Appreciations
View(s):Loss of not just a veteran banker but a wonderful human being too
Ramanathan Nadarajah
It was with profound shock and grief that the banking community, his friends and relatives received the sad news of the untimely demise of Ramanathan Nadarajah on June 24, at the age of 74.
He was born on May 9, 1944 as the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Kasipillai Ramanathan, a highly respected and religious family in Thirunelvely, north Jaffna. He had his primary and secondary education at Parameshwara College, Jaffna, excelling in studies and graduated from the University of Ceylon (Peradeniya) with a degree in double Mathematics and Physics with a Second Class (Upper Division).
‘Nada’as he was fondly called, started his banking career when he was 24 years old joining the Bank of Ceylon as a staff officer. Since he had passed his degree with a Second Class (Upper Division) he was placed in the higher grade of Staff Assistant Grade – II, (now known as Management Trainees). His hard work, dedication and commitment earned him lots of respect and although he never craved for positions or limelight he was able to move swiftly up the ladder of the bank.
He obtained extensive experience in Branch Banking having worked as the Manager of the Kurunegala and Main Street Colombo branches of Bank of Ceylon for long periods. He then moved to Credit Support Department, Imports Department, Treasury Division, Corporate Credit (Restructuring & Recoveries) Department and the Finance &Planning Division making him a complete banker with the widest possible exposure. He was extremely committed to his work being well known for ‘paying attention to detail’.
It was when he moved into the Corporate Credit Division that he displayed his true talent unearthing his hidden potential. He was a master in scrutinizing credit papers and added value in no uncertain manner to the bank’s credit evaluation process.He began his career as a trainer by conducting classes for the young bankers in the Bank of Ceylon. Thereafter he went on to become a much sought after resource person for seminars especially on Bank Lending.
Having served in almost all key functions of commercial banking, he kept moving up the bank’s hierarchy to be an Assistant General Manager and thereafter a Deputy General Manager of the Bank of Ceylon. He was always striving to develop his knowledge and passed the Diploma in Banking Examination conducted by the Chartered Institute of Bankers London and was awarded its Associateship. He went on to be elected as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, London (FCIB). Whilst at Kurunegala he also completed his Masters’ in Business Administration from the University of Colombo.It is remarkable that he succeeded in his MBA as he had fallen and broken his spectacles on entering the examination hall and had to answer the first paper whilst holding the only undamaged lens to his eye with his left hand, which showed his true character,
He retired from the Bank of Ceylon when he reached the age of 55, even though he was entitled to request extensions of service until he was 60 and the bank would have more than loved to retain his services. He was immediately picked up by Pan Asia Bank as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer and appointed Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of Pan Asia Bank within a short period of time. After a few years of guiding that bank to a sound position the unselfish person he was, he wanted a younger person to take over as he believed in succession planning. He had not looked for alternative appointment but was happy to leave the bank when a successor was found.
Thereafter, his services were sought again this time to help Seylan Bank to come out of the crisis they were in at that time. He was appointed an Executive Director of Seylan Bank and was placed in charge of the Bank’s operations. He proved his worth in the next few years, by helping the bank to a more stable footing before leaving. He also functioned as the Chairman of its subsidiary Seylan Developments PLC at that time.
When he was the Deputy General Manager (International & Treasury) at the Bank of Ceylon he was elected the inaugural President of the Primary Dealers Association in Sri Lanka. He was also elected the President of the Bank’s Hindu & Tamil Literary Association.
He was elected to the Council of Association of Professional Bankers – Sri Lanka (APB) which he served as a member of the Council and office bearer until he was elected its President in 2001. After a lapse of a few years he came back to serve the APB as a member of the Fund Management Committee and was its Chairman for a few years, looking after the APB Development Fund. He was awarded the Honorary Life Membership of the APB in recognition of his contribution and appointed a member of the Council of Advisors.
He was a member of the Forum of the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka, the apex body of professional associations in Sri Lanka.He also served in the panel of industrial experts, for the Annual Report Awards Competition conducted by the Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, for several years. At the time of his demise he was serving as a Member of the Council of Advisors and a Member of the Fund Management Committee of the Association of Professional Bankers – Sri Lanka and a Member of the General Forum of the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka
He was a man of undoubted integrity and a fountain of knowledge. He had a very wide circle of friends – Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and others. For him race or religion did not matter. In fact the ring tone on his phone was always a popular Sinhala song. He was the absolute role model for persons believing in communal harmony.
‘Nada’ was a gentleman of the highest order and a fabulous human being, He practised yoga and meditation and encouraged others also to do so. He was soft spoken, always with a smile, and what he said came straight from the bottom of his heart. He was the epitome of simplicity, humility and modesty. He always wore a broad smile and his greeting with ‘God Bless You’ will never be forgotten. He was always keen to help anyone who needed assistance. He had no enemies, had no grudges against anyone. He was a teetotaller and strict vegetarian but he did not want to miss any functions that he was invited to. However, he used to get himself excused from staying on for the dinners saying that his loving wife would be waiting for him.
He was a practising and devoted Hindu who never missed any Hindu religious ceremony. ‘Nada’ was very fortunate to have Umayal, as his wife. She was always there to support him and never grumbled about his late hours in the bank. They were a happy couple always together except when he was away on his official duties. According to Hinduism, Lord Shiva and Parvathi were inseparable and Nadarajah (another name for Lord Shiva) and Umayal (another name for Parvathi) were no different, so much so that even when he met with the fatal accident they were together, but by the grace of God she escaped miraculously without any major injuries.
Our association with Nada goes back many years. His demise is not only a loss to his family, friends and fellow bankers but also to Sri Lanka’s banking industry.
He leaves behind Umayal his devoted wife, two daughters Marthangini and Ajahini and three loving grandchildren who along with his relatives and all his friends will miss him forever.
May his soul attain Moksha.
Parama Dharmawardene, A. Kathiravelupillai and Guy de Silva
To a true comrade who was there in good times and bad
Abdul Sanoon
To simply use the word sadness to describe the surge of grief we felt upon hearing of the passing of our dear friend and schoolmate Abdul Sanoon seems woefully inadequate. During his time at school he was many things to us including a confidant, advisor and teammate. But most of all, he was our comrade.
Author Stephen Ambrose succinctly captures the depth of the term comrade in his book ‘Band of Brothers’ as follows: “Comrades are closer than friends, closer than brothers. Their relationship is different from that of lovers. Their trust in, and knowledge of each other is total.”
This is an accurate description of the relationship all of us shared with Abdul. Indeed many of us from the 2006 batch of Lyceum International School, Nugegoda grew up with him, first meeting him in Grade 5 upon his admission to school.
Throughout his school life Abdul was quick to brandish his 1000-kilowatt smile and razor-sharp wit while being incredibly easygoing and slow to anger. A man of deep faith, Abdul was honest, loyal, considerate and adventurous. He was the type of guy who would be by your side in a tough spot and make you laugh in the midst of despondency.
Apart from being an astute student, Abdul was an exceptional basketball player and excelled representing the school in many top-flight tournaments. A fierce competitor with vast reserves of skill, Abdul would frequently propel his lanky six-foot frame high into the air to snatch rebounds or deftly shoot the ball past bamboozled defenders.
Abdul also exhibited a relentless fighting spirit on the court, something he took with him beyond the walls of our school to forge a successful life for himself. Whether the deficit in a game was two points or 20, he was always among the first few players exhorting tired teammates to keep striving, constantly issuing cries of ‘Come on machan, we can win this’.
Throughout our school life we shared many growing pains with Abdul, including a determination to overcome the perceived tyranny of strict teachers, anxiety over exams and dreams for our future. We also shared great moments which are forever immortalised in our hearts and minds.
The blow dealt to us through the loss of our dear friend is only softened by the knowledge that he has departed to a better place. We will take heart from these words in the poem ‘Do not stand at my grave and weep’: “Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there; I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow, I am the sun on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain.”
Abdul we know that just like in school, you are still looking out for each of us and have got our backs. Until we will meet again brother, rest easy.
Shivantha Stephens
The grief is mine alone
Colonel Fazly Laphir
The most fragrant flowers
bloom for the night
Stars are born – brightest
for the darkest sites
Your fearless, steadfast, humane, spirit
embraced my life
Then my solitary journey was brightened
by your true love’s light
When you stood by my side
then-
I had it all
Knew you would hold me high-
Even
if I were to fall
You believed
we’ll be hand in hand
In lifetimes – all
And said we’d grow old together
But,
Left – no farewell call
Time goes by so slowly-
Yet,
does so much, so fast
Changes challenge you even more-
When life goes past
Silence becomes too loud
Void, untold
Shadows turn solid
Reality so hard
You gave ‘our all’- for the
Motherland’s call
The cause was common then
But,
Now-,
the grief is mine alone – after all
Your ever-loving Ano
(On his 22nd death anniversary- Commanding Officer,
1st Regiment Special Forces, killed in action on July 19, 1996 at Mullaitivu)