I am sure Prabha and Naren have similar feelings.
He is a person who left a lasting impression on others. What he did for me will last as fond memories, my whole life. There is a gaping hole of emptiness around the house as we hear you no more, we cannot reach out for advice when needed and that is really hard to fathom. Thank you Appa, for making our lives richer in every sense, and for the love you showered on us. Hope we will meet again in this long journey of sansara. We will miss you dearly until then.
Tusitha Kumarakulasingam
Till we meet again and laugh once more
KENNETH PERERA
Death is inevitable. It comes to all but when it comes to one who is so close, it is indeed extremely sad.
Life seems so cruel for him to be taken away from us so early. He suffered a brief illness and breathed his last a few days ago. Kenneth was a unique friend. He was quiet and reserved with many but vivacious and hilarious with close friends. He was a handsome, high-spirited, pleasant and humble person.
Kenneth was my closest friend for more than 55 years and was my bestman. As schoolboys, we fished in the Lunawa lagoon, played cricket and enjoyed eating ten -cent buns and ice cream (popsicles) from the college canteen.
His death has created a vacuum and I have lost a dear friend who is irreplaceable. The emptiness in me I cannot seem to fill. He was a man who reached out to his friends, particularly in their times of distress. He was steadfast in his loyalty to them and this was evident from the large crowd at his funeral including many eminent personalities.
Kenneth gave generously to the underprivileged. Throughout his life, he epitomised love and compassion for the poor and marginalised.
He was the president of the Lions Club, Hendala.
Viewed from a Christian perspective, he was a true believer in Christ with an empathetic heart.
He was an amazing husband and father, to his wife Priyani and only son Milinda. Priyani was a loving wife and a great strength to him in his challenging duties and looked after him with enormous care and affection, especially when Kenneth was suffering from his brief illness. He was very close to his son Milinda and gave him the correct education and exposure, laying the foundation for his success.
I thank God for his life and giving me a such a wonderful friend. I will not say farewell because I know we will meet again and laugh once more.
May your soul rest in peace.
Lalin. I. De Silva