[APPRECIATIONS - (01-10-2018)] | Daily News

[APPRECIATIONS - (01-10-2018)]

TRIBUTE

Prof. M.T.A. Furkhan

A bold educationist

I have been a close associate of Prof. M.T.A. Furkhan from the time I joined the tutorial staff of Zahira College, Colombo; in May, 1972. When I was appointed the Vice Principal of that institution in 1984, we grew closer as friends.

We both worked at the Dr. A.M.A. Azeez Foundation after he was elected President of the foundation and I was elected Secretary at an annual general meeting held in 1994. We worked there until 2007 and are still members of it.

When Zahira faced problems between 1984 and 1987, I worked closely with the Board of Governors (BOG), especially with Prof. Furkhan. I can still remember how Prof. Furkhan, as the BOG Chairman, decided to close the college for two and a half months, and I feel that it was a wise choice. He is a bold, courageous and straightforward individual.

Prof. Furkhan was born in Balapitiya and received his primary education at Siddhartha College. He was later admitted to Zahira College, Colombo; in September, 1946. That was during Dr. T.B. Jayah’s time, two years before A.M.A. Azeez assumed duties as Principal. Prof. Furkhan was boarded at the college hostel when Abdul Cader Issadeen was the warden. He received the N.H.M. Abdul Cader Memorial Prize for Islam (Junior) from the then Education Minister E.A. Nugawela in 1950. The professor was in the college boxing team and was also elected captain of the college wrestling team.

After completing his secondary education at Zahira, Prof. Furkhan joined the City of London College (now City University) and qualified as a company secretary and Chartered management accountant. He was elected CIMA President in Sri Lanka, as well as at the New South Wales branch in Australia. The professor was also awarded the CIMA Institute Plaque, CIMA Citation, the U.K. Institute of Chartered Secretaries Citation, and the CIMA Business Leader Award. He was the first Management Accounting Professor at the Sri Jayawardenepura University from 1973 – 1976. In 2017, he was the only Sri Lankan Management Accountant to be inducted to the Global Management Accounting Hall of Fame. Prof. Furkhan had rendered yeoman service to Zahira College while being part of its Old Boys’ Association (OBA). The college was taken over by the government on August 21, 1961; however, the OBA, with the support of the Maradana Mosque Committee, won the case against the government and took back the college on January 1, 1967.

Since May 20, 1982, Zahira College has been governed under the Board of Governors Act No. 18 of 1982. While the government ran the college, Prof. Furkhan was the OBA Secretary; and when the College was taken back, the Mosque Committee managed it. From 1969 – 1972 and again from 1983 – 1987, Prof. Furkhan was the President of the OBA.

The Maharagama Property Development Project was also initiated by Prof. Furkhan. After he submitted his proposal, the OBA received the BOG’s approval to go ahead with the Project. Prof. Furkhan, M. Rizvi Rashad, M.L.A. Farook, M.T.A. Arif, A.S.M. Muzammil, M.M.A. Riza, Javid Yusuf and Saleem Hadjiyar were appointed to the OBA Sub-committee.

The plan to set up a college branch at Maharagama with 60 classrooms, a college hall, library, science laboratory, playground, and a hostel, was approved by the Maharagama Urban Council. However, its construction did not come to pass. Prof. Furkhan has also been the Zahira College Welfare Society President since 1998. When the Zahira College BOG (Incorporation) Act No. 18 of 1982 was passed, the following persons including Prof. Furkhan, constituted the BOG: Dr. M.C.M. Kaleel, MP Jabir A. Cader MP, retired Attorney-General A.C.M. Ameer, MP M.H.M. NainaMarikar, MP M.A. Bakeer Markar, A. Raheman Hathy, T. A. Jayah, Hussain Hashim, Rafi A Gaffoor, and Mohideen Cassim.

Prof. Furkhan has served the Zahira College BOG since May 20, 1982, except for the three years he served as the college principal. His name has gone down in the history of Zahira College as one of the founding members of the BOG. As a BOG member, he served in several committees such as the Buildings Committee, Maharagama International School Project Committee, Finance and Accounts Committee, and the Bambalapitiya Sagara Road Property Committee. He also served as a member of the College Educational Sub-Committee as well as the Heritage Committee. When the college celebrated its centenary, Prof. Furkhan was in the Dinner, Organising, Public Meetings, and Fundraising Committees. He was also the Patron of the OBA Centenary Executive Committee in 2014. I personally feel that Prof. Furkhan should continue to serve Zahira College as a member of the BOG, so that Zahira will have a good guide and pillar of strength.

The M.T.A. Furkhan Foundation established by the professor, provides financial assistance to underprivileged Muslim undergraduates. He also used his property in Balapitiyato to set up a community centre called the A.R.M. Thassim Centre in memory of his father. Prof. Furkhan is the founder of the Confifi Group of companies. At present, he is the Chairman of the Confifi Group and the Bairaha Group, and was also a leading personality in the hospitality trade when he was appointed President of the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka in 1990. The professor also received the Tourism Legend Award in 2008.

He was a member of the National Police Commission, National Finance Commission, Council of the Postgraduate Institute of Management, as well as the South Eastern University Council. Prof. Furkhan received the Deshabandu title in 1987 and the Deshamanya title in 2005 from former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

I cannot imagine Zahira College without Prof. Furkhan, and Zahirians will always remember the services he rendered in countless ways. They say that some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. I believe Prof. Furkhan falls into the second category. The Muslim community and the nation benefitted from his services.

May Almighty Allah shower his blessings on him and his family.

A.M. Nahiya, Former Vice Principal, Zahira College

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D.Q.M. Sirimane

Man of integrity

Sri Lanka previously had two sets of lawyers: advocates and proctors.

The former were considered higher than the latter, although litigants sought the services of both. Advocates commanded higher fees and proctors only practiced civil law.

This ambiguous division was abolished later and all lawyers were called Attorneys-at-Law.

More relevant to this narrative was the fact that during the period under reference, the crown was represented by duly-appointed legal practitioners. In District Courts, they were called crown advocates and crown proctors. This particular story relates to a one-time crown proctor at the Balapitiya District Court, and Balapitiya has a long history of producing outstanding lawyers.

But here, our focus is on a lawyer who was from Bentota. He was D.Q.M. Sirimane. Between Bentota and Balapitiya is a village called Induruwa which decades ago, was thinly populated and verdant.

This writer had spent many a memorable school holiday in Induruwa at his maternal uncle’s residence. My uncle, W.A.C Sirisena, also happened to be a lawyer. He was a crown proctor in Balapitiya from 1956 to 1961 after beginning his legal practice in the 1940’s.

His predecessors were leading figures. They were D.Q.M. Sirimanne and N. de Alwis. They were from reputed families in the Bentota-Elpitiya region. They were non-partisan in every respect and were of unquestionable integrity. One of the most notable facts about Quintus Sirimane was that he was the only proctor to reach the pinnacle of the judiciary: that of a Supreme Court Judge. He had joined the judiciary as a District Judge whilst in practice at Balapitiya.

It is perhaps relevant to mention that at the time of his elevation to the Supreme Court, his brother A.L.S Sirimane served as a judge of the Constitutional Court as well, which I believe was considered equivalent in rank to a Supreme Court Judge.

It was unusual if not unique for two brothers to serve in such high positions in the Judiciary simultaneously. Has there been a precedent in contemporary history? Perhaps only in one such instance earlier. President J.R Jayawardene’s father and his paternal uncle were both Supreme Court Judges. The Jayawardene family was pre-eminent in the legal profession of this country.

Quintus Sirimane had a son called Lal Sirimane, and he was a close friend of mine. A quiet and unassuming young man then, he was a Management Accountant who returned to the country after his studies in the UK.

He then joined a multinational company in the tobacco industry, which perhaps proved to be detrimental to him despite all other perks and fringe benefits the job afforded. It was Lal who related this astonishing tale of valour and independence demonstrated by his father against formidable odds. Lal never talked about his father’s distinguished legal career but for this episode and another, which were not known publicly.

At the time in question, the country had turned the political tides against the United National Party and returned the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to power. There was a powerful minister at the time who was close to the Prime Minister. The Minister attempted to influence judicial decisions in favour of his constituents, especially in election petitions heard before the Supreme Court. But Justice Sirimane had been ready when the minister walked into his chambers one morning for the purpose outlined above. He had asked the minister to leave the chamber at once.

Justice Sirimane had then sent a letter to the Prime Minister stating that he would resign from his post. However, the then Governor-General William Gopallawa had asked him to withdraw his resignation, assuring that he would take up the issue with the Prime Minister. If the resignation had been accepted and the matter became public, the implications would perhaps have been serious. People in the distant past were more conscious of their rights. The judiciary in a parliamentary democracy is one of its pillars, while the Supreme Court is the final court of justice.

Jagath C. Savanadasa

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Ranjit Ellepola

Devoted family man

Ranjit Ella was my special buddy at Trinity. He was an unassuming guy who shunned the limelight, as well as a humble man and friend to all.

During our senior years, a few of us skieped school and spent most of our afternoons at a hideout we called ‘Gustaff’. Ranjit, I am sure you will see this from the beautiful place you are in and recollect the enjoyable times we had there and smile.

It was a haven where we shared our lunch, had siestas and engaged in debates, usually on minor matters, or simply gossiped and joked. Ranjit Ella contributed much to the bonhomie of the place; he possessed an unparalleled wit, coupled with the ability to deliver grounded advice. He was always ready to laugh.

Yet for all the life we had as boys and men, when the maker cometh, we have no choice but to leave. Ranjit my friend, there is deep sorrow in your parting so young, but also joy in the knowledge that you will achieve Nibbana far sooner than any one of us; your character and high values insured it from birth.

You were a fine man and husband to Sama, as well as a devoted father to Ayodhaya, Chulaka and Bahanuka. All of us, your friends, join to say a prayer for you; to wish you a wonderful and peaceful life in the hereafter.

Roy Balasuriya


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