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In the footprints
of our father Born on February 4, 1928, he was the son of a postmaster and his wife who had five illustrious sons - a university professor, a bishop and three medical doctors - and three capable daughters. He had his education at Trinity College, Kandy where he excelled in his studies. He graduated with an MBBS from the University of Ceylon in August 1951 at the young age of 23. He established a lucrative medical practice in Kurunegala. However, maximizing his earnings was never his ambition. There were many occasions when he treated those in dire circumstances free of charge. He was always reasonable in the fees he charged from his patients. He married my mother Manel in December 1955. Later there came two sons-my brother Malin and me. Our parents were a very united couple and were like a pair of lovebirds! He took great delight in composing beautiful poems for my mother on their wedding anniversary and on Valentine's Day. They always stood by each other come what may. He was a founder member of the College of General Practitioners in Sri Lanka. He was also president of the Kurunegala Clinical Society in 1970/71 and was for many years a council member of the Independent Medical Practitioners’ Association. He authored a very instructive and useful book titled ‘Motherhood and Baby Care’. He compiled an Acupuncture Therapeutic Chart and also compiled a Code of Medical Ethics for the Sri Lanka Medical Association. He was a Christian who lived in the love and fear of the Lord. He was a keen churchman and for several years he served as the Warden of the Cathedral of Christ the King, Kurunegala. He served for many years as a member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Kurunegala during its formative years. He once organised a Christmas party for 1,000 needy children with Santa Claus arriving on elephant-back! After 22 years in Kurunegala, we moved to Dehiwela where my father started a medical practice. He later proceeded to England and served as Registrar in Psychiatry for the National Health Service for a few years. On his return from England he continued with his medical practice in Dehiwela till we moved to Mount Lavinia in 1995. He served as honorary physician at the Helpage Home for Elders for several years. He was also a member of the Board of Management of the Cheshire Home, Mount Lavinia for many years till the time of his demise. He was active in the parish of Christ Church, Dehiwela and served as chairman of the building committee. In the last few years of his life, he served as a medical officer at the Sri Jayawardenepura University where he thoroughly enjoyed his work. He was best known as being the creative mind for the most famous political obituary in Sri Lanka when in 1974 he announced in the government-controlled press the death of D.E.M. O'Cracy. He contributed regularly to the newspapers both in prose and verse and took part in the newspaper captions and crossword competitions. He published an anthology of his poems composed as entries for the Sunday Island verse competition. It was titled "Rhymes Of Our Times" The verses comprised a historical record of events in Sri Lanka looked at from a humorous side. The epilogue in this book of verse reads as follows:
His other interests
were contract bridge, music and ballroom dancing. It was a treat
to watch my parents waltzing. He was a live-wire in the Trinity
College Over Sixty Club. He led a simple life and taught us to appreciate the beauty of simplicity. He had a high sense of integrity and by his example taught us never to compromise on the truth, no matter what the consequences. He also taught us to use the words 'thank you' and 'sorry' as often as possible. My brother Malin, a brilliant student, was his pet son. When Malin suffered a setback in his health at an early age it broke my father’s spirit. He loved our son Treshan his only grandchild. It gave him much joy to play with Treshan on his hospital bed the eve before his death.
A legal luminary
who led a simple life After a brilliant academic career at Royal College, he entered Peradeniya University and later Law College, passing out as an advocate. It was a pleasure to listen to him when he lectured at Law College. He dealt with the knotty, intricate and finer points of the law with lucidity and kept the students spellbound. His juniors will remember him with respect and gratitude for his guidance and kindness. He was a legal luminary and appeared in several cases with legal giants like H.V. Perera Q.C and N.E. Weerasooriya Q.C. Later when
he was elevated to the position of a Supreme Court Judge, he was
fearless. After retirement he led a simple life, engaging in Buddhist
activities. - Irwin Gunatilaka A noble king
to us -Hemamala Sangakkara He
died the way he lived -- without fuss He was at Dombagastalawa bungalow, just after his honeymoon when we met at the start of what would turn out to be a three-decade friendship. Our careers were woven around the tea industry. I was a mechanical engineer attached to a company with branches in the tea-growing districts. It was quite natural for all the young SDs and engineers in the area to gather in the Samarasinghe home to get a taste of their hospitality. Nihal's sportsmanship, both on and off the field, was unique. He could never be ruffled. I was privileged to have associated with Nihal and shared both his glory and disappointments. After my marriage, our wives shared the same friendship and it is a happy thought that our children share the same ideals and bonds. The Samarasinghe homes at Beauvais, Idalgashinna, Gamewela, El Teb, Cullen, Dimbula and Paiyagala have been a second home to our family. But amidst the serenity of his home, Nihal was subjected to the ordeals of human terror. Possibly what he and his family went through in 1989 is only known to a few of us, when he displayed his true Thomian grit, determination and character. However, quite naturally his desire for planting waned and his family moved to Dimbula from the hotbed of insurgent activity in the Uva district. But the family's ordeals were not over. He was visited by the insurgents even at the Dimbula bungalow and a bullet hole in the wooden drawing room floor was proof of that. Nihal always had something to say and was rarely out of words. But he never spoke ill of anybody.
Though more often than not, I met him at almost every rugger match,
the last occasion we had time to share our thoughts was at my daughter's
engagement. Nihal died the way he lived -- without fuss, without grandeur, without pomp and glory but with an abundance of love and admiration from daughter Dinusha, son-in-law Nirmal, son Niroshan, his brothers and sisters and his multitude of friends. Farewell, sweet prince, till we meet on that beautiful shore. May your soul rest in peace. - Claude |
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