Appreciations
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teacher who served her motherland Her ready, truly sincere and warm smile was one of the most remarkable characteristics of her personality as was her lack of pettiness, malice and personal ambition. She was beautiful in a very simple manner without any artificial attributes and attracted many admirers. Her utter lack of personal vanity was one of her most appealing traits. She had her education at Bishop’s College, Colombo consequent to which she took up a teaching career out of a sense of conscientious duty to serve her country. After her father's death in 1954, she bore a large part of the financial responsibility, (along with her mother), for the upkeep of the family at the cost of her personal luxuries. These efforts bore fruition when her three brothers, who were all Thomians, engaged in successful careers first domestically and then migrating abroad in the seventies; two of them (Raja and Ranjit de Saa Bandaranayake) culminating their work as eminent Professors of Medicine in Australia and New Zealand while the youngest (Gamini De Saa Bandaranayake) specialised in the IT sector in Switzerland). Following marriage in 1960, she gave up home comforts and bravely ventured abroad to be with her husband for a while as he studied for his doctorate. Thereafter, she lived and taught for long years at Girls High School in Kandy where also her beloved uncle, (and mother’s youngest brother) Archdeacon Christopher Ratnayake, was functioning as the venerated chaplain of Trinity College and an almost iconic teacher to unruly College students. Her proximity to him was an important part of her desire to be in Kandy where her husband Brian preferred also to work, away from the hurly burly chaos of the capital city though both had been born into well respected Anglican families in Colombo. Though I lost touch with her on a regular basis during the time that she moved to Kandy, my remembrances of the two of them at that point were that they were made for each other in their quiet partnership of all the joys, trials and tribulations in life. Both of them shared a desire to work for the betterment of those less fortunate and did so in an inconspicuous manner. They both shunned ostentatious and materialistic lifestyles and brought their children up to believe in the same values. Hers was a close knit family. Once she and her husband retired from public service, they returned to Colombo principally to be with their daughters, the elder of whom Sureni had just got married to a doctor while the younger daughter, Kishali was studying in the Faculty of Law and also pursuing a career in the media. Her devotion towards her children was very strong and she gave them much loving support. Her elder daughter bore two sons who became the apple of Susyma’s eye. Her younger daughter, after graduating with Honours from the University of Colombo, became a well-known lawyer/legal activist and elegantly courageous writer. The fact that her children consciously chose to live in Sri Lanka and contribute to the betterment of the country in their various ways was a source of great pride to her. On her return to Colombo, we renewed our association. She joined us, the older generation of retired teachers of Girls High School, Mt Lavinia when we ‘got together’ to meet and greet a friend who comes from the UK once a year. Later, she became ill but her faith in God grew in its strength and she bore all her tribulations with fortitude as did her family who came closer at a time of need. She passed away as she lived; bravely and with much courage. Her family will miss her intensely and she will be remembered by all of us, her friends, as a sweet and uniquely fragrant rose which is now blooming in heaven. Our love and deepest sympathies go out to the family. May her soul rest in peace. Hermie Walatara A math
teacher who added value to Wesley He made an immense contribution to maintaining high academic standards at the school. The engineering and physical science students of the era gained enormously from his erudite math lectures. His premature departure from Wesley was a great loss and the void he left was never filled. Perhaps the Methodist hierarchy did not recognize his efforts and service to Wesley. They mistakenly ignored his desire for promotion. In retrospect, this was a grave mistake as he deserved better. It was a missed opportunity to have a man of his stature in a leading role in a school going through stormy times. He made no attempts to hide his feelings. Naturally, there was some bitterness on his part for this lapse. CJT's commitment to Wesley and to his students did not end with his departure. After migrating to Britain, he was the patron of the Wesley College OBU since its inception. I last spoke to him a few months ago when he gave me his memories of J.A.T. Sethukavalar, the physics guru of the 1950s. His mind was then clear and his voice just like in the old days. He was an old school teacher, a breed fast disappearing, who cared genuinely and worked tirelessly for students’ welfare. For him teaching was not a stepping stone for another more lucrative job. It was a profession and a way of life which he cared for passionately. He taught countless students at Wesley and later in the Latymer School in London. CJT made a profound difference in our lives and made us think more deeply. At an impressionable age he set our feet on the right path. His
contribution to Wesley College and education will always be fondly
remembered by his students and colleagues. The brotherhood of past
students sends its condolences to his immediate family. Dr. Nihal D. Amerasekera They
inspired awe and respect They
are my heroes and I hope my other brothers and I can inspire our
children to have the courage my father and brothers displayed. Thank
you for grooming, guiding and protecting us and showing us what
is right and wrong. And that's what it all comes down to: keeping
our country safe and free for the next generation, just as our forefathers
did. We
don't know the course our future will take or the challenges that
lie ahead. We do know the strength and character that we carry forward.
Sanjaya Fernando A brave
and gallant intelligence officer Tragedy struck again with the brutal killing of Colonel T .R. Meedin, General Staff Officer I, Military Intelligence Directorate of Army Headquarters, Colombo. The killing took place close to his residence in Kiribathgoda, about 12.30 a.m. on October 29, 2005. He was 39 years. As I collect my thoughts for this piece of writing, my mind goes back to the pleasant times I spent with the Meedin family at their ancestral home situated in front of the Hambantota Jumma Mosque. I was then serving with the 601 Field Battery, Royal Artillery, when this unit was stationed in Hambantota during the Second World War. Falick, Rizli's father, was then an active young man, a lovable character and an interesting companion. He lived with his parents. Rizli's grandfather was a senior government servant attached to the Hambantota Kachcheri. Their hospitality was unique and generous. It was sheer pleasure to have been in such wonderful company when camp life was boring. A product of St. Aloysius College, Galle, Rizli was an outstanding sportsman representing his alma mater in cricket and soccer. He outshone others in the college debating team. He was also a keen member of the college cadet platoon. Leaving school, he joined the Army on March 17, 1986 as an Officer Cadet and on completion of his military training at the Army Military Academy, Diyatalawa, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Light Infantry and posted to its 3rd Regiment on March 17, 1989. In the same year, he was transferred to the Intelligence Section of the Joint Operation Command under the Ministry of Defence. Promoted Captain on March 17, 1992 and Major on March 17, 1995, he commanded the 2nd Regiment, Military Intelligence Corps for four years and earned on merit a promotion as a Lt. Colonel. A brave and gallant officer who proved his worth on the battle field, he was decorated and awarded medals such as the Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP), Army 50th Anniversary Medal, 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal, Deshaputra Sammanaya and the North & East Operations Medal. On
behalf of the Sri Lanka Australian Malay Association (SLAMA) and
on my own behalf I convey our deepest condolence to his wife Shamina,
two daughters, Rishanya and Shiranya and all other members of his
family. Capt. Anwar Dole Unassuming
friend As a classmate, I was miles apart academically. Nevertheless, she would come to my home at least once a month to enjoy reading my poems on the Dhamma. She would tell me so compassionately, "your poems, Pearl have been in the form of Theri-gathas of yore". Beatrice was a practising Buddhist, observing the eight precepts or the Ata-Sil. May my good friend of supreme qualities attain Nibbana. Pearl
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