Popular but modest, HSR was a sports hero and a legend in his lifetime     

DR. H. S. R. GOONEWARDENE

When I was a lowly second grader in school (Ladies’ College), our much-admired Head Girl was a senior named Doris Goonewardene. Then a ripple from above reached us small fry, telling us that Doris’s handsome big brother was simultaneously Head Boy of Royal College. Our admiration for Doris increased, since at age seven we had no interest in boys – handsome or otherwise. What we were ignorant of was that this particular Head Boy, by his unmatched exploits on the sports field, was the hero of his school and would later become known islandwide.

For the record, let me say at once that H. S. R. Goonewardene, Head Prefect, had become something of a legend by his prowess in athletics and in games.

In a letter of recommendation by L.V. Gooneratne, who was both the Cadet Commander of the Royal College Cadets and school Games Master, had this to say: “Mr. Goonewardene, before he left school, held every responsible post that a schoolboy is privileged to hold. He was Vice-Captain of Cricket, Captain of Rugby, Captain of the Athletics Team, Platoon Sergeant in the Senior Cadets and Head Prefect. … In Athletics, he almost never failed to win his events. Royal College won the Inter-Collegiate Challenge Cup for Athletics for three years in succession almost entirely due to Mr. Goonewardene’s efforts. He was also the best marksman of his time. As Platoon Sergeant and Head Prefect he maintained excellent discipline without incurring the displeasure of the boys who always claimed him as their hero.”

Mr. H. L. Reed, Royal College Principal right through HSR’s school career, wrote this of him: “I had a very high opinion of his character and his loyalty.

His work was satisfactory, but it was outside the classroom, in games and Athletics, that he was especially brilliant; and it may be added that he was never the type of overbearing athlete that such great success in the field so readily produces. … He was immensely popular, but always modest. He was twice our champion athlete and thrice the Ceylon Schools Champion. In addition to all these distinctions, Mr. Goonewardene was my Head Prefect. I have the highest opinion of Mr. Goonewardene as a good citizen, one who could be called upon to perform difficult and arduous duties in a post of responsibility, with little fear of disappointment.”

All this information about HSR’s schooldays was given me by his elder son, Harendra (HSR Jnr.) who is on a visit to Sri Lanka from England where he and his family reside. Harendra, who looks remarkably like his father, came to see me as an old friend of his parents, and he asked me to write an appreciation of his father, whose 100th birth anniversary falls on December 4 this year.

I was stiIl in school, but a senior by then, when I came to know HSR at close quarters. It happened that my mother took in boarders, and HSR, a medical student and newly married, came to board with us with his very likeable wife, Navamani (nee Chelliah). They were a quiet couple, but always ready to help in an emergency. I recall their concern and help when a cousin of mine got concussed after a fall. I will always remember HSR coming with me to hospital when I met with a more serious accident, riding a bicycle.
When he passed his medical finals with a first class, they celebrated with a garden party on our front lawn. Later, my mother and aunts were quite involved in HSR and Navamani’s preparations for the birth of their first child, Kamini, now a doctor based in Australia.

HSR and Navamani kept in touch with us to the end of their lives. I attended their silver wedding celebration. They were very happily married for over 50 years.

Getting back to HSR’s unmatched feats on the sports field, in the National Athletics Championships in 1932, HSR effortlessly won the 120 yards, 220 yards and 400 yards hurdle events, creating national records. His record in the 120 yards was unbroken for 15 years, while the 220 yards record remained unbroken up to the time of his death, in 1995. He was Athletics Captain at University College and Cricket Captain at Medical College. His obtaining his LMS with first class honours in 1941 was proof he did not let his love of sport interfere with his medical studies. He also held a diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the University of Ceylon.

After serving in many parts of the country as a medical officer, Dr. HSR joined the Physical Education Department of the Education Ministry in 1950 where he rose to the post of Deputy Director of Education (Physical Education) in 1955. In 1961, Dr. Goonewardene was appointed Director of the newly-created Department of Sports, considered “a landmark of the country’s sporting history.” He pioneered sports medicine in Sri Lanka and went as coach to the Ceylon team to the XV Olympic Games in Helsinki and as its manager to the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. Later, HSR was appointed Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Sports under the then Minister, K. B. Ratnayake.

HSR was a Lt. Colonel of the Ceylon Cadet Corps and served for four years as Regimental Commander. He was also an Assistant Scout Commissioner.

HSR showed untiring zeal in his quest for athletes from the villages, quite sure that a wealth of untapped talent waited there. At a sports meet in Chilaw, he saw Sunil Gunewardene sprinting away in style. He spoke to the Chilaw MP, Shirley Corea, who bought the young athlete a pair of running shoes. From there on, there was no looking back and Sunil was soon hailed as our star athlete. Together with his friend Duncan White, HSR scoured the outstation schools for talent. The two are credited with discovering and developing provincial athletes such as N. Ediriweerasingham, S. L. B. Rosa, W. Wimaladasa, B. G. Badra, Kosala Sahabandu, and others who made Ceylon proud of them.

I learned that HSR gave away most of the trophies he had won through the years to village schools to be given as rewards to schoolboys and girls who proved their prowess as athletes. He initiated a scheme to award scholarships to gifted athletes in the outstations, to enable them to enter bigger schools which offered better facilities for education and athletics training. He was passionate about giving equal opportunities to those attending prestigious schools and students of little-known central schools and Maha Vidyalayas.
HSR stayed fit and active to the end. He died peacefully at age 83 in his home on Dickman’s Lane, Colombo 5.

His children have donated an annual prize in his memory at his alma mater, Royal College. The Dr. H. S.R. Goonewardene Memorial Prize is awarded each year to “an outstanding student with colours for any sport, entering Medical College.”

HSR was closely associated with sport for 50 years. He will be remembered not only as one of the brightest stars to light up our sports scene, but also as a fine human being who made a difference to the many lives he touched in his line of influence.

Anne Abayasekara

Words cannot describe the pain of losing Baba, my brother 

EDWARD ARNOLD

I write this tribute with great sadness, as I struggle to accept the fact that my younger brother Edward is no more. Edward was fondly known as ‘Baba” in the Arnold family. Only a few months ago I lost my brother Clement. And now I am writing yet another tribute – to honour yet another brother taken away from us.
Edward was the ninth child in our family. He grew up in Jaffna. He was a quiet child who kept to himself. This attribute stayed with him his entire life. Never one to interfere in the affairs of others, he led a quiet life, trying his utmost to provide a good life for his family. He was a devoted son. In fact, our father spent a significant part of his life of retirement in the home of Baba and Ranee.

Life wasn’t always kind to my brother and his family. They experienced many trials and tribulations because of the unrest in Sri Lanka. But in his quiet way, and with the love and support of his wife and children, he overcame all that life had dealt him, and he lived a peaceful, happy life.

He spent many years in the marketing field, in Colombo and Jaffna. In the 1980s, his career path led him to a wonderful opportunity in Abu Dhabi. My youngest brother Chandran and his family, and my family and I, were living in Abu Dhabi at the time. Close geographical proximity allowed us to spend much time together. I had the opportunity to truly be an older brother and guide and support him. However, this did not last long.

Despite the great career opportunity, my brother, the consummate family man, simply could not adapt to living without his family. After a few months, he returned to Sri Lanka to be with his family, attesting to his love and devotion.

Ranee, thank you for being a loving and devoted wife to Baba through the years. Tony, Brian, Emil and Anne, you were his pride and joy. You are remarkable children, and your father’s legacy will live on in you and your children.

Baba took great pride in his children’s success, personal and professional. He and Ranee embraced the spouses their children had chosen as life partners. Ahila, Gabriel and Shivanthi, you brought much joy to Baba and Ranee. And like any proud grandfather, Baba adored his two grandchildren Anjay and Joanna.
Though we spent the better part of our lives thousands of miles apart, our lives were entwined by our bond as brothers. Baba was a loving brother. Words cannot describe the pain of losing him.

I will be forever grateful for the time I spent with Baba earlier this year, in Colombo. I will try to find peace in the knowledge that he is now home with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Rest in peace, Baba.

Your loving brother Stanley (Canada)

A friendship that clicked like his camera

D.B. Suranimala

I met D.B. Suranimala on the very first day I joined the Independence Newspapers (Dawasa and Sun Group). He was the younger son of Chief Editor and Director D.B. Dhanapala and the brother of D.B. Nihalsinghe who once headed the State Film Corporation. His only sister Sumitha also worked for the Weekend, the Sunday paper of the group.

Fondly called ‘Suren’, he was well-built and had a pleasant countenance. Suranimala greeted every one with a charming smile and his enduring personality won him many friends.

He was the head of the photography desk and his two assistants were the late Daya Ranaweera and W.P. Sugathadasa. Within a short period we got to know each other well. He put me in charge of the cameras, film rolls, bulbs, printing papers and chemicals.

He excelled in photography and his photographs had an artistic touch. They adorned the front pages of the Weekend and other newspapers. The pictures he took of Prof. Ediriweera Saranchandra’s stage dramas, Maname and Sinhabahu, were a treat to photography lovers.

He travelled in his red MG racing car. Many a time I also joined him in his photo-shoot tours. He married P.A. Ediriweera’s daughter Ranjanee and their wedding took place at his Elibank Road house. They were blessed with two daughters.

After completing his education at Horana Sripali College, Suranimala followed a two-year photography course in West Germany before he joined the Dawasa group as the photographic, art and layout Editor. He had also worked as a manager at M.D. Gunasena Printing Press.

Though his father was the Chief Editor he was humble and friendly in his relationship with fellow workers.
He left the Dawasa group to join the Dubai-based Gulf News Service.  On November 25 last year, Suranimala passed away following an illness.

Just like his parents’ funerals, Suranimala wanted his funeral also to take place the same day he died. Many of his friends and relatives came to know about the death only after reading the newspaper notice that appeared after his funeral.

Dear Suranimala, hope you will be born again with us in our next life.

May you attain Nibbana!

Mervyn Fenando

A caring, wonderful person who touched the lives of both rich and poor

R. L. WANIGASURIYA

We cannot understand the ways of God. We ask “Why this nasty sickness, when he could have done so much more for his family, to whom he was the rock on which they leaned against.”  We will say the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.

To Uncle Ranjith’s family I will say: The Lord will be your Shepherd – you will not want. I would like to pay my tribute to this much loved and respected personality, Ranjith Wanigasuriya, fondly called Lokka by me.

My first encounter with Lokka was in the 1960s, when he, together with Uncle Joe, came home bringing the news of the death of Uncle Sonny, and requesting my mother to write the obituary notice.

In 1968, it was Uncle Ranjith, together with his brother, who brought the news of my brother’s untimely death. My brother had drowned in the Kelani river.

Since then our families have been very close. I cannot forget the support he gave us in 1980 when I had a serious accident and was immobilised for nine-and-a-half months. To me, he was a father, a brother, and a sincere friend.

Lokka was diagnosed with cancer early this year. In March we were told he would not live for more than three months, as the cancer had spread all over. I watched him day after day slipping away and fading away.

On November 9, at 4.45 am, I called the caregiver and was told that Lokka was on oxygen. On my way to Shantha Sevana, I received the news that Lokka had lost his courageous battle with cancer. He had breathed his last at 6.52 am.

I comforted myself with the thought that Lokka had had a full life and had passed away peacefully, without much suffering.

Lokka was a humble, polite person who treated all with due respect. He was considerate to the staff who served under him, and genuinely concerned about their welfare. In return, the staff were very fond of him. When he was working at Wickrams, he would invite the factory staff and give them a treat during Christmas. Lokka would ask me to prepare a dish or two for the party.

He was a genuine, caring and wonderful person who touched many lives, rich and poor.  I mourn the loss of a dear person. Let us celebrate his life and remember him for his attributes, his way of life, his humility and his loyalty to all.

“If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I would walk right up to Heaven and bring him back home again.”

As a Christian, I believe he is free from toil, pain and sorrow and that he is awaiting the joyful resurrection at the Lord’s Second Coming.

May this humble, simple man, rest in peace and rise in glory.

Lilamani

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