Sri Lanka Sigamani Nagalingam Ratnasabapathy of Kandy passed away on July 31, after a brief illness. He was 81 years.
He was born on October 7, 1928 at Point Pedro, Jaffna. He attended Hartley College, Point Pedro, from 1935 to 1947. He was an outstanding student, and a junior and senior prefect. He was also an outstanding sportsman, and a member of the college soccer team.
After completing his studies at Hartley, he moved to Kandy to help his father, V. K. M. Nagalingam, who owned Nagalingam Jewellers, on Sir Bennet Soysa Veediya. The store was set up in the early 1900s. Mr. N. Ratnasabapathy inherited the business, which grew to become Kandy’s premier jewellery store.
Mr. N. Ratnasabapathy was honoured by the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa for his social work, and in 1993, President D. B. Wijetunga conferred on him the Sri Lanka Sigamani, the National Honours Award of Excellence.
Mr. N. Ratnasabapathy was a tireless social worker and a philanthropist, always ready to help the needy. He was unpretentious, simple and lovable.
He was also deeply religious. He was patron of several religious and cultural organisations, and a vice-president of the Central Province Hindu Association.
His wife, Pathmasani Nagalingam Ratnasabapathy, predeceased him in 2001.
Mr. N. Ratnasabapathy leaves behind four sons – Manoharan, Ravi, Ramanie, and Mohan – all distinguished old boys of Trinity College, Kandy.
Ealian Abeysirigunewardena |
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