Appreciations
View(s):Homage to a true gentleman
Joe Karunaratne
We appreciate someone through our own eyes and experiences. When that person passes away, we learn more and understand better who he was through the eyes of the world he affected.
Joe Karunaratne lived in Colombo and Washington, D.C., spent time in the U.K., and travelled extensively for business and pleasure. His world was large indeed, but ultimately it was those around him who mattered most. Joe passed away on October 18, 2017.
Character mattered more than the letters after someone’s name of course, so it was what someone did with his degree that made the difference. Joe took his LLB and ably and graciously used the knowledge he gained to serve Dudley Senanayake as his Private Secretary in the 1960s.
He respected the public service and his time with Mr. Senanayake had a profound impact on the rest of his professional career which expanded to the private sector and the Ceylon Tobacco Company. He took that experience and his vision to develop the duty-free industry for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The stories he shared of government service then and the men and women he worked with highlighted that then it was more to do with respect and integrity, than today.
With all his extensive global travels, he still loved his island home Sri Lanka and did his part to share his values and his opinions with the community. From serving in Kiwanis International to various charitable organisations, he always focused on transforming those around him and sharing his wealth in more ways than one. When he was supposed to be retired, he instead offered his counsel to younger Sri Lankans who had ideas and needed his help to move forward.
Joe appreciated that network of friendships and business partnerships he developed in his lifetime in Sri Lanka. Everyone seemed to have been a batchmate or the sister of a colleague. It is one thing to make friends, but another to cultivate friendships. It wasn’t the numbers, but the people who mattered to him. Charmaine & Joe hosted countless grand dinner parties on Gregory’s Road and cosier meals in Colombo 3. Whether they were old childhood friends or old friends of their children, Joe made all feel welcome.
Whether it was the foundational learning he received at St. Joseph’s and St. Benedict’s or Peradeniya University, he was a keen believer in the power of learning both through theory and people. He inspired and enabled his children to achieve and thrive in the universities in the U.S. He made sure his grandchildren understood the value of education.
Finally, bringing Joe’s life into focus from a worldwide perspective back to Sri Lanka to his friends then to his children and grandchildren, little of the above could have, nay would have happened without his wife of 56 years, Charmaine. For better or for even better, this marriage endured under the watch of the heavens. Joe’s successes and setbacks, joys and sorrows, and countless other aspects of his life were all experienced with Charmaine at his side.
Only biographers and God can catalogue a man’s life adequately. One story to cover 83 years is all we can offer. So, we say to him, in the Latin language he enjoyed quoting, “Requiescat in pace” (May he [continue] to rest in peace).
Shekhar Tamasker
My uncle, the special person in my life
M.N.M.RIYAL
A year has passed since the demise of my uncle M.N.M. Riyal, the younger brother of my father. He was born on November 1, 1946 as the second child of Meera Naina (then Village Headman-Udatalawinna/Pathadumbara) and Kadeeja Umma. He had his primary education at K/Jami ul Azhar MMV, Udatalawinna, and entered St.Sylvester’s College, Kandy for his A’ Level.
He joined the Government service in 1966 as a clerk attached to Moragolla VC Office, Talathu Oya. After a brief period he was transferred to the Kandy Municipality that became his second home. He went on to complete a long and dedicated service of 26 years. (it could have been 40 years , if not for the break due to the July ’80 strike). Uncle served as an Administrative Officer at the time of his retirement in 2006.
He had an exemplary career at KMC, with a high degree of dedication and commitment. His sound professional knowledge and command of all three languages were extraordinary blessings for him to meet the needs of the tax-payers. He was a great asset to his superiors. Further, he never failed to agitate against corruption and malpractices.
Apart from work, he was actively engaged in recreational activities in the council. His honesty and calmness earned him many friends from all walks of life. During the period of unemployment following the July strike, he started a hardware and electrical shop in Kandy. Business being an alien field to him, his shop was often filled with his friends. His generosity was quite extraordinary.
Uncle was a special person in my life. He spared no pains in giving me special joys from whatever the limited resources available. Every year my sister and I were assured of viewing the annual Esala Perahera from a very comfortable location.
He took me to watch many cricket matches and motor races. I still remember Ajith Wadekar’s Indian team playing in Sri Lanka, at our College grounds at Katugastota in 1974, the year I joined the school.
My uncle was justifiably called a ‘walking encyclopaedia’ by his colleagues. Whether it was local, international politics or sports, he could narrate events and incidents with accurate dates and times.
He was instrumental in inculcating the reading habit in me and bought me hundreds of books and newspapers.
Despite deteriorating health he performed the UMRA pilgrimage in 2012 and in the same year, he attended the wedding of the son of his friend Govindasamy in India, accompanied by his wife. In the months before his demise, he travelled to Talawakele on two occasions to attend funerals and did not fail to visit me at my workplace on both occasions.
In the latter part of his life, he was attached to SETIK, Kandy as a translator.
My uncle”s health declined towards the latter part of last year and he was under treatment for a heart ailment. He was admitted to the ICU of Kandy General Hospital and though in great pain throughout, he managed to talk to all who visited him.I had the painful experience of being at his bedside, when the doctors informed me that their efforts to resuscitate him were futile.
Though he could have reached higher positions with his professional knowledge and language skills, he was satisfied with what he received and was a humble public servant with an extremely kind heart with which he assisted the masses.
May almighty Allah elevate his rank on the day of judgment and grant him Jennathul Firdhouse: Aameen !
Mushtaq Jamaldeen
Remembering a giant in the journey of IPS
Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria
We are profoundly saddened at the death of Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria, Chairman of the Endowment Trust of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). Dr. Weerasooria passed away on December 4, 2018.
There are many reasons why Dr. Weerasooria will be remembered as a giant in legal and business studies, providing his expertise as a Senior Consultant at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) and as Sri Lanka’s Insurance Ombudsman at the time of his demise, amongst an array of other positions held during a long and distinguished career in the academia, government and private sector.
For us at the IPS, Dr. Weerasooria became a familiar figure from 2013 as the Chairman of our Endowment Trust. IPS’ then Executive Director, the late Dr. Saman Kelegama nominated and appointed Dr. Weerasooria to this key post to obtain his expertise and advice to better manage and steer the Institute towards greater financial sustainability. In this role, Dr. Weerasooria proved to be exceptionally generous to the IPS with both his time and advice.
We witnessed first hand Dr. Weerasooria’s razor sharp intellect and attention to detail, and the commitment and professionalism he brought to carry out his responsibilities. But as detailed and demanding as he was in administering the Endowment Trust matters, he was equally concerned about the welfare of IPS’ staff, our research efforts and progress, and the challenges we face as an organisation.
It was Dr. Weerasooria’s obvious genuine interest in all aspects of IPS that we were so fortunate to benefit from when he extended his unconditional support to us in the aftermath of the unfortunate, and entirely unexpected, demise of Dr. Kelegama in June 2017. Not only was his encouragement and support instrumental in helping IPS steer through the most difficult of times, but he also provided advice and practical help to Dr. Kelegama’s immediate family, demonstrating his fine qualities as a true friend to those who won his trust and respect. In the months that followed, Dr. Weerasooria initiated and worked tirelessly to produce and release a commemorative issue of the PIM’s Professional Manager magazine dedicated in honour of Dr. Kelegama as well as delivering special radio talks on him at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.
Dr. Weerasooria worked tirelessly to ensure the sustainability of IPS. Aside from his role as a Trustee, he was always ready to provide advice and perspective on any issue. With his vast expertise, he knew how organisations should work in order to be effective and impactful. At IPS, we benefitted greatly from this wealth of knowledge and experience. We will miss his guidance, his passion to pass on learning, and his presence by our side.
Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)
Working with him was both fun and a life-learning process
Writing an account of the 80 years of Dr Wickrema Weerasooria will take volumes and years. But what matters is not the period of time a person lives but his or her contribution to mankind.
Dr. Weerasooria, of course, was my mentor not only in my public career but in my whole life. One day he called me and said: “Maliyadde, I am very fond of you; I want you to blossom out”. Those words still echo in my ears and they helped shape my life. That is not the reason behind this brief appreciation.
Dr. Weerasooria was a man who thought and acted differently from others. His daily routine involved many tasks. He would start the day with his walk, a round of tennis and a swim. The rest of the morning was devoted to public service. People from all walks of life would come to see him to get something done. None left disappointed. He was a great strength to his family business. He was the best time manager I ever met.
He had a great trust in the public servant. He believed they needed capacity building, confidence building, communication competency and exposure. He provided all that. When the Ministry of Plan Implementation started the Integrated Rural Development Programme under his stewardship in backward districts, officers were not available. He identified the reason; the absence of basic facilities. His first task was providing facilities to make the life of those who served in such districts comfortable.
He was a great believer in delegation. He distributed his letterheads among officers. His advice was “write the letter and bring it for my signature. Don’t waste your time or mine”. He did not spend more than a minute to grasp the content.
When he was the Secretary he used the common toilet. I asked why he didn’t use his private one. His answer was the common toilet is always kept clean and hygienic if the boss uses it. His management style was built upon trust, delegation, simplicity, wit, fun, ease and cost-effectiveness. In fact, working with him was fun and a life-learning process.
Dr. Weerasooria was a man who was there whenever you needed; His presence was everywhere; in academia, legal affairs, professionalism, public life. He is no more. He has left an unfillable void in our hearts, in our lives and in our society. His absence will not mark the removal of a plank but the very foundation.
May he attain supreme Nibbana.
Chandrasena Maliyadde