The 11th of August marks the fifth death anniversary of my grandfather, E. P. Paul Perera, President’s Counsel.
Seeya had a very colourful political career which stemmed from a passion for history, law and justice for the people of our country. Founded on a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History from the University of Colombo, his public service career began at the Department of National Archives where he served as the Assistant Government Archivist before entering Law College. Whilst enjoying an extensive private practice, Seeya also joined active politics and was instrumental in the United National Party’s success in 1977 – something that we all look back and reminisce.
With the new UNP government, he served in a number of institutions ranging from the Times of Ceylon to the Greater Colombo Economic Commission. At the peak of his political career, he entered Parliament in 1983 representing the Kaduwela electorate and subsequently had the honour of serving as the Minister of Justice in 1988. Following a second term in Parliament where he contested from the Attanagalla electorate, he was appointed the Minister of Science and Technology, and later as the Minister of Lands.
Seeya always encouraged us to achieve to our highest abilities, and he has certainly been a great role model and an inspiration to our family. In the same year that I was born, he was appointed a President’s Counsel – an achievement for ‘Attorneys-at-Law who have reached eminence in the profession and have maintained high standards of conduct and professional rectitude’ as stated in Article 33 of our Constitution.
He was also a great sportsman back in his day, having won many athletics championships at school. Seeya and I shared a common interest in cricket – he was after all my very first cricket coach. We would play every Sunday in his garden, and I distinctively remember his unplayable under-arm doosras followed by his proud smile when I managed to get bat on ball.
I spent many hours after-school (after finishing my homework, of course) sitting with him at his residence at Ward Place, a house which I have many memories of growing up as a child, with guest appearances by the late J. R. Jayawardene, Gamini Dissanayake and the present Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. This was the time where we would spend together and Seeya would relate stories of the history of Sri Lanka, the culture of our Sinhalese and Tamil people as well as enjoy my grandmother’s cooking.
Seeya loved his country, and although he had retired from active politics for much of my childhood, he made it a point to take us around our motherland. As a result, I got to see the beauty of Sri Lanka and learnt about the history behind our stunning landmarks; from the conch shell used by King Dutugemunu to gather his soldiers at Sankapala, to the folk tale behind the creation of Ravana’s vettu when attempting to take Koneswaram to his dying mother.
I distinctively remember visiting the Madhu Church in the District of Mannar. Although this was during the ceasefire in 2005, the journey was sprayed with a heavy LTTE presence which was quite an intimidating experience for someone who was not used to seeing young men and women carrying weapons in striped tiger-esque uniforms.
However, Seeya had a great ability to speak the language of the land, whether it was Sinhala, Tamil or English, which meant that he had the capability to converse with anyone from a coconut vendor in Jaffna to a mudalali in the Colombo market. His strength of character and calmness when handling any situation was very comforting to everyone around him.
Looking back at his colourful career as a lawyer and his achievements whilst serving the people of our country has always brought a sense of pride and inspiration. Seeya lived by two sayings, which I feel reflects the legacy he has left behind.
From the Bible, St. Mark’s Gospel 8:36 – “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul.”
From the Dhammapada Yamakavagga, Verse 16 – “Here he rejoices, hereafter he rejoices; one who performed meritorious deeds rejoices in both existences. He rejoices and greatly rejoices when he sees the purity of his own deeds.”
Seeya, you are always in our thoughts.
May you Rest in Peace,
May you Attain Nibbana,

Your loving Grandson,
Mudara Perera
MSc (University College London) Civil  Engineer.
On behalf of your ever-loving family.

Sri Sangabo Corea

“Strengthening of the ties, which should bind a man to the place where, it is to be hoped, he has learned some of the most valuable lessons of life”-

Warden E. F. Miller-
April 19, 1886
Last week continued…
“Stick to the rules and make sure that you bring your band before nine tomorrow and you will have no problem” I assured him. The young man’s reaction was a menacing stare with the retort “Do you know who I am?” Very sternly I replied, “I am not interested in knowing who you are. I have a job to do and I expect you as an Old Boy of your school to cooperate with me. If you don’t, you will get to know from what kind of a background I come from, and that’s for sure.” He snapped back with his voice raised, “I am Mr.’s son and I am bringing my band in whether you like it or not” he said. I replied, “I didn’t know that Mr., holding a position of responsibility had a son who was not willing to play by the rules and if you think you can use your father’s name to scare me I will show you what I can do by talking to your father.” “Do you know my father?” he asked. “Just wait and see,” I told him and before I could bat an eyelid he and his companions were gone!

50-Over Royal-Thomian Cricket Match

When the joint committee in 2009 were looking at ways and means of increasing the number of spectators for the 50-Over Match I proposed a promotion which came in the form of a 50-Over Match Ticket stapled to every Big Match Ticket at a ‘give-away price’ and the net result was that the turn out for the 50-Over game was unprecedented!

The role of Secretary – O.B.A.

When I took over as Honorary Secretary of the O.B.A. in 1980 I looked at ways and means of organising events that would bring the O.B.A. membership together in greater numbers. I conscientiously set about doing this with the objective of building strong relationships amongst the increasing numbers that were joining the O.B.A. each year.
I was in constant touch with the Medarata Branch of the O.B.A. whose livewire was George Mant and later Dr. Sarath Kapuwatte, Ashley Herath and K.I. de Silva of the Negombo Branch and G.V. Punchinilame, Sarath Muttewegama and Nanda Ellawala of the Sabaragamuwa Branch. The Ruhunu Branch was also inaugurated with Dr. W. Dahanayake as the Guest-of-Honour. It was a treat visiting these branches and participating in their activities. I remember the Medarata O.B.A. organising a fellowship ‘nite’ after the Trinity-Thomian Rugger Match which even surprised the Old Trinitians!
My association with the O.B.A. and my passion to activate the O.B.A. resulted in my getting thoroughly involved with all its traditional events and in addition the new ones I introduced into it  it’s Calendar of Events.

Personal Involvement

•     Elected Member of the Executive Committee of the O.B.A.
•    Treasurer – Centenary Royal-Thomian Cricket Match
•    Joint Secretary – Royal-Thomian Centenary Fair and Exhibition
•     Secretary – 101st Royal-Thomian Cricket Match
•    Three times Chairman – Royal-Thomian Cricket Match
•    Joint Secretary – Thomian Fair
•    Organiser – Trade Stalls at three Thomian Fairs
•    Five times Chairman – Thomian Nite
•    Twice Chairman – Dinner to felicitate Distinguished Old Thomians
•     Chairman – Inter-Dormitory Good Housekeeping Contest
•    Organiser – Tsunami Proj
•    Chairman – Sports Festival – O.B.A. Week

New Membership Register

Taking over as Honorary Secretary of the O.B.A. in 1980, the first course of action I took was to start up a new Membership Register updating all the facts and figures connected with every single Member of the O.B.A. Thanks to the magnanimous gesture of Messrs M. D. Gunasena and Co. it turned out an elegantly bound Membership Register with provision for me to handprint the relevant information.

The Annual Circular to the O.B.A.

The next course of action was to design a new O.B.A. circular to the membership which went out in the form of a Brochure furnishing all the information that Old Boys needed to have about the year’s activities and in my message I referred to the O.B.A. as ‘a God-given Gift to S. Thomas.’

David G. Selvaratnam immediately wrote back

Dear Sange,

This programme I find, has been neatly printed unlike the type of thing we received in the past. I take this opportunity to congratulate you on the good work done as Hony.Secretary of the O.B.A. and wish you all success in your future endeavours.
From the very first meeting of the Executive Committee I changed the format of presenting the Minutes by introducung an ACTION column whereby each individual whose name appeared in the column had to report of action taken.

Car Sticker

An attractive full-colour Car Sticker which featured the Thomian Crest with the words Great to be a Thomian in an attractive flash design was the first of its kind to be launched. Amitha Abeysekera in his column in the Sunday Island made special mention of the sticker as something that every Thomian would proudly want to stick on the windscreen of his car. The sticker was so much in demand that stocks were exhausted in next to no time and a re-print was launched with Be thou Forever.

O.B.A. Festival of Sports

As Secretary, I was anxious to create opportunities for those connected with the College to get-together in a spirit of Fellowship. With this in mind, I organised a  Festival of Sports in which Old Boys and  Present boys, fathers and sons, mothers and sons, old boys and wives, teachers and students and even the minor staff actively participated.  It was an overwhelming success!

O.B.A. Garden Tea Party

The traditional Garden Party which was defunct was revived after several years following a discussion I had with Warden Illangakoon with a request that Sub-Warden, Rev.Duleep Chickera be requested to organise it. Rev.Chickera, willingly agreed and produced a garden party that is still being talked about !

Inter-Dormitory Good House-Keeping Contest

When Warden Illangakoon complained of a steadily deteriorating condition of the Boarding House due to neglect, I introduced the Inter-Dormitory Good House-Keeping Contest offering the Best Kept Senior Dormitory and the Best Kept Junior Dormitory Two Trophies and Two huge Hampers where the dorm mates of the winning dormitories could tuck into a variety of eats and drinks at the end of the Third Term. A Flying Squad of Judges, visited the dormitories 10 times in the year and awarded points on a Score Card that was designed to decide on the winner. All the dorm mates in Chapman, Miller, Copleston and Claughton were given a circular drawing every individual’s attention to the fact that they spent only 3 ½ months in the year at home whilst the major part of the year was spent in the boarding. They were requested to treat the dormitory like their home and look after it with care and concern at all times with attention to detail in cleanliness and neatness. All what the dorm mates had to do was simply ask their parents to supply their basic needs such as sandpaper, polish, varnish, paint, glass cleaner, scourers, disinfectant, air fresheners, mops, dust pans and brushes to do a weekly shramadana during the week-end and transform the dormitory to a meticulously  maintained apartment. The results were amazing! The window bars were painted, the glass panels were spotless, the beds were neatly arranged, the bags and the shoes kept in an orderly fashion and the toilets were clean and smelling nice of air freshners. The only snag was that whenever I visited the College to attend to other O.B.A. matters the news would spread to the four corners of the college campus that Sangabo Corea was on a Judging Visit and warned everyone to rush and tidy the dormitory promptly!

Thomian Fair

I was asked by S. K. Wickremesinghe and Siva Obeyesekere to run the Dance Hall in the Thomian Fair of 1986. The bands, which were led by Old Thomians were given pride of place on the bandstand to play each night to a capacity crowd. ‘Blow Up’ was the name given to the dance hall which was held in the dining hall.  On the opening night, the ‘Blow-Up’ was such a huge success that the College Hall, which featured karate exhibitions was stopped for want of an audience and I was requested to organise a second Dance Hall to accommodate the spill over from the ‘Blow-Up’! The snap decision brought in the desired results, surpassing our expectations!

Trade Exhibition at Thomian Fair’86

I also had the pleasure of combining with Nihal Sri Ameresekere and persuading more than the targeted number of Trade Stalls to participate in the Thomian Fair when a request was made by the Chairman, S.K.Wickremesinghe to make good the shortfall when the targeted number had not been reached. Between Nihal and myself we were able to exceed the target!

An S.T.C. Humanitarian Project

Following the Tsunami, my son-in-law, Kishan Jayewardene who is a die-hard Old Thomian and my daughter, Sharmini, residing in Ohio, U.S.A. decided to collect a 20 foot container of brand new school requirements and send them over to be distributed amongst school children who had lost their belongings in the Tsunami. Sharmini appeared on national television and appealed to viewers to donate new items that school children would need and deliver them to her house in Ohio. Press and Television gave maximum publicity and the net result was that the basement in her house was full of school requirements ready to be shipped to Sri Lanka. The container load was offered to Warden David Ponniah after I cleared the contents with a duty waiver. The Thomians, had the joy of distributing the best of brand new school items amongst school children affected by the tsunami under the supervision of the Warden and the Staff in a school that the College was adopting, down South.

Thomian Nite

One of the main attractions of Thomian Nite was the Grand Raffle we organised with the First Prize being a Return Air Ticket to London with One Week’s Stay hosted by the Old Thomians of London. The balance 11 prizes were all electric household appliances donated by Old Boys and Well Wishers. Tickets were sold by the book and a record income was achieved through the sale of raffle tickets inside the Colombo Hilton Ballroom !

Being Secretary of the O.B.A.

I have been three times Secretary of the O.B.A. …elected to serve 2 full terms and for the third time appointed by Warden Ponniah, in the absence of a Secretary.
Though tiring, I thoroughly enjoyed serving the membership, always having the interests of the O.B.A. foremost in my mind.
Once when Mr. Brookie D’Silva was on a short holiday in Sri Lanka he contacted me and suggested that we meet before he left for Australia. He was even more friendlier that he used to be and we talked of what the O.B.A. was involved in. There was one thing that I wanted to do for the school before my term as Secretary ended… to arrange a Twinning Programme between a foreign school and S. Thomas.’ When I talked of the numerous benefits the two schools would derive out of an exchange of students and teachers Mr. D’Silva got interested and said he would arrange the College he was working for in Australia to twin with  S.T.C. At the end of our meeting he was as enthusiastic as I was to make this a reality. Unfortunately the plans did not materialize due to Mr. De Silva’s health problem and his demise.
Whenever I happened to meet Old Thomians in Sri Lanka or overseas I was treated with utmost respect which gave me the personal satisfaction that as Secretary I had lived up to their expectations. My wife whose four brothers were all Thomians often remarked in passing that I was married to S.Thomas’ but never made it an issue! Whenever a Chapmanite living abroad came on holiday to Sri Lanka almost all the dorm mates, met at dinner with a ‘sing along’ thrown in with Sidat Sri Nandalochana on the keyboards and the rest of us exercising our vocal chords!
I was once traveling in a bus in Hawaii when a young gentleman got up from his seat, walked up to me to ask whether I was Sri Sangabo Corea. He was an undergraduate in the University of Hawaii and said that he got himself enrolled in the O.B.A. when I was the Secretary. On the very next day I was pleasantly surprised to receive a telephone call from yet another Old Thomian inviting me and my wife to dinner, hosted by Old Thomians in and around the university. In Canada, where my nephew, Kumaru Wijesundera was President of the Old Thomians Association the fellowship nite he organized was fantastic and his basement was like a mini night club with Old Thomians playing in a six-piece band.
Taking over from Sange I thought of quoting what Warden de Alwis had to say about Sange’s service to the O.B.A. in letters written to him.
“This is a personal note to thank you very much for all the hard work you put in to run the 1989 Royal-Thomian successfully. I fully appreciate all the difficulties you had to face in the organization of the match,” – Warden W. M. N. de Alwis
Warden Neville de Alwis’s letter to Sange at the end of his stewardship as Secretary  speaks for itself.

My dear Sangabo,

I wish to convey my personal thanks to you for the services you rendered as Secretary of the Old Boys’ Association. Your loyal and dedicated service for five years has I am sure been appreciated by all Old Boys. It is my sincere wish that you will return to serve the Association again.

Yours Sincerely

Neville de Alwis

Warden
I would like to end this article with
Sri Sangabo Corea’s concluding remarks.
“Whilst spending countless hours spread through several years in serving the Old Boys’ Association of S.Thomas’ College, I have gained something which has been of priceless value which  doubtless stood me in good stead throughout life.”

With my personal thanks to Sange

Steve de Silva

Strengthening of the ties, which should bind a man to the place where, it is to be hoped, he has learned some of the most valuable lessons of life”-

Warden E.F.Miller-         April 19, 1886
The headline to this write-up is taken from a letter written by Warden Miller, who started the S. Thomas’ College Old Boys’ Association in 1886 and addressed a letter to A. d’A. Seneviratne, a distinguished Old Thomian, expressing his desire to set up a group of Old Boys who would live up to the objects stated by him in that letter which are in quotes.
This year, when the S. Thomas’  College, Mount Lavinia Old Boys’ Association is celebrating its 125th Anniversary. I was trying to figure out who amongst the Old Boys would have made a significant contribution to the Association. Going through the records the name that kept coming up was Sri Sangabo Corea. I was not surprised as I have seen the inspiring leadership he gave to the committees he spearheaded during his long innings with the Executive Committee of the O.B.A. displaying skill with which he put his plans into action. When I called him for a friendly discussion, he was his usual self, willing to help and speak about his experiences, as a student, executive committee member and three times Secretary of the O.B.A.
My first question from ‘Sange’ as he is referred to was, How he came to be connected with S. Thomas’ College.
His explanation was that most of the Coreas were either educated at S. Thomas’ or Royal. It was a foregone conclusion that Sange’s father, being an Old Thomian himself would send his son to S. Thomas’ after his early education in Chilaw.
I have heard it said that Chilaw has been famous for three Cs … Coreas, Crabs and Coconuts.  Speaking of the Coreas, Sange said that from the time of his grand-father, Charles Edward Senewiratne Corea, the family has traditionally produced lawyers some of whom were also Members of the Legislature. When the British government imposed the Poll Tax compelling all males, 18 years and above to pay the government Rs. 2 by way of Poll Tax, Sange’s father, Charles Edward Victor Senewiratne Corea, an Advocate of the Supreme Court dared to oppose it, on the grounds that it was an iniquitous tax which the poor couldn’t afford to pay. He vehemently opposed it, refused to pay even though he knew that the punishment was severe. He was arrested, jailed and made to break rock stones  on the roads  as a punishment for defying the government. The crowds that kept coming from all parts of the country to see this spectacle of an Advocate of the Supreme Court fighting the cause of his people kept multiplying, with his popularity, increasing each day. This compelled the British to abolish the Poll Tax, after a month, and release Victor Corea, who by then, was a nation-wide hero and hailed as The Champion of the Common Man!
When the Legislative Council of Ceylon held its islandwide election he contested E.W. Jayewardene (President J.R. Jayewardene’s father) in the Colombo North constituency and won a fiercely fought election by a comfortable majority.  In later years he was named a National Hero by the government of Sri Lanka and  his statue stands next to the courts complex in Chilaw. Sange’s uncle (father’s eldest brother) Charles Edgar Corea, who was educated at Royal played in the nine-run Royal-Thomian Cricket Match, passed out as a Proctor and rose to eminence as the President of the Ceylon National Congress. Dr.Ernest Corea (father’s older brother) was educated at S. Thomas’ and qualified as a Doctor of Medicine. Their kinsman, J.C.A.Corea, was the first Ceylonese Principal of Royal, after Bradby.
‘Sange’, after his initial education in Chilaw, entered S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia in 1947 as the third generation Thomian and was admitted to Chapman House Junior.
What follows hereafter is Sange’s narration of a journey down memory lane.

Memories of the School by the Sea

In my time we had teachers who were matchless in their teaching methods. They, not only imparted their knowledge to the students but also maintained close working relationships whereby every boy in College respected them.
At the helm, was Warden, Rev. Canon R. S. de Saram, not second to any of his illustrious predecessors who guided the destinies of S.T.C. to make every Thomian proud to be a product of one of the best schools! His deputy was Dr.R.L. Hayman and the teaching staff was comprised of a galaxy of dedicated teachers, one better than the other. Rev. Canon A. J. Foster, Rev. Roy H. Bowyer Yin, Rev. and J. H. Barnabas, C. H. Davidson, S. J. Anandanayagam, N. E. M. Budd Jansze, C. R. Wise, Brookie D’Silva, L. A. H. Arndt, F. J. Senaratne, K. Nesiah, V. P. Cooke, R. F. A. Mendis, C. S. Weerasinghe, D. S. Jayasekera, J. H. S. Peiris, O. A. Abeynaike, Edwin Ranawaka, D. F. David, R. B. Wijesinha, B. E. W. Jehoratnam, Abraham T. Kovoor, V. J. Hensman, J. E. M. Fernando, Rev. L. G. B. Fernando, W. D. Pinto-Jayawardena, C. Coparahewa, G. L. Jinadasa, Arisen Ahubudu, V. P. Muttiah, V. D. Burder,  E. N. Devadasan, N. P. Perera, D. N. Pereira and Miss A. E. Bay. The thoroughness of their work and their loyalty to the school won the affection and esteem of every student, parent and old boy.  Those of us who had the good fortune of learning from these teachers will never ever forget them!

They left Footprints on the Sands of Time

D. S. Jayasekera, immaculately dressed at all times was liked by all. He had the knack of being in touch with his pupils long after they had left school. Once I had a telephone call from his son, Sriyan, informing me that his father was celebrating his 80th Birthday and 50th Wedding Anniversary and had included me in his list of pupils who were invited. I felt honoured because I always regarded Jayasekera as being someone very special! The grand Luncheon was held at his estate in Horana and the others who were included were :
David Peries, Gamini Fonseka, Priyantha Perera, G. K. Mandawela. We were laughing and joking and having a whale of a time reminiscing some of the things that happened in College, but were in our best behaviour each time Jayasekera chose to join our group and spend some time in our company. When we finally took leave we were all sad to part company with a teacher who was an outstanding human being!
Arisen Ahubudu was seeking Ceylon Tobacco Company’s sponsorship for his drama, Sakvithi Ravana and when he and his organisers visited me, they were accorded VIP treatment and his request, granted much to his delight, in next to no time.

Since you asked, there are three incidents I will not forget  during my school days

The Sinhalese master was Edwin Ranawaka. He was reading a text book to the class and each time he felt that an explanation was necessary he paused to do so. Suddenly the name of C. E. Victor S.Corea came up in the context of national politics and the struggle for Independence.  Ranawaka paused, looked at me and asked the question, ‘Corea, kawda C. E. Victor S.Corea ?’ Standing to attention I replied ‘Sir, a magey piya’. In the minutes that followed,  Ranawaka gave me a pep talk that I must follow in my father’s footsteps. After that day, Ranawaka took a keen interest in my progress in class and was somewhat lenient when it came to reprimanding!
My English teacher was L. A. H. Arndt and the text book was William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Arndt had observed that I was familiar with the contents from cover to cover and he was curious to know ‘how.’ In explaining, I said, ‘Sir every time I did something mischievous that deserved punishment my father would ask me to take William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar from the book rack, stand behind the door and read loud, for him to hear, from where I last stopped.  I knew Mark Anthony’s  funeral oration from start to finish. Everyone, had a hearty laugh and Arndt, in his own inimitable style said, ‘It’s no laughing matter but a lesson we must all learn from. A novel art of teaching a mischievous lad !’
At the annual Sinhala Literary Society Get-together Gamini Fonseka, suggested to me that he and I should do something unusual by singing a Hindi song which happened to be the most popular of Mohomed Rafi’s film hits. Singing a Hindi song at a Sinhala Literary Society Get-together to put it mildly, was revolting and I refused to be a part of it, knowing very well that all the Sinhalese teachers will be in the audience. Gamini, wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer and was confident that we could create an impact. Unable to escape, I very reluctantly agreed, wrote down the words in Sinhala, memorised and rehearsed until we thought we had hit the peak. The college hall was packed to capacity and when the time came we got on to the stage and performed like veterans ! What followed was a deafening applause and shouts of ‘one more’. We made a hasty exit because our repertoire started and ended with that one Hindi song ! When we were surrounded by friends coaxing us to sing another song and we saw our Sinhalese masters heading towards us we were wondering as to what kind of punishment will be given for singing a Hindi song at a Sinhala Literary Society Get-together. On the contrary, the masters commended us and expressed surprise at our knowledge of Hindi. They little knew that the words were written in Sinhala and memorised a countless times !!

Involvement in the O.B.A.

In 1978, I came into the Executive Committee, backed by Lyn Dassenaike Snr. and his vintage and was selected Treasurer of the Royal-Thomian Centenary Cricket Match in 1979 and also appointed Joint-Secretary of the Royal-Thomian Centenary Fair and Exhibition.

The Royal-Thomian Centenary Cricket Match – 1979

Being Treasurer of the Match and Joint-Secretary of the Fair and Exhibition at one and the same time, needless to say, was a gruelling task since the demands were increasing by the day with an influx of Old Boys from both schools arriving with their families from overseas, adding to the increasing turnout expected from within the country.
The Centenary Match, was the biggest social event of the year and every Old Thomian and Old Royalist with their families will not want to miss spending those three electrifying days at the Singhalese Sports Club. Visitors to Sri Lanka were told that if one had not seen the Randoli Perahera in Kandy and the Royal-Thomian Cricket Match in Colombo, such an individual cannot claim to have seen Sri Lanka! The Centenary Match was a historic event and there were in addition to the Old Boys, cricket enthusiasts who were adding to the record number expected.
To find chairs that would correspond to the number of tickets printed was indeed a Herculean task and a time consuming exercise. Since the Chairman, Alex Wijesinha (S.T.C) and Secretary, Tissa Guneratne (R.C) were both senior members of the joint- committee and I was a ‘fresher’, I tried my best not to burden them with problems that I could solve with some extra effort.  I must have walked the roads and by-lanes in Maradana, Slave Island and Moratuwa looking for suppliers of chairs for days and weeks, and using all my skills in salesmanship to bring down the charges to an affordable price!
To me, this was an acid test and there was no question of giving up. I always kept reminding myself that in solving every issue I had to have the interests of the two schools foremost in my mind…that profitability was a major factor.
The biggest problems I envisaged where the match was concerned were spectator invasions into the playing area and  damage caused to chairs, cutting down our profits. With the support of SP Gaffoor and ASP Lal Ratnayake I was able to introduce some counter measures which to a great extent minimised both problems.

Cigarette advertisements

The year I left Lever Brothers (Ceylon) Limited and joined Ceylon Tobacco Company it happened to be the year I was Chairman of the Royal-Thomian match. Striking a reasonable balance between smoking issues and company policy was the most difficult part of my job. Even though new to the job I came to the logical conclusion that since the Royal-Thomian was a match played between two schools, the company should abstain from advertising cigarettes at the match.   Following the dictates of my conscience I consulted the Marketing Director, Ernie Weerasinghe (a staunch Royalist) and got his consent to mask the giant cigarette packs displayed on both sides of the scoreboard during the three days of the match. I felt it was a moral obligation on the part of the company not to expose schoolboys to cigarette advertising at the S.S.C. The job was done with scarcely anyone noticing it. Not even the Minister of Health, Dr. Ranjith Atapattu noticed it, until his attention was drawn to it, prompting him to remark that CTC had taken a meaningful step in the right direction.

Royal-Thomian Cricket Match 1988

In 1988, when S. Thomas’ was heading for an exciting victory Old Thomian Gayan Fernando was able to produce an elegant metal badge with the Thomian Crest in the centre and a circular panel which had the message I WAS THERE IN ’88 on top and THOMIAN VICTORY at the bottom. Over a 1000 badges were delivered to me, just in the nick of time for me to pin the very first badge on Thomian skipper Bulankulame, before the presentation of Awards. The next two were handed to the Warden and Principal and the rest distributed amongst the unending stream of spectators who wanted the badge as a souvenir! My good friend Mahinda Illangage, a die-hard Royalist, has still not got over the shock of being a witness to this unexpected Thomian gimmick!

Challenges

As three times Chairman of the big match I had more than my fair share of problems, but one that struck me forcefully was when the security on duty, hurriedly came looking for me to say that some Old Boys were demanding to speak with the Chairman of the match. When I met them at the entrance the spokesman for the group, a hard hitting agressive young Old Boy complained that their band was not allowed to enter. His argument was that the members of his band had tickets and as such they had the licence to enter. I listened patiently and said, “Yes they have a right to enter but not with their musical instruments” and went on to  explain that the newspapers in the past few days had carried a prominent Notice stating that bands have been assigned specific areas and they need to be stationed in those areas by 9.00 a.m. the latest. Since 11’oclock, was long past the deadline the No Entry rule was in force.

To be continued next week…

It  is  with  much  sadness  that  I  announce  the  passing  away  of  Donald  Thomas  McDevitt,  affectionately  known  by  one  and  all,  as  ‘ Don’  on  Thursday,  August  04,  2011  in  his  home  town,  Bedford,  Texas,  USA.

He  was  a  frequent  visitor  to  Sri  Lanka  and  had  many  Sri  Lankan  friends.
Don  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  USA.   He  served  his  country  honourably  as  a   US  Army  Major  and  Helicopter  Pilot.  Among his many decorations,  whilst  serving  in  the  US  Army,  were  the  Vietnam  Campaign  Medal  with  Device  60,   Army  Aviation  Badge  and  the  Distinguished  Flying  Cross.
After  his   decorated  military  career, he  graduated  from  the  University  of  Oklahoma  and  subsequently  graduated  from  Law  School.
Don  was  one  of  my  closest  friends,  with  whom  I  had   associated with  for  many  many  years,  so  much  so,  that  I  cannot  even  remember  an  exact  year,  month  or  date.   I  would  say  he  was  my  closest  critic,  my  closest  friend  and  as  near  to  me  as  a  brother.    He  was  an  incredible  man  with  rare  human  qualities.
Our  mutual  understanding  towards  business,  blossomed  to  the  extent  of  forming   ‘Lionair ’   Don  was  the  pioneer  co-founder  of  Lionair.   It  was  my  dream  and  passion  to  have  an  Airline  of  my  own  and  my  friend  Don,  contributed  to  it  and  helped  to  fulfill  my  dream.  I  shall  always  owe  my  gratitude  and  appreciation  to  him.
Don  will  always  be  remembered  for  his  sense  of  humour,  his  cheerfulness,  his  pleasing  mannerisms,   his  alertness  to  any  situation  and  his  unfading  memory.
I’ve  lost  a  good  friend,  but  I  shall  always  cherish  and  treasure  his  memory.
Don  leaves  behind  his  beloved  wife,  Susan,  his  sons  Donald,  Kevin  and  Michael,   his  sister  Faith  and  his   brother  Marc.
His  funeral  took  place  on  Monday,  August  08,  2011  at  Bedford,  Texas,  USA.            Chandran  Rutnam

Flood Gates of Heaven were opened and it was not the expected rains but the unexpected flow of crowds until the final perpetual help Novena was over.
It was the celebration of the 3000th Novena at All Saints’ Church, Borella in honour of our Mother of Perpetual help.
Through the grace of God, the entire day was dedicated to Virgin Mother, the queen of All Saints.
Apart from  the usual five Holy Masses and the three perpetual Novenas, continuous hours of adoration with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the recitation of the Holy Rosary was offered to God as a thanksgiving and as a spiritual bouquet in honour of Blessed Mother.
The Scared Heart Confraternity, the Carmel Society, Legion of Mary, Daham Pasal Children, Sinhala Youth choir of the Parish were engaged taking turns in this spiritual exercise.
The Novenas were conducted by the former Parish Priest and Assistant Parish Priest of all Saints’ Church and inspiring homilies for the day was presented by them.
The festive Eucharistic Celebration at 6:15 in the evening was presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and a large gathering of priests of the Archdiocese, the religious and the lay people were present bringing back the old memories of this revered shrine to show gratitude to Mother of Perpetual Help.
The old Joes choir graciously performed at this Holy Mass.
The film crew of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was seen busy covering the day’s programme.
The issuance by the Philatelic Bureau of the stamp of the Virgin Mother of the golden window took place after the final Novena.
It was a beautiful collector’s item and the crowds were seen purchasing the first day covers and the attractive souvenir, the DVD of the Holy Mass and the Novena which was filmed earlier and other various items.
The Sri Lankan Air Force brass band was on top of the Carillon Tower performing after the services were over for the day. Food tea and beverages were available at the beautifully illuminated church premises.
One thing was very clear.
The mighty hand of God was very much in total control as many commented. The usual worshippers who flocked to the Icon of the Jeweled Madonna approached her with joyful faces and full of cheer thanking the Blessed Mother in return.
The journey of love continues….
W.A.

A heated moment at a 2008 Bradby match

One of life’s  blessings in the field of education is undoubtedly the opportunity to ‘learn of books and learn of men’ at Royal College. The Institution’s  position today as one of the finest and most prestigious schools in the Island emphatically endorses the fact that successive generations of principals, teachers, and students covering 176 challenging years have kept the fame of our fathers inviolate. It also reminds the current and future generations of their responsibility towards this very sacred line in the College Anthem.
I was indeed extremely privileged to represent Royal College at cricket in the mid sixties but I must confess with all humility that I had neither the courage nor the talent to seek similar prestige at rugby. I have  therefore  always had  admiration for those who did, and of course for the game.
The documentary-cum-movie Invictus portrayed the manner in which this absorbing sport unified a fragmented nation, when South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup Tournament in 1995 under the leadership of that great elder Statesman Nelson Mandela; such has been Rugby’s overwhelming power and impact globally!
History has it that during a game of Soccer at Rugby School in England, William Webb Ellis, who was on the losing side, picked up the football and ran with it in his hands much to the amazement of his opponents who then chased him down and brought him to the ground! This incident is reported to have given rise to the  genesis of rugby being ‘the game for ruffians played by gentlemen.’
That apart, the very versatile nature of the game provides opportunities for sportsmen of all shapes and sizes to  participate in it; after all, cheetah-like speed and elephantine strength  both command a high premium on the rugby field!
Like all team sports, rugby plays an important role in developing soft skills that are crucial for success in life. These include teamwork and team spirit; the pursuit of common objectives within a collective framework; striving for excellence through common endeavour; dealing with both success and failure; the confidence to take calculated risks; and the ability to perform under pressure. All of these provide an excellent platform for leadership outside the playing arenas as well.
In addition, the highly physical nature of the game means that rugby players are expected to play with fire in their hearts and ice in their brain. The intensity of the challenges demands passionate commitment from them on the field. However this passion needs to be combined with   clarity of thought for the effective execution of individual skills and the overall game plan.
The  physical challenge associated with training for  playing rugby creates close and abiding bonds among  teammates. It also generates a healthy respect for opponents who  pose a daunting challenge on that score. The wonderful camaraderie between the two teams and the post-match enjoyment often seen  is very much a part of rugby culture and is a natural consequence of this.
The Bradby is the oldest inter-school rugby encounter in the world. Throughout the years it has reflected the best traditions of the game, a huge credit to both schools. No quarter has been asked nor any given by either side on the field but the game has always  been played upholding these fine traditions.
It is therefore no surprise that Royalist and Trinitian rugby players who have  drawn on the best that the game can offer, have gone on to  make outstanding contributions in all walks of life.
S. Skandakumar
Royal College Group of 59

(March 21, 1936 – September 30, 2004)

A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes the best.

Angie, Shimmee, Kaushalya,
Anton, Poornima and Jeremy

Sisira Mendis - Officer and a gentleman

There are things one can say and things one cannot say about a friend. There are things that can be said in private and not in public. There are things that can be said at a specific moment in time but never before or after.
Today, I sit and write about my friend, Sisira Mendis, because the time is right to say out loud what needs to be said about this extraordinary officer of the Sri Lanka Police.

Sisira retired from service a few days ago. Retirement is as good a landmark as any for a man to look back on his life and reflect on the vague, indeterminate, relaxing and awesome foreboding called the ‘future.’  It is a good moment for someone like me who has known Sisira for more than two decades to give voice to my memories holding nothing back, fearing the censure of a modest man or being worried about embarrassing him.

I met him, as I said, 20 years ago through his wife Sharmalee, who was at the time one of my colleagues and a dear friend.  We have been very close ever since that first meeting and Sisira has never been too far from my thoughts even if circumstances put physical distance between us.

He was DIG-Narcotics when he retired, but was and always will be known as a ‘CID person,’ having spent around 35 years in that sphere of police work, holding in turn the posts of Deputy Director, Director and Deputy Inspector General.

Sisira is not the only senior police officer I have known and associated with closely.  Sisira is not one to ask and I am not one to tell, so he might not know of the warm, endearing, respectful and admiring terms that his colleagues, superiors and subordinates use to describe him. They only reaffirmed what I already knew: that he was a driven, passionate human being, possessing exceptional skills, hailed quite rightly as a man of discipline, integrity and a wonderful work-ethic and as such, a rarity not just in the Sri Lanka Police but in the country as well.

Much has been said about Sisira’s prowess in the police force and how he distinguished himself in that field; so I would like to dwell instead on the human being I am privileged to know.

As a person who spent a few years in the media industry, I can say without hesitation that friendship with a man of his stature would be considered an asset by anyone interested in gathering facts and information. This was not the case though with Sisira. He never divulged unnecessary information, not even amongst those he considered intimate associates.

His first and last point of reference in everything he said and did was his responsibility to the police and the need to do justice by his position. He never compromised himself because he knew this would damage his employer and the institution he loved and dedicated his most productive years to serve.

I remember him hanging up on me once when I called him on his mobile. He was driving and rattled out the following words: ‘I will call you back…there are cops on the road!’  He did call me back. I teased him: “You are a rare policeman Sisira.  You are DIG/CID.  You could have easily picked up the call and talked to me.  You could have said ‘I will call you back’ but needn’t have said ‘there are cops on the road.’”  I will never forget his response. “As a senior policeman, I should not insult subordinates and I should always respect the law.”
Those words epitomize Sisira Mendis through and through; his profound sense of honour and conscientiousness at all times, never bending the rules for reasons of convenience. Sisira never put himself in a position that would compromise his integrity, even in a matter of perception.  If someone wanted to meet him for some ostensibly social purpose, Sisira would invite the person to the Senior Police Officers’ Mess, because in that environment, he would be in control. He would foot the bill. Always.  He was a rare professional of exceptional quality. His word was his bond and he never promised what his ability and his integrity did not permit him to deliver. Here was a man who walked the line unafraid; Truth and Justice were his raison d’être and simplicity the sine qua non of his existence.

We live in times when political loyalty is the bottom line. This is true of all sectors of the public service. There are officers who align themselves with one or another of the political parties. They leave themselves open to be used as tools and indeed they are more than happy to oblige.  Sisira, was in a class by himself.  He was not arrogant. But he was not interested in being a foolish hero either. He did his job, making sure that the law was fairly interpreted and justly executed.

One recalls a different era when a parent would be proud to have a son in the police and so too a child whose father was an officer. Times have changed and now there is as much pride as there is embarrassment and sadly, probably more of the latter.  It is people like Sisira Mendis who keep hope alive and give stature to an institution that ought to stand much taller than it appears to today.

In all the years I have known him, I have understood that Sisira sets a great store by friendship. His loyalty to his friends is beyond question; beyond reproach. He would put his own hand in the fire for you, even if the whole world was against you, yet Sisira believed you were in the right. I know this through personal experience. He saved my life.  Justice was important to him and while he would stick his neck out to defend you because you were right, he would never venture to defend you if he felt you were in the wrong.  He would stand beside you and ensure you did not feel isolated and abandoned, but would never support what he felt was an erroneous decision or wrongful course of action, especially if the law was somehow compromised in the process.

We all retire. In this vein, I am reminded of the wise words of Shakespeare’s tragic hero Hamlet: “If it be now, ‘tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: The readiness is all.’ Sisira was always ready. There are a few public officers we wish were excused from retirement-regulations. Sisira is one of them, but that would be beyond the bounds of his humble and rational thinking. Those of us who know him, know better. During his illustrious tenure of service to the nation, Sisira has acquired such a wealth of knowledge on all things human and the intricacies of running an institution and managing human resources efficiently, that there is no doubt that he leaves the Sri Lanka Police hopelessly impoverished in the wake of his departure.

I am no clairvoyant so I don’t know what life after the police would be like for Sisira Mendis.  I am certain of a few things, however. I know that Sisira will remain an honourable human being and a man who will undoubtedly continue to serve, with distinction, any organisation or community that is privileged to next count him among its ranks. Speaking strictly for myself, as far as I am concerned, Sisira has not retired and never will.

Friendships don’t have expiry dates outside of those imposed by the laws of nature.  Fate brings us together, friendship keeps us close. I am richer for having the privilege of his friendship.  For that I am grateful.