Not only did Kurunegala lose a man of stature, the whole of Sri Lanka lost a friend, a man you could count on to step in whenever you needed him. Who would do what he had to do and move away, never to remind you of what was done, and not too happy if the subject was brought up either.
Namal was born and bred in Kandy – boarded at Trinity College from the tender age of five. He played rugby for the College First Fifteen, winning his rugby colours before he left to follow in his father’s footsteps.
When he first moved to Kurunegala as an understudy to his father, Mr. P. H. Gamage, also a well-known businessman, he was a handsome 20-something. He took Kurunegala by storm; at least, all the young girls were interested. The people around town did not know what to think of this dazzling young man/boy being groomed to take over from his father.
He had just got married to Niromi when his father passed away quite suddenly. The common sentiment around town was that the family business was doomed. But Namal proved them all wrong – he took over from where his father left off and built an empire of his own style and vision. He took everything to another level and went on to become one of the most respected and loved citizens of Kurunegala.
His reputation preceded him wherever he went, but he was humble. I wonder whether he was aware of the difference he made to others around him. He had no political affiliations – at least none that I knew of, and I knew him quite well. He was a friend to every politician in Kurunegala as well as elsewhere. If they asked for assistance, he would help them, but never asked for a favour in return –at least, not for himself.
When his daughter returned from Australia after completing her studies, he did not ask any friends to give her a job, even though he knew the right people in the right places. She would have to learn to fend for herself, he said.
He was known as an employer, a parent, husband, brother, uncle, cousin or relative. He was there for everybody. Whether they were young or old, rich or poor, influential or otherwise, did not matter to him. If they needed his help, he gave it. I know of instances when he even risked his life to help others in need.
After he had passed away, everyone I spoke to had a story to tell about Namal, and the stories had one thing in common, that Namal had gone out of his way to do something special for them.
A Friend
His sudden death proves that the good do die young
Namal Gamage’s tragic death in a car crash three months ago in Kurunegala, is yet another demise that gives weight to the saying that it’s the good that die young. The outpouring of grief witnessed at the news of his death is testament to what a warm-hearted and affectionate human being he was and the hearts he had touched of so many.
He was the perfect husband to Ungi, a doting father to Indiwari and Pulasthi and was the beloved brother to his sister Premika.
Athletic and good-looking, the six-foot Namal was a former ruggerite of Trinity College, Kandy. His eternal impish smile endeared him to one and all. The non-smoking, teetotaler had no enemies because by nature he could not harm any person.
A car-fanatic throughout his life, his only vice was fast-driving. Whether it was his speeding or because sleep overwhelmed him during his drive-back from a school mate’s party, it was ironical that he had to die at the wheel of his beloved car.As a toddler, Namal could not be separated from his “dinky cars.” I, as a cousin, saw his love for cars developing over time into an intense passion, a passion that no amount of remonstration could stall. There were many near-collisions which he however avoided with his driving skills.
The only son of Sena and Gerty Gamage (both deceased) of Paramount-fame of Kurunegala, Namal, who inherited the popular Hotel, displayed great business acumen and turned it around making it into a multifaceted business concern.
He was just getting involved in social service activities in Kurunegala being elected for the second term as the President of the Kurunegala Lions Club. His pet project was the Vocational Centre which he had set up and was taking personal interest in. Namal was also an active member of the Kandy Four-Wheel Driving Club.
Being a keen wildlife enthusiast and nature-lover Namal was in the process of completing the construction of his house which he was building in the shadow of the Kurunegala rock where the rock and its undisturbed environs were blended into the architectural design.
Many were the projects he had envisioned and the best tribute that his family can pay him is to see them through to fruition. The death of this simple and lovable man is a great loss and he will be missed by his family and all those who were fortunate to have known him.
May he attain Nirvana.
Rajitha Weerakoon
Long queues of expectant mothers would wait
to meet the kind doctor
Prof. Dayananda Wijeyratne
Professor Dayananda Wijeyratne, Visiting Surgeon at the Sri Jayawardanepura General Hospital, passed away after a brief illness. He was 70 years.
He hailed from a distinguished family in Ahungalla. His father was a magistrate, and he had two sisters.
After completing his secondary education at St. Joseph’s College, Maradana, he went to London to study to become an obstetrician gynaecologist.
He was a pioneer surgeon at the Jayawardanepura General Hospital, and became the hospital’s visiting surgeon.
His bungalow on Pagoda Road, Nugegoda, was also his clinic. My house is opposite Professor Wijeyratne’s bungalow. We became family friends. His son is a medical research doctor living in Australia.
He was very popular with his patients, and hundreds of expectant mothers would come to see him every day, except on Poya days. Often, in the middle of the night, I would hear him take his car out to go and see his patients. Every day, there were long queues of patients along Dharmadutha Lane waiting to see him.
He is greatly missed.
May he attain Nibbana.
A.G. D. S. Rajapakse
An upright and fearless Officer
Cyril Herath
Cyril Herath, a former Inspector General of Police, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, and Chairman of the National Savings Bank, passed away in the Police Hospital on September 8.
He was educated at Royal College, Colombo and graduated from the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya with a B.A. Thereafter he joined the Police service as a probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police and went on to serve as the Inspector General of Police from December 1985 to August 1988.
During the years in the Police, he served in many parts of the country and his qualities of independence, forthrightness and brilliance in intelligence gathering, shone during the period he was the Head of the Intelligence Service, sometimes known as the Special Branch, National Intelligence Bureau etc.
Especially during his period as the Head of the Intelligence Service, he maintained a high standard of professionalism in intelligence gathering through his team of officers working under him. He trained and directed the officers to be professional intelligence gathering operatives. He was honest and instilled honesty in all his subordinates. He refused to be part of any political system which under normal circumstances made use of the Intelligence Division as one of their political tools.
He was the Head of Security when the Non-Aligned Conference was held in 1976. He was given the task of being overall in charge of providing security at the BMICH, of the visiting Heads of State, and of the Hotels where the VVIP's were housed. He led a team of dedicated officers under him to ensure that no untoward incidents of security concern took place during the entire period of the Conference.
I recollect one meeting, which the late Lakshman Jayakody and the late Mackie Ratwatte were conducting, where a proposal was made by them to invite a City Father at that time along with the Councillors for the opening day of the Conference. Since the decision as to who should be the invitees for the opening ceremony had already been taken and decided upon, Mr. Herath objected to this proposal. In spite of the convener of the meeting conveying that the Prime Minister had agreed to invite the City Father and his Councilors, Mr. Herath wanted his objection recorded. Thereafter, he communicated with the PM who denied having given approval, for the City Father and his councillors to be invited to the opening ceremony, and the proposal was never implemented.
Another instance where his forthrightness was displayed, was senior officers who were not recommended by him as the Head of the Department, were promoted, depriving the suitable officers recommended by the Department of their promotions, Mr. Herath went up to the then President J.R. Jayewardene and objected to the promotion of those officers not recommended by him. In spite of his objection to the promotion, officers selected by the government were promoted.
Mr. Herath tendered his resignation over this issue though he had more years to continue as the IGP, and left the service honourably with his head held high. To my recollection he is the only IGP to resign from his post having disagreed with a head of State. I have the privilege of having served under him in the Intelligence Bureau and at Police Headquarters, and cherish the standard he maintained and instilled in us to be professional Police Officers with honesty and integrity.
He has also been sought after by many heads of government thereafter, to be the advisor on intelligence matters. He was the first Police Officer to be appointed as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. He conducted himself in an honourable manner without succumbing to any political pressure. He was a devoted husband and caring father. He leaves behind his wife, three sons and daughter.
It is a great loss to the people of this country of an upright and fearless officer who could have shared his valuable knowledge in matters affecting the majority of our country who are law abiding citizens .
"May he attain Nibbana".
B.Anton Jeyanathan,
Rtd. DIG, Sri Lanka Police
A friend to many
he weathered
many a storm
Shelley Wickramasinghe
The death of Shelley Wickramasinghe has taken away from our midst a person of rare calibre. To those who knew him personally, to his wide circle of friends, colleagues, relatives and associates, his death is an irreparable loss. A great personality in the sports field, affable person, distinguished character of many facets and a gentleman par excellence, has been lost forever. An Engineer by profession, he was a consultant to British Leyland Motors, and worked as Chief Engineer, at the then Ceylon Transport Board.
He had an open mind, generous and was always willing to give of his time and energy to whoever reached out to him for help, no matter what the regular donations and monthly allowances doled out to those in need. He would write out cheques to them on the exact day of every month, and get his driver to post them. He did this till his very last days. Never would he return from Kataragama, a place he went to often, without bringing back a load of vegetables to be distributed to the Homes and Orphanages he helped.
He bore no malice or ill-will, had many friends, here and abroad, with whom he kept in touch. He enjoyed friendship, loved meeting people, be they old school mates, acquaintances or even the old domestic aides from the villages, whom he helped immensely. Shelley Wickramasinghe was deeply religious, well versed in the Buddha Dhamma. In the latter stages of his life, when he could not move about freely, he would sit on his sofa and read Dhamma books, and encourage others to do so.
He would discuss facts in Buddhism with my husband, whenever we went to see him. He gave freely and generously to temples, was a Trustee of the Kalutara Bodhi, President of the Y.M.B.A. and participated in innumerable religious activities. He respected all religions, and was happy when he was appointed the first Buddhist President of the Old Boys’ Association of his predominantly Catholic alma-mater,-St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya.
It is sad he had to undergo several personal crises in his life-- losing his beloved wife, thereafter, his only son unexpectedly, and his younger daughter at an early age. I believe, his deep knowledge of Buddhism, helped him to walk through the storm, even though his dreams may have been tossed and blown away. He was blessed in having Shyama, his only surviving child, who was a pillar of strength to him, in his sad moments and up to the end of his life’s journey. She was his constant companion. She sacrificed much of her time and energy, most willingly, to care for him, and to continue unbroken, the set-up of the warm and comfortable home he was used to, and where he lived as he wished to, till the end. His blessings to her were a hundred fold. She was able to care for her precious father so well, because of the support and encouragement she got from Ranjan, her husband.
Shelley’s achievements, some of which I got to know only after his death, are too many to be written here. But I must say, I’m proud he was my brother-in-law, my late sister Ranee’s husband. May he attain the Bliss of Nibbana.
Rupa
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