APPRECIATIONS
View(s):Always bubbly and with a smile on her face, she was more than a boss to us
SUNETHA DE SILVA nee HETTIARATCHI
Sunetha De Silva nee Hettiarachchi passed away in her 84th year at Rayners Lane, United Kingdom on November 30.
She joined the Bank of Ceylon Legal Department in 1971. After a distinguished career of 25 years, she retired in 1996. She joined the Legal Department as a Legal Officer and retired as the Deputy Chief Legal Officer. During her long career in the bank, she earned the respect of all the banking sector staff. She had a very cordial relationship with the corporate management, the board of directors and all at the Legal Department.
As an instructing Attorney she was well respected by the Attorney General’s Department and Senior Counsels of the private Bar. She worked closely with President’s Counsels such as Niranjan Sinnathamby, S. Sivarasa, E.D. Wikramanayake, A.K. Premadasa, H.W. Jayewardenae, K.N. Choksy, K.C. Kamalasabeysan, Asoka De Silva and K. Kanag-isvaran to name a few.
Sunetha had a very good knowledge of all legal matters relating to banking. She was trained by the late Mr. Shanmugarajah who was the Head of Legal of the Bank of Ceylon and a master of banking law and practice. She was closely associated with him till his demise. The junior legal officers used to rally round her for advice and guidance in complicated legal matters and she was ever ready to help them.
Most notable of her qualities was that she was gentle, bubbly and always had a smile on her face. When we went to her room for advice, she would sometimes venture into other topics such as her culinary expertise and foreign and local current affairs. For that matter any topic was within her knowledge. She was a wonderful person.
She was born as the 9th child in the Hettiaratchi family. She had eight sisters and eight brothers. She was married to well-known journalist Neville De Silva, who referred to her as ‘ninth’ as she was the ninth child. They had a very happy married life and were very fond of each other.
While she was at the bank she was called by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to assist them when they first opened their Colombo office. She was granted no-pay leave to work with them. She joined her husband in Hong Kong and worked in a solicitor’s firm. She spent some time in Bangkok as Neville was Deputy Chief-of-Mission in our embassy in Bangkok. Then they went to the United Kingdom where Neville was the Deputy High Commissioner at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London.
There too she worked in a solicitor’s firm. Sunetha and Neville looked after each other well till she passed away.
We, the retired staff of Bank of Ceylon Legal Department, are deeply saddened by the demise of a very good friend, boss and guide. May her soul attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
Retired staff of BOC Legal
A loving tribute to a life of strength and kindness
Sharma (Sharmi) Wijeyesinghe
Thirteen years have passed since you left us, yet the void you left in our hearts is still deep.
You were more than just a wife and mother; you were a source of strength to so many. Friends and family still speak of you with much love, cherishing the moments they spent with you. Your kindness, your wisdom, and your unwavering support touched countless lives and left a lasting impact.
You always pushed us to strive for our best, and even now, we carry your lessons in our hearts. We are holding up as you would have wanted us to. We still gather for meals, sharing stories and laughter, much like we did when you were here. We cling to the memories we created together.
Until we meet again, know that you are forever in our hearts and thoughts. Your spirit lives on in every moment we cherish and in every act of love we share.
With all our love,
Aloy, Dilomi (akki), and Charlene (nanga)
A life of dedication, integrity and service that inspired many
Asoka Wijetilleka
As a family, we honour the extraordinary life and legacy of Asoka Wijetilleka, a distinguished and proud Nalandian, who passed away last Saturday, December 14, leaving behind a remarkable journey of service, dedication and love. His life, both professional and personal, was a beacon of integrity, inspiring countless individuals and touching the lives of many.
Mr. Wijetilleka began his illustrious career in 1973, joining the Sri Lanka Police Force as a Probationary Sub-Inspector. Through tireless dedication and an unblemished record, he rose to the rank of Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, retiring after 40 years of exemplary service.
His career was distinguished by numerous prestigious appointments, including Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Director of International Police Affairs and Human Rights, Deputy Inspector General of Police overseeing the CID and Police Headquarters and International Relations, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Eastern Province, Western Province, Sabaragamuwa Province, North Western Province, North Central Province.
Representing Sri Lanka on the global stage, he became the first Sri Lankan police officer in 156 years to chair an international forum outside the country, presiding over the 16th INTERPOL Terrorism Symposium in Lyon, France in 2016.
Mr. Wijetilleka’s contributions extended far beyond his police career. He was instrumental in drafting vital legislation, including the Computer Crimes Act and amendments to the Evidence Ordinance. Representing Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and contributing to International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) discussions, he left an indelible mark on Sri Lanka’s legal and human rights frameworks.
Even in retirement, his passion for service continued. He served as an advisor to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption, a board member of the National Child Protection Authority and the Victim and Witness Protection Authority, and as a Commission Member of the Independent National Police Commission. His last assignments prior to his passing within this year were serving as an advisor to the Minister of Public Security, holding the leadership role of Secretary General of the International Police Association and also serving in other internationally and locally recognised professional organizations such as, as Vice President of the Organisation of Professional Association of Sri Lanka OPA, Member of the Industrial Security Foundation, Asia Crime Prevention Organisation, Medico – Legal Society Sri Lanka and President of the Old Nalandian Sports Club (ONSC).
As we reflect on his legacy, we remember Mr. Wijetilleka, known simply as ‘Asoka’ to us, not only for his professional achievements but also for the values that defined him – his dedication, integrity, helpfulness and commitment to justice. He set an extraordinary example, reminding us all of the impact of a life lived in service to others.
Our love and support go to his beloved wife, Jayanthi, and his cherished daughter, Shanika, who were his greatest sources of pride and joy. His love for them was unwavering, and they stood by his side throughout his remarkable journey.
Mr. Wijetilleka’s legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew him. His life was one of purpose, and his contributions to his family, community, nation and globally will be remembered with deep gratitude and admiration.
With heartfelt love and sorrow, Your Family
He trod fascinating new pastures throughout his life
Prof Padmasiri de Silva
This brief note of appreciation is to pay tribute to Professor Padmasiri de Silva (1933–2024), one of my teachers at the University of Peradeniya in the 1980s. He was to celebrate his 92nd birthday on January 18, next year with the publication of his most recent contribution, The Moral Psychology of Buddhism, currently under preparation for publication posthumously in Melbourne.
Professor de Silva passed away peacefully in the company of his three sons – Maneesh, Adeesha and Chandeesha – in Melbourne, Australia on November 21. We just missed the opportunity to celebrate his legacy in the areas related to Buddhist psychology. Most recently, he was engaged in the composition of creative poetry- Emotional Rhythms of Our Lives (2023), inspired by years of intense meditation practice of Vipassana (Insight).
Professor de Silva had a meaningful and highly fruitful academic career in Sri Lanka (University of Peradeniya), Singapore (National University of Singapore) and Australia (Monash University). Political turmoil in the island of his birth was not favourable for his family; circumstances forced him to become another member of the rapidly growing Sri Lankan diaspora when he was closer to retirement age (56 years).
In William James’ analytical psychological typology, he remained a “healthy soul”. In adversity, Professor de Silva never lost hope or direction. He was always deeply engaged in multi-faceted research trajectories treading fascinating new pastures.
After leaving Sri Lanka, his research developed into Environmental Philosophy and Ethics in Buddhism (1998), The Psychology of Buddhism in Conflict Studies (2017), An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology and Counselling (2014) and Emotions and The Body in Buddhist Contemplative Practice and Mindfulness-Based Therapy (2017).
The last academic post that he held in Sri Lanka was the prestigious Professorship in Philosophy at the University of Peradeniya succeeding the late Professor K.N. Jayatilleke (1920–1970). He served as the Head of the Department of Philosophy for many years (1980–1989). During his tenure, he introduced a novel MA programme in Comparative Religion (1985); he also supported the development of the subject area of Psychology, which eventually became a fully grown separate academic discipline as a Department within the university.
More than during my student days at Peradeniya, during the last decades I noted more and more that Prof. de Silva was exceedingly driven by scholarly and academic pursuits. Even in his advanced years, putting most of us, the young, to shame, he travelled tirelessly to lands such as Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam to contribute to international scholarly assemblies.
Very modestly, he shared his words of wisdom with others with a great sense of humour and fun. I still have vivid memories of his exceptional talent in singing songs by Sunil Shantha and telling stories of his life journeys at an evening reception in Thailand a few years ago. His mission in all of those events was always educational and transformative.
Though I was much junior, I was privileged and honoured to associate with two of his publications: The Psychology of Emotions and Humour in Buddhism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018) and Mindfulness-based Emotion Focused Counselling (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020). Since the 2018 publication contains a complete list of his monographs (“Foreword”, p. x), I do not repeat them here. His distinctive scholarly contribution, nevertheless, remains Buddhist and Freudian Psychology (1973).
May Professor Padmasiri de Silva find peace and happiness in attaining Nirvana!
Ven. Prof. Mahinda Deegalle
Searching for an ideal partner? Find your soul mate on Hitad.lk, Sri Lanka's favourite marriage proposals page. With Hitad.lk matrimonial advertisements you have access to thousands of ads from potential suitors who are looking for someone just like you.