Appreciations

It was four years ago, on October 10, 2003, that our dear friend departed from us, in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Dhule had his education at Royal College and represented his school in boxing and athletics. After completing his education, he joined as a creeper at Dambatenne Estate, Haputale, the only tea estate owned by Liptons at that time. He served at Dambatannefor quite a long time. With the nationalization of the tea estates, he was transferred to other tea estates. He then retired from the tea industry prematurely to pursue other business interests.

In 1992, he moved with his family to Hendersonville, North Carolina. During his entire life, from his schooldays and planting days, to his life in USA, he cultivated a wide circle of friends. His friends came from all walks of life. He was proud of his class, and kept in touch with his classmates, even attending the class reunion the year before he passed away. Haputale, being close to the garrison town Diyatalawa, he had close friends from all three forces. He chose his friends for the traits he liked in them without any prejudices or preferences for family status, financial status, caste, race or religion.

While in the USA, he made that extra effort to visit his friends scattered in the different states and in Canada. When he visited UK and Australia, he did the same. When time or distance did not permit him to visit certain friends, he made amends with a phone call inquiring about their welfare. Most of us miss his regular phone calls and picture postcards, with his unique sense of humour.

Dhule’s early departure deprived him of enjoying the company of his grandson Ashane, who is now one and a half years old now.“Dhule, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to be your friend. Whenever we, your mutual friends meet, we think of you and have a glass on the table for you.”

He is dearly remembered by his loving family. In Dhule, we got what we saw. No pretensions.

With him, we got what we saw, no pretensions