He was a friend of the farmer

~ Kapilasena Wijetunga

My good friend Kapilasena Wijetunga is no more. He passed away in a private nursing home in Colombo on December 6.

He was 80. I was shocked and shaken to hear the news as he was up and about attending to his routine work and also taking an active part in social and religious activities.

Mr. Wijetunga hailed from a respectable family in the historically famous village of Thotagamuwa in the Matale district, where his father was a well-known native physician. The late K.W.R.M. Ekanayake who was the District Minister for Matale was his youngest brother.

In the early part of his career in the public service, Mr. Wijetunga was mostly in Colombo. He was of immense help in solving the problems of villagers while based in Colombo. For this reason he was affectionately and fondly referred to as Kolamba Mahaththya.

He never lost touch with the common man especially the farmers and helped them in many ways, organizing rural and cultivation committees. He was instrumental in repairing a neglected water tank at Aluvihare, for the storage and supply of water to the vast stretch of paddy fields in Thotagamuwa and Dorakumbura.

Mr. Wijetunga took an active part in religious activities. He was in the forefront of the activities of the ancient Dorakumbura temple. With the help of the villagers he renovated the Bana preaching hall, a meritorious act which would have given much satisfaction in the evening of his life.

Being well versed in departmental procedure and regulations, he appeared for disciplinary inquiries and saved many a public servant from interdiction and dismissal.

I first met him at the Matale Kachcheri where he was the Co-ordinating Officer to the District Minister and with a self-introduction, we became instant friends. I have always valued his friendship.

May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.

By Dr. K.J.S. Weerakkody