Kumar Chula de Silva
A man of principle
The first death anniversary of my beloved brother Chula fell on December 21. His unexpected illness and sudden death shocked his friends and loved ones as he was such a dynamic, active and lively personality.
Chula received his education at Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa. He loved his alma mater. He played for the college first eleven soccer team as the goal keeper.
Chula had a large heart and was always generous. He was a man of principle and never hesitated to speak for what he believed, never bowing to pressure, interference or threats.
He worked at Lake House for nearly 20 years as a business development officer of the advertising supplements department. He was a duty-conscious person and took his work seriously with a keen sense of responsibility. He received many awards for coordinating supplementaries.
I recall, when I spoke to him over the phone some time back to go for a medical checkup: he told me, “Don’t worry, my life is
Que Sera, Sera.” He was ill for some time, but endured it with fortitude and was never depressed. Due to his positive attitude towards sickness and because he always overcame every hurdle, all of us took him for granted.
It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that I recollect some past memories of this remarkable brother and a friend. All our family members loved and respected him dearly, and I can never forget the support he gave me. He left us with invaluable memories, which will not fade away with the passing of time.
In bidding farewell to you, as a Christian, I believe that you are not alone in that beautiful shore.
His sudden demise will be an irreparable loss to his wife, Shamini, who looked after him and always stood by his side. Chula was always proud of his two sons, Pemendra and Shamenra, both civil engineers who graduated from universities in Malaysia and Thailand.
He was a religious and simple man who led a simple life, and was always dressed well.
I thank God for giving me such a good brother whom I dearly miss. It is hard to believe that he is no more.
May the Good Lord bless and keep you in his divine home in heaven.
The one who died to save you will never be against you.
My dear brother, until we meet again, I remain.
May your soul rest in peace.
Your brother, Lalin
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Dr. A.M.A. Azeez
He always persevered
I pen these lines as a mark of respect to the great educationalist Dr. A.M.A. Azeez. He hailed from a distinguished family in Jaffna. He attended the Vaideshwara Vidyalaya and Jaffna Hindu College, and these institutions gave him ample knowledge that had a positive impact on his life. They also gave him a sound knowledge and understanding of Hinduism and Tamil and this background encouraged him to cultivate a tolerant attitude.
He was able to understand different religions when learning with different people under different setups. He strove hard to adjust himself in his early life.
In 1929, he entered the Ceylon University. There he earned the enviable distinction of ‘Exhibitioner’ in the History subject. Devoted and hardworking, he excelled in his undergraduate studies. His performance earned him a place in St. Catherine’s College, Cambridge.
There he pursued advanced studies in History. He was the first Muslim to enter the Ceylon Civil Service in 1935, where he served as an assistant government agent and later, as an administrative secretary. He eventually became an information officer at the Public Service Department.
He retired in 1948 with the sole idea of serving his community and country. The furtherance of education among Muslims became his noble mission. He functioned as the principal of Zahira College, Colombo, for 13 years.
No other Principal who served Zahira had such a record of service. All credit should go to Dr. Azeez for having built up an institution with a firm foundation. He was successful in guiding the destiny of this institution.
Dr. Azeez created history and is more fondly remembered as a principal of Zahira. Zahira was Dr. Azeez and Dr. Azeez was Zahira; such was the thinking that prevailed. With the help of his administrative skills, he made the college a leading Muslim institution in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Azeez was confronted with many challenges during his stewardship, but regardless, he acted bravely and tactfully. He was a man of principle and proved himself to be an exemplary and efficient principal. Doctors, engineers, scientists, architects, and teachers were his products; they are indebted to him for where they are today. Dr Azeez led a busy and demanding life because of his professional abilities and capabilities.
The Muslim community expected more from him as he was a writer on Islamic subjects. He had written a number of articles on Muslims in Sri Lanka and his articles were published in The Voice of Islam in Karachi, Pakistan. The period between 1938 and 1955 kept him involved in Islamic pursuits and contributions; he presented articles in a convincing and concise way and his writings impressed many.
At the first international conference-seminar on Tamil studies held in Kuala Lumpur in April, 1966, an interesting research contribution was made by D. Azeez.
He showed an avid interest in academic work and contributed several articles, and these articles were published locally and abroad. The West Reappraised was a publication that came to be in 1964. It contained a collection of essays on a various people such as Mahathma Gandhi, Mohamed Ali, Anagarka Dharmapala, Arumuga Navalar.
M.I. Mohamed Ansar, Matara
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Lorna Kumaranatunga
She had a noble heart
It has been one year since Lorna Kumaranatunga passed away, putting everybody who knew her into grief and misery. That fateful day, December 31, 2017, was an extremely sad day to hear that she was no more. To those of us who had the good fortune to know her, we have lost a genuine and sincere lady of exceptional calibre.
I am unaware of her childhood or younger days, but I know that she was undoubtedly a living legend who had contributed to Sri Lankan education immeasurably. Born to a rich and affluent family, having attended prestigious schools in Colombo and having had her university education also in Colombo before it was shifted to Peradeniya, she belonged to the old stock of imperial days, the English-speaking. It was well reflected in her.
She was smart; always attired in a simple way, but sophisticated at the same time in keeping with her dignity. She was energetic and had a determined attitude to her responsibilities. The tasks she had were completed with great enthusiasm. My association with her commenced after she assumed duties as principal of Sujatha Vidyalaya, the prestigious and most sought-after Buddhist Girl’s School in Nugegoda. I learnt that she was the principal of the Samudra Devi Balika Vidyalaya in Nugegoda before she joined Sujatha Vidyalaya, when late Clara Motwani, another intellectual genius, was just about to bid goodbye to the school.
She was so cheerful and unassuming that her colleagues admired her greatly. Her willpower and methodical ways served a long way in improving the standards of the school. She guided students with firm advice. As a devout Buddhist, she helped in the reawakening of religious and intellectual activities. Pirith ceremonies, Kala Ulela, art and science exhibitions were held with much grandeur.
Death is so sad and painful. It leaves the living with a loss that can never be replaced. Her husband, Nandanapala Kumaranatunga, who spent his twilight years in writing, performing a worthy service, is somebody who is experiencing it bitterly. \When I mentioned that he must be really feeling lonely without her, his reply was that it is much more unbearable to miss her after 60 long years of a happy married life. She was a pillar of strength to him, attending to all his needs to the last.
Then the stability of a good home was always there. She took great delight in actively participating in and organising activities naturally in a happy family. She was very keen to fulfil her obligations. She was a devoted wife and an affectionate mother to her illustrious children, son and daughter, both doing well in life. They were fortunate to be guided and brought up by their parents, who provided the best of everything.
It was just the best form of parenting. It has been said that best mothers get promoted to be good grandmothers. I am certain that she was an amazing grandmother to her grandchildren. She was loving and caring in her own unique way. All who knew her will forever remember the charming manners that she carried in her successful life.
This noble-hearted lady led a great social life. She spent her sunset years helping the underprivileged and enjoyed her life to the fullest, mostly involved in religious activities.
She has left a memory so beautiful which will not fade away with the passing of time. Let this be a tribute to her. May she attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana.
Rupa Banduwardena
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Sivagamie Obeyesekere
Lady with the Midas Touch
Sivagamie Verina Obeyesekere or Siva Obeyesekere, as she is popularly known, was born to Amybelle Charlotte Valerie Corea and Lois Robert Clifton Dassenaike on May 7, 1929. Educated at CMS Ladies’ College up to the Senior School Certificate, Siva was a hostel prefect, games captain, and netball and tennis captain from 1943 to 1948. She married Senator James Peter Obeyesekere, the only child of Sir J. P. Obeyesekere and Lady A. E. Obeyesekere in 1948. James Obeyesekere, having schooled at Royal College, finished his education at Cambridge University and piloted his own airplane back to Ceylon in 1946.
When S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike broke away from the UNP to form the SLFP in 1951, James and Siva were among the first to join him. James was the Member of Parliament for Attanagalle, Deputy Health Minister, Deputy Finance Minister, and a Senator. The Obeyesekeres have two children, Peter and Chantal. Chantal, who has donned her parent’s mantle, currently works towards the developing indigenous arts and crafts and promoting local talent. Married to Dijen de Saram, they have two children, Dhevan and Chiara.
Siva Obeyesekere can be most appropriately referred to as the
Lady with the Midas Touch. Being a woman of matchless vision, her sincerity of purpose and her boundless capacity for hard work and producing results brought her into the limelight. Behind every successful man, there is a woman, and needless to say, Siva was a force to be reckoned with, supporting James to the hilt. From 1960 to 1965, when James was Member of Parliament for Attanagalle, Siva organised community health programmes in 127 villages located in the Attanagalle electorate and actively began to develop handicraft and hand-loom centres as well.
After being appointed as Small Industries Board Chairman in 1961, she organised sewing centres and traditional crafts centres, reviving district cooperative unions in hand-loom textiles.
In 1963, she was appointed as Accommodation Committee Chairman and Tourist Development Council member and was responsible for the drafting of the Tourist Development Act. In 1964, Siva inaugurated Laksala, the first government cottage industries emporium and was the Chairman of its Advisory Board. She established the Craftsman’s Association of Sri Lanka and promoted the Master Craftsman’s Apprenticeship Scheme.
Elected National Artisans and Craftsman’s Association President in 1973, she inaugurated Lakpahana, a private sector organisation for the promotion of local handicrafts. In 1991, she was the first woman to be awarded the Deshamanya title for her services to the nation by President Ranasinghe Premadasa and was elected the first UNESCO World Craft’s Council President and in 1996, was elected the first World Craft’s Council Asia Pacific Region President. In 1993, she was the first foreigner to be awarded the Kamala Saamaan in memory of Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay of India, for the development of Laksala. In 2006, she was appointed as Rural Industries and Self-Employment Promotion Ministry National Consultant. She was also the Presidential Advisor to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
A founder member of the SLFP, she worked tirelessly for the party from the age of 22. A devout Christian, Siva Obeyesekere broke tradition by challenging the UNP at the parliamentary election in 1965 by contesting the Mirigama seat, which is a UNP stronghold dominated by a Buddhist population. Although her opponent underestimated the chances of this 36-year-old Christian winning, she beat the more experienced Wijayabahu Wijesinghe by an overwhelming majority.
In 1970, her opponent was Prof. W. S. Karunaratne who was an eloquent speaker. The crowds, in large numbers, came to see and hear Siva who was able to reach out to people with her brand of oratorical skills. She won the seat and almost immediately got down to nursing her electorate with determination to alleviate poverty. She was appointed Deputy Health Minister and later, Health Minister.
She introduced the National Family Health Programme which was adopted by the United Nations as an international model, and for this effort, she was given a special award of appreciation by Senator Edward Kennedy.
Between 1973 and 2003, Siva Obeyesekere represented Sri Lanka at several international conferences. In 1973, she was elected Status of Women in Family Planning Vice President in Jakarta and led the Sri Lankan delegation to the World Population Conference in Bucharest. In 1977, she led the Sri Lanka delegation to the World Health Organisation in Geneva and was the first Asian woman to be elected vice president.
From 1977 to 1987, she was a delegate representing Sri Lanka at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok on population-related conferences and conferences relating to indigenous crafts in Japan, Austria, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. In 2009, she was appointed to the S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation by President Rajapaksa.
In addition to her official commitments, Siva Obeyesekere was also a trustee of the Boys’ Scout Movement and was intensely involved with the Sri Lanka Cancer Society and as a past president, established branches in Kandy, Galle, Batticaloa, and Jaffna and also played an active part in the School for the Deaf and Blind, Wathupitiwela Home for the Elders, and The Attanagalla Childrens’ Home and was a popular fundraiser for educational institutions such as S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia and her alma mater, Ladies’ College, Colombo.
Sangabo Corea
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