Appreciations
View(s):He helped Mahinda College reach great heights
L.E.P.W.Jayatilaka
Lionel Edward Perera Wijewardane Jayatilaka, born in Wathupitiwela attended Gampaha Government School and later, Udugampola MahaVidyalaya. While at Udugampola MV, he was a cadet and boxer and won many trophies as a marksman as well. After completing school, he joined Minuwangoda Central College as a teacher and then was transferred to Hikkaduwa Central College.
In January 1956, Mr. Jayatilaka entered the Government Training College, Maharagama and received the English Trained Teacher’s Certificate on January 1, 1958. He had been the President of the Students’ Council while at the Training College.
I can remember Mr.Jayatilaka joining Mahinda College, Galle, in 1958 as a teacher and also as the Officer-in-charge of the Mahinda College Cadet Platoons. He won the respect of students and teachers with his smart looks as well as his eloquence in both languages. He was a very good teacher in English and Geography and a strict disciplinarian too. Todate we value him for inculcating such good habits in us.
Lt. Col. Jayatilaka achieved the pinnacle of his career as an officer of the Ceylon Cadet Corps when he and his team of cadets became the “Best Platoon” in the island and won the coveted “Herman Loos Cup” in 1962. Mahinda College went on to win that prestigious award in 1964/1965 as well.
He was also the Athletics’ Coach and had the resources to select the best students, such as the sprinters to become Cadets so that the College could achieve the best in sports at the Diyathalawa camp. Also, he selected the students who studied in the Bio stream to specialize in First Aid and students who did Geography to specialize in map reading. Pooling of all these resources helped Mahinda College win the “Herman Loos Cup” in 1962, 1964 and 1965. Lt. W.J. Abeygoonawardane, a contemporary at the College, supported Lt. Jayatilaka tremendously in taking over the Senior Platoon, as in 1963 Lt. Jayatilaka was elevated to the Rank of Captain.
His efforts and sacrifice brought the outstation “Tarbet Cup” to Mahinda College in 1966 with D.C.W.Lekamge as the Captain of the team. To name a few athletes who underwent his training in the 50s and the 60s, there was D.C.Brindley De Silva, who established a new Southern Group record in Discus throw in 1958; P.L.Karunasena, who was a 400 metre runner and held the national record for the triple jump in 1970 and also represented the national side at the 1970 Asian Games held in Bangkok; N.T.A. Jayawickrama- a Javelin thrower; K.Rathnasiri and Godfrey Tissera – sprinters and the one who brought the Asian Games Gold medals to Sri Lanka as a member of the 400 x 4 relay team-Kosala Sahabandu.
In the early days, the Cadets were commanded in English. When the Army switched to commands in Sinhala, the Cadets too changed to Sinhala. I had the privilege of commanding at the College in Sinhala in 1962, for the first time as instructed by Capt.Jayatilaka
His beloved wife Wimala, who was a past teacher of Mahinda College, Galle, predeceased him a couple of years ago. Lt. Col. Jayatilaka was a wonderful father to four daughters and a son. At the time of his demise, he was a grandfather and a great-grandfather too.
Lt. Col. Jayatilaka, was a rare breed. May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
Ranjith Gurugamage
She made me the person I am today
Swarna Jayaweera
Sri Lanka recently lost one of her marvellous daughters when the great professional teacher, researcher and mentor, Professor Swarna Jayaweera, passed away on January 5, 2020 following a brief illness. It is difficult to list her achievements in a brief appreciation written as a tribute to my second mother. I would never have become the person I am today if not for her.
Born into an orthodox family of two children, she broke all barriers enforced on the women of the 20th century by obtaining a higher education. Despite the obstacles faced, she enrolled for the external degree at the University of London and graduated with Honours in History, a rare occurrence and achievement for a student enrolled as an external candidate. Subsequently, she obtained a Master of Education. Progressing even further, she was awarded the Ph.D from the University of London. She was also awarded the Khan Gold Medal for the best student in the post graduate diploma examination of the University of Ceylon, as it was known at the time. She was honoured with D.Litt from two Universities; The Open University of Sri Lanka and the University of Colombo.
Professor Jayaweera’s career at the University began when she joined the Department of Education at the University of Ceylon as an assistant lecturer. During her time there, the Departments of Education in every University were shifted following the 1972 Education Reforms and amalgamated under one umbrella in the University of Colombo as the Faculty of Education. It was following this change that she became the Professor of Education of the University of Colombo and Head of the Department of Social Science Education in 1974.
However, despite her work at the Universities, her greatest achievement was the establishment of CENWOR to aid in the empowerment of women and help make their voices heard. She functioned as the joint coordinator of CENWOR since its inception in 1985 and guided its activities for over 25 years. Most of the novice researchers including post graduate students were grateful to her for providing them with opportunities to make their voices heard through research forums held at CENWOR. Through joint ventures with other parties, she was able to make CENWOR one of the most highly regarded independent research organizations, both in Sri Lanka as well as in other Asian countries.
In addition to all the work she did at the Universities and CENWOR, she undertook many other professional activities. Her contribution to the national level policy formation in Sri Lanka was immense. The National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka, the National Education Commission, the National Institute of Education, the National Science and Technology Council, the Council of the Open University, the University Grants Commission, the Research and Evaluation Centre, the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science and the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Education are just a few of the agencies and organizations which benefited from her knowledge. She also provided consultancy services to both local and international organizations such as SIDA, UNICEF, NORAD, CIDA, ILO, GTZ, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Commonwealth Secretariat, the UNESCO Regional Office and many others.
However, despite all the recognition and the respect she received from all over the world, to us she was the most simple, unassuming and approachable teacher. We were all amazed at the way she delivered comparative education lectures covering the education systems of several countries, all without the use of a single piece of paper. We were simply mesmerised by her expertise and knowledge. My love for that subject developed due to the grounding laid down by her.
She loved to see her old students progressing in their careers and was always ready to provide advice, guidance and encouragement. I could never forget her beaming face on the day I delivered my welcome speech as the Head and Professor of Education during the inauguration ceremony of the new building of the Education Department of the University of Peradeniya. Later, she told me that she was happy for two reasons. The first was that the new building was dedicated to the late Professor J.E Jayasuriya who was my teacher as well as her Head of the Department of Education when she joined the University as a lecturer. The second was to see me in the capacity of the Head and Professor of Education in the same Department which was developed and nurtured by eminent scholars of the day, such as the late Professors, J.E.J Rangith Ruberu, Premadasa Udagama, S. Muthulingam and Professor Ariyadasa De Silva and Elsie Kotalawala.
During the last few months I used to visit Prof. Jayaweera whenever I visited Colombo. Whether it was at home or in a hospital room, she was always happy to see her old students. When I phoned to say I was coming to see her, she would not only have a feast ready but would also be waiting for my arrival, seated in her verandah. I am so glad that I was able to chat with her, see her smiling face and hear her say, “you do not forget me”. As Professor Chandra Gunawardena told me, she treated all other students the same way.
Dear Madam, I will never forget you as you were my second mother. You treated me like your own daughter, Hiranthie. I hope I will meet you again and be able to sit at your feet and learn as we roam this Sansara.
May you attain Nibbana!
Asoka Jayasena
Living with beautiful memories
Chandra Gunaratne
Three years ago, on February 28, my beloved wife Chandra departed this world after courageously battling an illness for six months. The only consolation was that the duration of her anguish was minimal. She did not give up until her very last breath, bearing all the complications without complaint.
She was a beautiful lady with a beautiful heart and had graceful, pleasing ways which endeared her to relatives and friends. She loved to dress well and expected others to do so too.
The day I lost her, I lost my life too. Time is not a healer of the sadness. I have been living with the beautiful memories we shared for 46 years.
May all the merits she acquired during her lifetime help her to attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana in the shortest possible time.
H.D. Gunaratne
Grateful remembrance of an aunt who touched our lives
Aurasie Weerasinghe
I am writing this appreciation in gratitude of the life and times of Aurasie Weerasinghe, an aunt whom not only I but our entire family is indebted to, for her help in numerous ways that we recall with immense gratefulness.
The Buddha advocated that gratitude is one of the finest qualities of a human being but also a hard act to practise.
She lived precisely 1,026 months (85 plus) and passed away last month. Aunty Aurasie (affectionately, Nandi) was someone hard to forget, with her sterling kind of stature, intellectually driven to accomplish milestones, being the solid rock for my Uncle Ally Weerasinghe to succeed greatly in his business career, taking good care of her children, Asanga, Avi, Amanda and Ashanee, at the same time, to excel in their chosen fields of specialty, like a CEO leading a household operation in flamboyant style.
I remember watching both my Uncle and Aunt closely in my younger days, aspiring to become who they were, living in style while we were given a glimpse of their lives, when we emerged from our boarding schools, staying with them–which to us at the time was like a few days in heaven.
I remember her impressive organisational skills. She was so versatile; entertaining a wide circle of friends, business associates plus attending to the children unfailingly and not forgetting us as the extended family at all times, caring and sharing, treating us all equally.
She, like most mothers, was seen as the head of facilitation, making things happen and giving direction in her inimitable style. She treated the domestic staff with much care and helped them to build their lives and as the saying goes, the true measure of a person is how one treats someone who cannot return the favour.
I can never forget how much she was concerned when the tsunami struck our village in Seenigama, helping me get through many difficult circumstances, especially in comforting the traumatised villagers through her leadership role in Sumithrayo.
Seeing both my mother and aunt interact the way they did, being sisters-in-law was an example that was such a highlight resulting in our two families demonstrating much goodwill in our close association.
All of us will no doubt face the inevitable demise as we receive the death sentence the day we are born, but never know when and how. That said, it is our duty to not forget those who have touched our lives, to acknowledge them in grateful remembrance when their time has expired.
May her good deeds benefit her sansaric journey of karmic life, to attain greater Enlightenment.
Kushil Gunasekera