Appreciations
View(s):A brilliant, industrious and hardworking officer throughout his career
SAMITHAMBY JEYARAM
Samithamy Jeyaram passed away on January 29, at his home at Zacharias Road, Periya Uppodai, Batticaloa. He was born on May 29, 1936 and had his primary education in Batticaloa.
After completing his B.Sc degree he was appointed as a Planning Officer and worked in the Amparai and Batticaloa districts for several years later going on to be Deputy Director and finally Director, Planning. He was known to be a very brilliant, hardworking, industrious and honest officer throughout his career. I write this appreciation as I was a close associate of Mr. S. Jeyaram while I was in Government Service.
I came to know him in the Kachcheri, Batticaloa and associated with him for more than 15 years as an Asst. Govt Agent (then) and now Divisional Secretary at the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Eravurpattu, Manmunai North (Batticaloa Town) and finally as Addl. Government Agent, Batticaloa. I had a very close rapport with him then as the entire District administration was in the hands of the Government Agent (now it is not so) and frequent visits and deliberations with the District Director, Planning were obligatory for us to take final decisions. When Mr. K. Tharmalingam was Director (Planning), Mr. Jeyaram was the Deputy Director –Planning working with him for a long period of time.
While he was serving in the District, he had undergone many in-service training courses and also functioned as Acting Project Director of District Rehabilitation and Reconstruction for the Batticaloa District. He was also a member of the Eastern University Council for some time.
He was instrumental in the compilation of the Statistical Hand Book of Batticaloa for 1985 and served as a team member for the preparation of the ‘Batticaloa Today’ magazine published in 1993 and thereafter the annual District Profiles of Batticaloa.
He had worked under many Government Agents in Batticaloa from 1982 upto retirement. A significant fact that should be mentioned was that it was a period when the civil administration was in the hands of freedom fighters who dictated terms and wanted the public servants to do things against the Government rules and regulations and if not they were either threatened, abducted or even shot at or killed. It was also a time when the Kachcheri premises came under rocket air and land attacks several times; he along with other staff survived this darkest period in their life which cannot be easily forgotten.
He retired from Public Service when he reached the retirement age of 60 and was given an extension till 64 because of his efficiency and competence. Immediately after retirement, he did not relax much at home but instead made use of his leisure to write a book on ‘Planning’ in Tamil. It gained appreciation and acknowledgement from academics.
His efficiency, competence, leadership, and soft spoken attitude were par excellence. He was a religious-minded personality. His image cannot be erased from the minds of those who knew him well. Words may not serve to express our feelings of sorrow.
May his soul rest in peace.
Retnam Shivanandarajah
She will always be in our loving memories
Araliya De Silva
‘Ara’ is a name that will never fade among many of her friends and colleagues at HSBC PLC where she worked for over 15 years. She was the most precious and only child of Suranganee Jayasooriya and the late Ivan De Silva from Moratuwa and an exemplary daughter-in-law any parent would have wished for.
Araliya was an old girl of Holy Family Convent Dehiwala. She was hardworking, determined and enterprising and always had a plan for her life. These plans became more intense and meticulous after she married my son, Dimuth. She encouraged and led him to achieve academic excellence in marketing with CIM – UK.
She was also known for several of her talents. She was a child artist and did a stint as a relief announcer at SLBC where her mother had been working for many long years until she retired last year. Dancing was Araliya’s forte being a student of Kevin Nugara. She was also an automatic choice to organise functions and get-togethers for HSBC.
Araliya also had a flair for designing Indian saree-wear for her friends at first and this was expanded among many other ladies. Cake-making and baking was another pastime she really enjoyed.
As time passed on, Araliya and Dimuth were blessed with beautiful twin sons – Mihail and Nathan whom she nurtured with all her love and care until her last days. On March 6 she was called by the angels of heaven to eternal rest. May her soul be blessed by our Saviour Jesus Christ. Araliya will always be in our loving memories.
Maxie Perera
Memories of university days and more
Elmo de Silva
It is now some months since Elmo de Silva passed away. He was a regular contributor to the country’s newspapers. A year ago his autobiography, ‘A Journey through Thorns and Roses’ was reviewed in the Sunday Island by Leelananda de Silva, his contemporary at the Peradeniya University under the title ‘A golden age in Public Administration’. The book is dedicated to his beloved wife Naomi. I had the privilege of partially editing it.
Elmo was my contemporary too at Ramanathan Hall. He entered the University from St Benedict’s College, Kotahena with two others, one of whom entered the Medical College. Elmo followed a special degree in Geography earning a second class. After a brief spell in teaching, he joined the public service as an Administrative Officer in the Department of Agriculture and served in Matara where both of us were boarders in a very hospitable home situated by the beach in the Matara Fort.
He left Matara on being appointed a District Land Officer. Thereafter I hardly met him till after retirement when we met at reunion parties organised by the Hall societies. Though both of us had retired from the public service we continued to work – Elmo as a consultant for the Treasury on matters related to Customs classification of imported goods etc. He had worked in both the Departments of Import and Export Control and the Customs at a senior level.
Due to his experience in the latter he received an appointment in the World Customs Organization at Brussels which he served for five years. On his return he retired from the Sri Lanka Administrative Service but was employed as a consultant. He then joined the private sector and contrasts the work ethic of the private sector with that of the public sector in his autobiography.
Elmo had a talent for singing both English and Sinhala songs which was amply manifested at the Hall reunions and at Christmas parties when the late Rev. Fr. Derrick Mendis used to accompany him on the piano. A famous song describing the qualities of a Kandyan beauty, an imaginary heartthrob of many an undergrad beginning with the words ‘Menike lassanai ..’ is quoted in full in his autobiography. He had a flair for writing poetry too. He did not like poems which did not rhyme, that is free verse written non metrically.
Towards the end of November last year he suffered from a multitude of ailments. His daughter Suleka and son-in-law (both being chemists ) looked after him well in his last days. The second daughter Sonali living in Australia with her doctor husband contributed no less in attending to his needs as well.
May he rest in peace.
Leo Fernando
A kind-hearted sister
Mahalakshmi Sachithananthan
Mahalakshmi Sachithananthan nee Thuriaiappah Karalasingam passed away on January 5, after a prolonged illness. She leaves her two sons and a daughter. Her husband and son Praba predeceased her.
She was born in a family of ten and lost her mother at the young age of 16. From then on, she was entrusted with caring for her siblings until her marriage. She was a kind-hearted sister, who loved to help the poor and the needy.
She was a devout Hindu and followed all Hindu traditions to the letter. We pray to Lord Shiva to shower his blessings on her soul to rest in peace.
Karalasingam Sivalingam
Searching for an ideal partner? Find your soul mate on Hitad.lk, Sri Lanka's favourite marriage proposals page. With Hitad.lk matrimonial advertisements you have access to thousands of ads from potential suitors who are looking for someone just like you.