We will never hear her voice

By Yasas P. Mendis

The hopes of the family of Rukshika Prasadini, 21 to hear the voice of their daughter on the new radio channel V- FM and see her turn into a professional announcer cum journalist have been dashed.
“She wanted to relieve her father of the responsibility of supporting the family,” said her mother Gamage Chithrani at their residence in Batapola, Ambanlangoda.

Rukshika who was educated at Krithudeva Balika Vidyalaya, Baddegama was the deputy head prefect and had many talents. After her schooling she taught at the village Dhaham Pasala.
“She followed a diploma in journalism and was enthusiastic about her new job at V-FM as an announcer,”says the mother.

‘My husband is employed at the Agrarian services as a development officer and Rukshika was the eldest of three daughters. The others are schooling.. She used to help me in the house work too. It is because of her oratorical skills that she gained employment at this new radio station,” she said.
“The whole country will hear me over the radio from January 1. You can listen to me”, were last few words, her mother recalled with tears.

“She used to practice reading news while I cooked. When she got her first salary she bought her two sisters clothes, a towel for me and a book on English language for my husband,” she said.