Appreciations
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Brilliance
tinged with modesty and humour His father was a respected member of the judiciary and was a District Judge of the highest calibre. Coming from a respected Parsee family, Jimmy was the epitome of modesty, friendliness and good humour apart from being a brilliant scholar. We belonged to a batch that consisted of some of the cream of the College in those days. There was Robin Rodrigo, Tony Don Michael, H.I.K. Fernando, Leonard Wettasinghe, Nazareen Motha, Rex Guneratne, Denzil Abeysekera and Dominic Candappa apart from Jimmy to mention just a few that now come to mind. We all vied with each other to be on top of the class or win the coveted prizes at the annual prize giving. Our Primary School days were under the strict supervision of Fr. Arthur Fernando and college days under the legendary Rectors Fr. Nicholas Perera and Fr. Basil Wiratunga. These were also the halcyon days of Peterite sports especially cricket. There were the legendary heroes Dion Walles, Eric Schokman, Percy Perera, brothers, Anton and Maurice Perera, Michael Chanmugam, Bernard Wijetunga, Ebenezer Souza, "Baby" Harold Silva and later others such as Darrel Weinman, H.I.K. Fernando, Phil Kelly, Denzil Abeysekera, Ivor Newman etc;, all coached by veteran Herbert Wittachy and later Russel Heyn. They followed in the footsteps of the celebrated Joe Misso of the late 1930s. Other prominent personalities that come to mind in that era include Dennis Perera, Jeff Felix, Eardley Tillakeratne, Gaya Cumaratunga, Ashley Halpe, Charlie Mahendran, Merlin Peiris, Dalston Forbes, Victor Gunawardena, Charlie and Ray Forbes to name only a few. Jimmy was a brilliant scholar, his forte being English and of course English elocution. Even from his boyhood days his speech and diction were flawless and his accent perfect. These were natural qualities and not acquired. Year after year, he monopolized the English elocution prize and we could get nowhere near him. Jimmy's elocution prowess was so remarkable and he was so versatile that I remember once, more as a lark he had a shot at the Sinhala elocution prize as well (though his knowledge of that language was far from perfect). His performance left the judges with no option but to award him the winning position over all the Sinhalese boys. Jimmy's classmates all did well to later enter the University and enter into various prominent positions in medicine, administration, law, the Services etc. Jimmy however opted, correctly I believe, to utilize his natural flair and talent and make broadcasting a career, which later became his passion. His distinguished career in that field is common knowledge and needs no repetition. It was sheer delight to listen to my schoolboy friend reading out the news in his impeccable style and diction or subsequently doing a commentary for a documentary production on television. It
was however in the field of commercial broadcasting that he excelled
under the patronage of whom Aubrey Collette in his cartoons dubbed
as "Odd Man Dodd" - Clifford R. Dodd the father of commercial
broadcasting in Sri Lanka. Jimmy and his contemporaries belonged to a type of society and value system which is fast disappearing, if it has not vanished altogether. Another of that breed has now gone and one might end with I believe, an apt quotation, "His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him that nature might rise up and say to all the world - this was a man." May he rest in peace. Harry Waidyasekera He
belonged to a fast disappearing group of lawyers I remember my first meeting with him aboutthree decades ago, almost immediately after he had entered the legal profession when he came to obtain my assistance to prepare an application to the Court of Appeal. Thereafter, he met me fairly frequently and instructed me to appear on behalf of several of his clients in the District Court of Mount Lavinia as well as in Colombo. In due course, he found himself being retained in the District Court of Homagama also. However, his forte was conveyancing in which he gradually built up a lucrative practice. Unassuming, soft-spoken, frank and straight even to a fault, patient with refractory clients, all those who came in contact with him knew that he was a lawyer as a lawyer should be, not a mere hireling who would espouse false claims for high rewards, either in money or in kind. His fees were reasonably moderate and on many an occasion, when a client was in financial difficulty, he would gladly waive any payment. But, those who could afford, left more than what had been suggested on his table when they were leaving his office, lest he return the excess. For some weeks, his health had been gradually failing but with the support of his juniors, he kept the flag flying. But suddenly, the situation worsened ending in his sad demise. His instructions to his kinsfolk with whom he spent his last days had been that his mortal remains should be disposed of within twenty four hours. However, despite the short notice, some of his friends and colleagues were among the mourners present at the Godigamuwa Cemetery. May
he attain Nibbana! Generous
hand and courageous heart I had the good fortune of being invited to attend Lake Toba Summit 2005, in North Sumatra. Governor Rizal Nurdin and his wife were great hosts; they looked after me and my wife very well and we were made to feel at home in North Sumatra. I had the opportunity to move very closely with Governor Nurdin and his team during a regional conference. I was able to promote my province to work closely with North Sumatra. He was to come to Sri Lanka in December this year to meet us. A noble life dedicated to the service of humanity is no more. He faced the fire of the world and came out unscathed. A humble politician he had risen to an exalted position. The same humanity of spirit, the same nobility of soul and purity of heart, austerity of conduct, refinement and delicacy of feeling, and unwavering devotion to duty won him the hearts of the people. There was in him a sense of self-examination. He was a man of pure nature, a nature so pure, so tender and yet so heroic. His courteousness to the great, his affability to the humble, and his dignified bearing won him the respect and admiration of all. He was gifted with the power of influencing equally the governor and the governed. There was a majesty in his face which inspired in all who came in contact with him a feeling of love and affection. He was most indulgent to his inferiors, and would never allow anyone to be sidelined. His hand was most generous, his heart most courageous and his tongue most truthful. Mohamed
Hilmy A man
of singular honour and integrity I consider this the most horrendous political mistake a Sri Lankan government has ever made, because by that foolish action a prestigious newspaper organization, probably the largest in South Asia at that time (the Silumina had the largest circulation of any newspaper in South Asia), was reduced to a mere propaganda appendage of the government from then on and continues so up to this day. But I digress, because this is an appreciation of that wonderful human being Earle Abayasekara who was my guide and mentor during those eventful 10 years. Earle Abayasekara was a strict disciplinarian, but a most gentle man beneath his shy and reserved exterior, as I came to know over the years. A man of few words, but impeccable in his written English. Even Senior Managers at Lake House approached him with some trepidation, but they knew he was totally fair in his decisions. As I said earlier, the position he held as Company Secretary was a vital and pivotal position in the organization, second only to the Board of Directors (there was no General Manager then). All instructions/circulars to the various departments/staff emanated from him or his genial Asst. Secretary, the late Ben Abeyewardene. The entire administration of the company, which had almsot 2,000 employees at that time, came directly under his purview and it was he who methodically introduced the rules and guidelines by which everyone in the organization worked. He was a glutton for work and it was not uncommon to see him in his room late into the night, sometimes with his confidential stenographer and sometimes alone. His confidential stenographer over most of the 10 years, was a taciturn gentleman by the name of Leslie Ephraums, who took his confidentiality so seriously, that he seldom or never spoke to anyone else in the department. Abayasekara's command of the English language was so good that he got through an immense volume of dictation in one brief sitting. But this did not affect the preciseness of expression, which was evident in all his memos, letters and circulars. I recall how, with a few added words or deletions, he used to correct my drafts giving them that finishing touch, which made them complete. I was indeed fortunate to come under the guidance and tutelage of this gentleman par excellence, in my formative years. A family man to the core, he was a devout Christian, but was always looking to expand his field of knowledge, reading widely on philosophy and other religions. He left Lake House shortly before the take-over and I did soon after. I regret I did not have much contact with him thereafter, as we went our separate ways. He will be sorely missed by his wife Anne and children to whom I offer my sincere condolences. May
his soul rest in peace! |
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