Sunday Times 2
Colombo Law Faculty’s 1969 batch celebrates golden jubilee
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The batch that entered the Faculty of Law, University of Ceylon, Colombo Campus, in 1969 commemorated 50 years of friendship and solidarity with light-hearted speeches, singing and musical interludes at the Marino Beach Hotel, Colombo 3, on December 14, 2019.
Former teachers mingled with former students in a spirit of camaraderie and fellowship. Many took the opportunity to walk down memory lane and recall the days gone by with nostalgia.
Dr. Anil Vitarana, in his welcome speech reminded those present that ‘we are what we are’ mainly because of the education received the Colombo Law Faculty. “Now we must take steps to ensure that we give something back to the Law Faculty in return, out of gratitude and appreciation,” he added.
Emeritus Professor (Dr.) M. Sornarajah, who had taught for nearly thirty years at the University of Singapore, recalled his days at the Colombo Law Faculty with fervour and paid tributes to some excellent teachers such as the pioneering Dean of the Law Faculty, Professor T. Nadaraja, Dr. C.F. Amerasinghe, Dr. Mark Cooray and Dr. Ranjit Amerasinghe (later a Judge of the Supreme Court), among others.
Dr. Palitha Kohona, former Ambassador to the UN, said that this was a stellar batch which had achieved tremendous success not only in Sri Lanka but around the world. Some had even been honoured by the Governments of the adopted country. We should celebrate their successes and achievements, he added.
Mr. Ikram Mohammed, P.C., said that the Law Faculty had grown from a small two-room building in his time in the late 1960s to a large complex with hundreds of students following a range of exciting and interesting subjects including electives, and the duration of studies for the L.LB degree had been increased from three to four years. We should welcome these changes for the better, he said.
Both Dr. Srilal Perera and Dhammika Amukotuwa nee Dandeniya, in their speeches laid emphasis on the need for the Law Alumni to interact with the current Staff of the Colombo Law Faculty with a view to extending help in whatever way possible including funding scholarships to assist poor students and making arrangements for both lecturers and students to continue further studies in reputed universities overseas.
Senaka Weeraratna, said that this was a special occasion for all those who had entered the Law Faculty in 1969 as fifty years have elapsed since then. He thanked all those who had contributed in some ways towards organising this re-union of both batchmates and former lecturers, and said that a special thank was due to Chandana Jayaweera Bandara for her commitment and dedication in almost singularly organising an elaborate and memorable event.
Standing left to right: Dr.Srilal Perera, Tiru Vallal, Ms. Nelun Tennekoon (nee Ramanayake), Ms. Jezima Haseeb (nee Mihlar), Ms. Dhammika Amukotuwa (nee Dandeniya), Maithri Panagoda, Ms. Tara Wickramanayake (nee David), Ms. Indra Peiris (nee Fernando), Ms. Vasi Aruliah (nee Rajasingham) , Dr. Anil Vitarana
Seated left to right: Ifthikar Hassim, E.L. Basnayake, Desmond Jordan, Paul Ratnayake, Professor (Dr.) M. Sornarajah, Professor (Dr.) G.L. Peiris, Ikram Mohammed, Dr. Hiran Jayewardene, Senaka Weeraratna, Ms. Chandana Jayaweera Bandara (nee Rajapakse), Ms. Shirin Cabral.