Plus

Plus

Appreciations
She made me feel that I was special
Kamala Samaraweera
I have lost a friend so dear, it is almost impossible to put into words what her loss means to me. However, I shall try.

I first got to know Kamala when I was in my mid-teens. She was a young graduate who had just qualified with an English Honours degree from Peradeniya and was teaching at Visakha. So my association with her goes back more than 40 years. She would always admonish me when I mentioned this in company. "They'll know how old we are," she'd quip, and we'd laugh - as we so often did when we were together.

Kamala stayed with us at Milagiriya Avenue (before she married Frank) for almost two years. Those days are etched in my memory and I can clearly see her even now, dressed in a striking cotton sari, opening her umbrella before she left for school. We used to tease her about her obsession with her umbrella and she earned nicknames like 'Aunty Kuday' and 'Umbrella Lady'. Her forte being English, I remember how much she helped me (during my O/Levels) with my précis writing, grammar and those knotty problems I came across in my literature texts.

After she and Frank married, we still kept in touch. I would visit them almost every Saturday at their little flat at Gunaratne Place (down Park Road) for lunch. We would remember each other's birthdays, see films together, meet at lunches, dinners, or just get together to have a chat. We would also spend holidays together. We spent a most memorable holiday with them in Nairobi, touring the game parks and lakes and visiting other places of interest.

As always they were the perfect hosts and Kamala went out of her way to take us shopping and organize parties so that we could meet their friends there. We have made many friends through Kamala, at the countless lunches and dinners we attended at their home here in Sri Lanka.

Kamala's most endearing quality was perhaps her genuine interest in people. She always had the time and patience to listen to the problems friends poured out to her, and made it a point to help them in whatever way she could. In the same manner, she always had time for me. She took a personal interest in everything I did. She never failed to inquire after my family and shared joyfully in all our successes, and stood firmly by us when we went through difficult times. My children adored her, and later when they married, their respective spouses also looked upon her as a favourite aunt.

I can think of no other friend who encouraged me so much in my humble efforts at writing fiction, as Kamala. She was ever willing to read my stories and poems. She made me feel that I was special, and for that I will always remember her. In recent years we took turns at visiting each other every Tuesday for lunch. During these times we discussed a variety of topics, but of course, we always dwelt on the common bond we shared -- books and reading. We had many similar interests, likes and dislikes, and always saw the funny side of a situation.

There is no doubt that her family will miss her presence, for she was a loving wife, doting mother and grandmother and caring sister. Simon, Sonali, Dinesh, Dimitri, Sarah and I will also miss her immensely.

Thank you Kamala, my dearest friend, for sharing your life with me, for always being there for me, in good times and bad. Although you have left this earthly form, the memory of your love, caring and loyalty will always remain in our hearts.
Anthea Senaratna

You did not die in vain
Ovitawithanage Samantha
Forgive me son I meant to write
An epitaph to you -
But mine own troubles germinated
And grew and grew.
So weeks passed by and
Now three months and more have gone
And you lie beneath the sod
In silence - alone
But Samantha son, you did not die in vain
The hands that wielded knives and poles
Are covered with a warrior's innocent blood!
In every walk of life we see
The rot that has set in.
How few of us have the courage like you
To try to heal! To clean !
We call them scum
You find them everywhere
In the darkest recess of their souls
Their hate and envy hibernate and grow
A day of reckoning will come
Life will catch up with them
You did not die in vain Putha
Your murder gave you fame -
It stirred and woke the slumber lords
Who never seemed to care.
That those entrusted to their care
Be taught all moral values,
Of honesty, integrity, truthfulness
Caring and sharing.
***
I call you Putha - I call you son
Tho' I never met or saw you
But you represent all the boys
I've taught since 1967
I addressed them as putha/ baba/ son
God grant that none will die like you
- Pearline L. Withana

Lanka’s first Professor of Animal Science
Professor R.R. Appadurai
On February 3, we commemorated the 25th death anniversary of eminent Sri Lankan scientist and scholar, Prof R.R. Appadurai. He was the first Professor of Animal Science, former Head, Department of Animal Science, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Founder Director of the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya.

Prof. Appadurai, or Reggie to his close friends, died on February 2, 1978 at the age of 50.

Born in 1928 in Vadukkodai, Jaffna, he had his early education at Jaffna College where he performed well in both studies and sports. His oratorical capabilities won him a number of prizes for public speaking/elocution.

He entered the University of Peradeniya in 1951 and graduated in 1954 topping the batch with a First Class (Honours) degree in Agriculture. The extraordinary academic record he kept was not broken for 14 years. Having won a Fullbright travel grant and the Smith-Mundt scholarship he went to Texas A&M University in the US in 1955 to pursue an M.Sc degree in Agronomy.

On his return to Sri Lanka a year later, he joined the staff of the Department of Agriculture of the Faculty of Agriculture of the then University of Ceylon. He was recruited to teach agronomy and selected agrostology as his field of specialization. After a short spell of duty at the faculty he proceeded to Wye College, University of London for his Ph.D training. There he worked with Prof. Holmes, a distinguished agrostologist and obtained his Ph.D in 1961.

In1968 he became the first Professor of Animal Husbandry of the Faculty of Agriculture. He also served as the Head, Department of Animal Husbandry from 1968 to 1975. In 1972, he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and the significant role he played in conceptualizing post-graduate education in agriculture led to the creation of the Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture. He became Founder Director in 1976.

Prof. Appadurai was the first Sri Lankan scientist to be awarded the Sri George Stapledon Memorial Fellowship instituted by the Stapledon Memorial Trust and the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

He carried out his post-doctoral research at the Grassland Research Institute, Hurley and Hannah Dairy Research Institute, Ayr, UK.

As many would say, he was a man of action. He was dynamic. He was an efficient administrator and inspiring personality. He not only knew what needed to be done but also knew how to get it done. But there was more to him. He was friendly, caring and had a sense of humour.

Prof. Appadurai authored many research papers in agriculture and has three important books to his credit. The 'Field Crops of Ceylon', jointly authored with Prof. S.T. Seneviratne in 1966, became a standard reference textbook for all agriculturists in the country. 'Grassland Farming in Ceylon' was a comprehensive treatise on the subject.

While being with the university he served on numerous committees of ministries and departments within the agriculture and education sectors. His expertise in pasture agronomy gave him many opportunities to represent Sri Lanka at many national and international conferences and seminars.

Prof. Appadurai was my teacher, advisor, colleague and friend. He taught us not only the science of agriculture but also discipline, honesty and integrity. He was a gifted teacher. His students remember him as a man who walked into the lecture theatre with hardly any notes but would deliver the most interesting and informative lecture with all the statistics and up-to-date information on the subject.

He was a loyal family man, friend and leader with a vision. He served the university, the PGIA and his country with dedication and distinction.
Dr. M.C.N. Jayasuriya
(A former student)

Back to Plus