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Appreciations A gentle, beautiful and useful life Kolitha Ratnayaka Kolitha Ratnayaka passed away recently at the comparatively young age of 65. Born in 1936, the youngest son of Mudliar A.A.W. Ratnayaka to a wealthy land and plumbago mine owning family in Deniyaya, Kolitha had his early education at Rohana Vidyalaya, Matara. Later he joined the 1948 group at Royal College. At Royal, Kolitha
was loved by his fellow students and teachers alike. He was an excellent
swimmer, member of the rowing team and played for the school's first
XV rugger team. At George Steuarts,
where Kolitha worked for 20 years except for a brief spell with
E. Coats, Galle, and a short stay abroad, he rose to be a senior
manager in charge of plantations. From George Steuarts, Kolitha
moved on to the Janatha Estates Development Board in 1977. As the
General Manager of JEDB, he was instrumental in introducing CTC
manufacture in tea and the factory at Katubowitiyana will bear testimony
to his involvement with the Sri Lanka tea industry. He also initiated
steps to bring on par wages paid to female workers in the plantations
with that of their male counterparts. It has been
said with authority that Kolitha's tremendous contribution to the
plantation industry in Sri Lanka may never be properly recognized
or recorded. Kolitha worked at JEDB for 17 years. He also held the
posts of Chairman of the State Plantations Corporation and Chairman
of the Tea Small Holdings Authority before doing a spell of five
years at the Planters' Association as Assistant Secretary General.
He had been working for over 40 years. During his
"retirement" Kolitha worked, if anything, even harder
than during his working days. He published several books on agriculture
which was his life-long passion. He had the
greatest respect for the Buddhist clergy and had close links with
several temples and their incumbents. The letter written by Ven.
Galboda Gnanissara Mahanayaka Thero of Gangarama to fellow members
of the Buddhist clergy recommending Kolitha's son Sagala as a suitable
person to represent Matara district is a prized possession. It describes
father and son as true disciples. He leaves behind
his beloved wife, three children, his daughter-in-law and two grandsons
to whom go our sympathies on their sudden loss. They can however,
be consoled by reflecting on his gentle, beautiful and useful life
and the fact that his memory will continue to live on in so many
others besides themselves. All-rounder
and courageous fighter Wicky hailed
from a family of distinguished old boys and great sportsmen of STC.
His father L.M. Wickramasinghe was hockey Captain of the college
from 1961/62. Both his brothers Viresh and Dinesh were great sportsmen.
Wicky was one
of the rare finds of the college because of his all-round capabilities.
He entered STC in 1985 from President's College, was college prefect
in 1995/1996 while leading the college hockey 1st Eleven team and
captaining the college boxing team. He played for
the 1st Fifteen rugby team in 1996, was a member of the Sri Lanka
national hockey side and played hockey for Sri Lanka schools and
Colombo schools. He began his
career with the Hayleys group of companies and moved on to British
Airways and Mobitel. Suddenly in
1999, he was detected with a brain tumour. In this period
Wicky displayed superhuman courage. He never gave up hope, not even
when the medical experts did. Wicky was a
great man at heart and courageous fighter. With a heavy heart I
quote Hemingway: "You can kill a man but you never can defeat
him." Friend
and counsellor She was a counsellor
and guide whenever anyone needed her. She was a great
mother to her daughters, Nirmali and Shamila, and her sons-in-law
Jeevalal and Paul, were a tower of strength during her sickness.
She was cheerful
and withstood the pain and suffering with fortitude. Ivy had a loving,
understanding and supporting husband in Gordon. May the Lord
give him the strength and grace to face her loss. I have fought
the good fight. I have finished the race; I have redeemed my pledge. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
