Appreciations
View(s):An unforgettable “Mobile Service Project Director”
T. LANKANESON
Thambiah Lankaneson who passed away on November 25 this year in Austin, Texas, USA, was born on January 12, 1942 in Katkovalam, Vadamarachchi in the District of Jaffna. He had his early education at Katkovalam Methodist College, Hartley College, Pt. Pedro and Thellipalai Mahajana College. Thereafter, he read for his degree at Peradeniya University.
After completing his degree he was appointed as an Administrative Officer of the Jaffna Co-operative Federation for about three years. During the same period he served as a teacher at Palali University College and Palali Teachers Training College for two years. In 1970 he was attached to the Kalmunai Co-operative Training School as a lecturer and during this period he sat for the All Island Competitive Sri Lanka Administrative Service examination in 1973. This was a highly competitive examination in those days and only one or two Tamils were selected at a time; since he was very brilliant he got this golden opportunity.
He was straightaway appointed as an Asst. Government Agent, Kinniya in the Trincomalee District and thereafter as an Additional Government Agent, Vavuniya for a short period of time. Due to his efficiency, competency and honesty he was appointed as a Director of Planning at the Ministry of Ports & Shipping and thereafter as an Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction – and was attached to the Ministry in Colombo when Minister Ashraff was in charge. I associated with him from 1970 occasionally when he was at Kalmunai and later lost contact with him when he rose to higher positions in the public service.
He underwent various training programmes and seminars in more than 15 countries such as Japan, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia and India specializing in Disaster Management as well. Lastly he obtained his Diploma in Economics & Development Planning in Italy. As a result he was considered as a professional in multi-faceted fields and earned high recognition.
After spending many years in numerous capacities he retired from public service when he reached retirement age, but was handpicked by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the Project Director for the Northern & Eastern Provinces for the implementation of a mega programme of rehabilitation and reconstruction in our country which was devastated by the ethnic conflict. This was the North East Community Restoration & Development Project (NECORD) which went on from 2002 to 2010, with a total investment of around Rs. 20,000 million. These programmes were implemented through eight District Project Offices established in all the eight Districts in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and he was the Project Director administering the District Project Offices. The total investment under this programme was carried over and fully completed within a period of eight years amidst the disturbed situation in the eight districts.
I happened to be a District Deputy Project Director for this programme in Batticaloa and I knew how it was magnificently implemented by Mr. Lankaneson who had to spend days and nights irrespective of public holidays and off days – travelling to all the districts in these two provinces and work very hard, facing all the problems with courage, and determination. He never feared anyone and he was straightforward in his administration. His pattern of progress review of District Progress was unique because sometimes it was done while he was travelling in his official vehicle. We called him a “Mobile Service Project Director” because he was that and due to the paucity of time he discussed the problems with us while travelling.
His efficiency, competence, leadership and ease of expression were par excellence. There is no yardstick to cover all his efficiency and knowledge as he was beyond the level of most SLAS Officers of his time.
Immediately after retirement – he made use of his leisure in writing a book on Project Management in Tamil. It was acknowledged by academics and one among them Prof. Yoga Rasanayagam said he deserved praise for his tireless effort in bringing out this book with its unique style of presentation given the dearth of reading materials in Tamil for students.
He later settled in Austin Texas with his son and daughter and passed away due to a sudden illness. The news of his demise was shocking to all of us who knew him well and words may not serve to express our feelings of sorrow. We share the grief with his wife and children and other family members.
May his soul rest in peace.
Retnam Shivanandarajah
His demise a loss to the Malay community
Lt. Col. T. M. (Tony) Rajudin
Lt. Col. T.M. Rajudin, popularly known as Tony Rajudin passed away on September 13, at his home in Hokandara. He was 82 years. It was only a short while before that he had offered Friday Jumma prayers at the Battaramulla Jumma mosque, accompanied by his son Murad Rajudin.
Tony Rajudin and my father late Tony Sourjah were cousins. During my younger years my father spoke very highly of his cousin, who was then serving in the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI) regiment of the Sri Lanka Army. When I joined the Sri Lanka Police Department in 1979 and was first posted to the Northern Province, in the Vavuniya Police Division, my father mentioned that I might run into Uncle Tony who was serving further north in the Jaffna peninsula. But our paths never crossed during our duty stints
It was much later when Uncle Tony and I were both out of the army and the police respectively, that we met at a family occasion somewhere in 1997 and my father introduced him to me. Since then I had the privilege of associating with him at various Malay community social events.
Uncle Tony was a past Secretary General of the Malay umbrella body known as Sri Lanka Malay Confederation – SLAMAC. He joined several Malay regional associations with the primary aim of helping those organizations. His association with the Kumpulan Malayu Battaramulla – Malay Association Battaramulla, is of special significance, as it was inaugurated at the suggestion of my father and I convened the inaugural meeting in 2000 at our home in Battaramulla, with the assistance of several other Malay seniors in the area.
Uncle Tony was responsible for my joining the Sri Lanka Indonesia Friendship Association (SLIFA), where I served as the Honorary Secretary and Vice President on two occasions. In 2013, SLIFA appointed him as the Chairman and local coordinator to the 2nd Congress of Indonesian Diaspora that was held in Jakarta Indonesia in August 2013.
Uncle Tony, Anura Perera – Exco member, and I as the Honorary Secretary of SLIFA represented Sri Lanka at the Congress in Jakarta. Uncle Tony was a silent and generous philanthropist. During the Ramadan fast he was in the forefront of many charitable acts involving several organizations. In fact this trait of his was reiterated, when the Moulavi who was presiding at the funeral rites revealed how uncle Tony had very discreetly sponsored the financial cost of education of two Hafis (trainee Muslim Priests), to complete their religious education spanning a couple of years.
Uncle Tony was well versed in the Holy Quran and demonstrated deep knowledge of Islam. He was also an active member of the ZikrMajlis (meditation circle), of the Battaramulla Jumma mosque.
He was also a methodical and systematic personality, no surprise, given his military background. He took time to look into every detail in his tasks and his organizational skills were extraordinary. His demise is indeed a loss to the Sri Lankan Malay community. May Allah grant him Jannathul Firdouse.
Wazir Sourjah
He didn’t suffer fools nor cared about frills
Carl Muller
He was a friend in need and an indefatigable soldier when the cause was humanitarian and when you were clearly the underdog.
When a few of us past hostellers of Royal College Colombo teamed up together to realize an unlikely dream of a new building most sneered at us.
For the majority there were far more attractive options such as sports complexes.
Building a decent shelter for the brightest of the nation from all corners with serious financial challenges was hardly appealing to the majority.
Carl was one who instantly understood the importance of our undertaking and the impact it was bound to make.
From the moment we were introduced by late and great Dr.Nihal Karunaratne, Carl became glued to our project and became a guardian angel.
Each week he used his column in the Sunday Times to make people aware of a truly worthy cause. He, being an alumnus never argued to make Royal greater; instead he argued to make decent accommodation for future leaders of the nation coming from the poorest backgrounds. Henceforth Carl became the wind beneath our wings.
I also liked his biting sarcasm and matter of fact reasoning. He didn’t suffer fools and didn’t care about frills. He admired sincerity and commitment and loved to fight for an underdog.
Carl, as a Buddhist I believe in rebirth and a long journey through sansara. I strongly believe in teaming up with you one day so that we could take up another project empowering the downtrodden. And I know we’re going to have much fun kicking buckets!
Padmasena Dissanayake
In memory of Dada
Bryan Paul Senanayake
It seems so long since you left us
And yet I feel you near
Still the very thought of you
Makes me want to roll back tears.
A few days past, your grandson
Wrote a note to you,
To tell you how much he loved you
And wishing you were here today.
He wants so much to know you
To teach him all you knew
To be the loving grandad
The caring and loving dad I knew
Tears welled, rolled down his little cheeks
As he placed a note for you in Church
A heartfelt prayer and thoughts full of love
Is all he offered in his search.
Our little girl has thoughts
That you loved some of the same
A card trick she masters
A trip on rough terrain.
I can see how much you would have loved them
Cherished their every word
Taught them the simple things in life
Be kind, generous and open up your home.
So you see, you will not be forgotten
In our hearts you will always stay
No matter how much time goes by
In our thoughts and hearts, you will always remain.
Your loving daughter Shima