Appreciations
View(s):He served Parliament with great distinction
NIHAL SENEVIRATNE
Nihal Seneviratne who died recently, headed the Parliamentary administration during some of its most difficult and challenging times. He joined the service of Parliament at the very young age of 26 years and served till his retirement at the age of 60. He was recruited as Clerk Assistant to the House of Representatives by Ralph Deraniyagala, the then Clerk to the House.
To Nihal, his job was not a mere form of employment but a passion and his devotion to the institution was an inspiration to all of us who worked under him.
He gradually rose to the position of Secretary General of Parliament in which post he served with distinction.
In 1978, with the adoption of the second Republican Constitution, it was his duty to revise the Standing Orders of Parliament to harmonise its rules to fit the new Constitution.
In 1982, he supervised the shifting of the Parliament to its new premises in Kotte. In the designing of the new Parliament he had given his input to architect Geoffrey Bawa and in shifting he had taken special care to ensure that no damage was caused to the valuable books and historical documents in the library.
He had to cope with a lot of difficult situations during his time. The most gruesome was the grenade explosion when President J.R. Jayewardene was presiding at a committee meeting. This was particularly shocking as it was done by an employee of Parliament working under him and he did face some criticism on account of this.
Following this incident, Nihal took steps to tighten the security in and around Parliament.
It was also during his tenure that for the first time the Parliament was submerged in flood waters in 1992. Nihal, with the assistance of the staff and the Army managed to restore normalcy and have the building ready for Parliamentary sessions two days later. I remember on that occasion how he helped to carry wet furniture from the ground floor to the first floor climbing the stairs like a 20-year-old.
It was also during his time that an impeachment motion was presented against the President for the first time in the history of our Parliament. It was a most unpleasant time and he certainly did not enjoy it.
In 1993, he had to face another unprecedented event when President Premadasa was assassinated. As constitutionally mandated, Prime Minister D.B. Wijetunga succeeded to the post. On this occasion Nihal had to get the Parliament urgently summoned for the purpose of electing the new President.
President Premadasa was assassinated on May day and as soon as he heard the news Nihal summoned Bertram Tittawella, his deputy, and me to his home to work out the formalities regarding the election of a President by Parliament for the first time.
Since joining the staff of Parliament in 1992 I learnt a lot about the law and practice of Parliament from him. Even though he had decades of experience in Parliamentary practice, he would always talk to Mr Tittawella and me whenever confronted by a problem and give ear to our opinions.
Nihal, Mr Tittawella and I used to have our daily lunch at the Parliament restaurant where we would relax and exchange views on the news and happenings in and outside Parliament. I remember the Members of Parliament, when they saw us seated at our usual cornermost table would refer to us as the “Triumvirate”.
He earned the respect of the leaders and members of all parties in Parliament even though they did not always agree with him.
He was a source of strength to every Speaker with whom he worked.
Having given administrative guidance to the Parliament during so many years he retired in 1994 and will be remembered for the service he rendered with such distinction
Apart from his interest in Parliament he was a loyal past pupil of Royal College, serving as an active member of the OBA for a number of years.
He had a wide circle of friends whose company he relished .
He is survived by his dear wife Srima, son Satyajith, daughter Shanika and their families whose company he thoroughly enjoyed.They will miss him sorely and to them is due our deepest sympathy as they adjust to a new life without him.
May he attain Nibbana.
-Priyanee Wijesekera
My friend ‘Uncle Galba’
NIHAL “GALBA” SENEVIRATNE
In the nearly 42 years I have lived in the United States, I visited Sri Lanka regularly; in the early decades, maybe once a year and in more recent years, twice and even thrice a year. On each of these visits, I would choose to spend time with some of my parents’ friends, a practice that became more pronounced after 1999, because by that year, both my parents had passed away. There was a quartet that I kept in touch and called on consistently: Bishop Swithin Fernando, Scott Direckze, Kumar Chitty and Galba Seneviratne.
During my one-on-one conversations with these wonderful, supremely accomplished human beings, almost always in their homes, I learned so much. I asked a lot of questions and they always responded enthusiastically. I learned about their childhoods, their education, their professional pursuits but most of all I learned about life: how to interact with others, how to develop greater empathy and compassion for others, how to live life guided by a moral compass and how to discover joy in a simple task or project. Now all these things I gleaned not from hearing a “lecture” by these good folks but by listening to and observing how they responded to the myriad challenges in their personal and professional lives.
The last of the quartet, Uncle Galba, passed away on January 6, 2026, about five months short of his 92nd birthday. He had lived a long, productive and incredibly accomplished life; mercifully, he escaped the horrors of a long, lingering and unforgiving illness at the end. For that blessing, I know all his loved ones remain so grateful. My initial contact with Uncle Galba was when I was a child through his son Jit, my near lifelong friend, who was two years ahead of me at Royal. Our families lived a few hoots away from each other in our beloved Thimbirigasyaya neighbourhood. As is often the case in Sri Lanka, our parents were friends and Jit’s parents and my parents had many mutual friends.
Jit, another dear friend from the neighbourhood, Siri, my brother Jehan and I all car-pooled to Royal with our respective parents taking turns driving us. Many years later, Uncle Galba told me how he had lived in the Galle Fort as a young boy and how his family lived next door to my wife Shanthini’s mother’s family. He had wonderful memories of Shanthini’s mother and her siblings.
When I reflect on my friendship with Uncle Galba, three aspects immediately spring to mind. First, his absolute zest and drive to meet people, all kinds of people, young, old, people of every stripe, people from completely diverse backgrounds, people with completely different interests. So he might attend the memorial service of a friend and then rush off to a Symphony Orchestra concert; or, he might attend an art exhibition and then take off to see a play at the Lionel Wendt; or, he would attend the launch of a friend’s book and then head to a dinner. His ability to balance all these different social engagements was a thing of wonder and you would see him at the most unexpected events and places; always with a smile, always with his hand out to greet you and always inquiring how you were doing. You could sense how these social interactions rejuvenated him; concurrently, he certainly injected energy into those around him. His joie de vivre, his exuberant enjoyment of life was so infectious and so inspiring, something I would often tell Uncle Galba.
Of course, the second week of March every year was a special time for him, as it is for many of us, and his social engagements were at a peak as he would do the rounds at several of the Roy-Tho Tents. These social interactions meant that he was already to help those in need with a word of advice or recommendations on how to navigate a bureaucratic issue or place a call to an official to move a project along; in fact, the concept of a “letter from Galba” gained epic proportions among many of us for this very reason.
Second, his unstinting loyalty, devotion and love for Royal College. Uncle Galba belonged to the Group of 45, one of the most illustrious batches in the history of Royal College. Many members from the Group of 45 filled the ranks of Sri Lanka’s medical, legal, diplomatic, public service, financial, scientific and corporate sectors with great distinction. Uncle Galba was in that elite corps with his 33 years of service at the Parliament of Sri Lanka, culminating as Secretary General. He served as the Secretary of the Royal College Union (RCU) for a number of years, chaired and served on numerous committees related to milestone events at Royal and then, finally, was appointed Vice President Emeritus of the RCU. He worked tirelessly to improve aspects of Royal that garnered the least attention and ensured that these areas were not neglected.
Third, his encyclopedic knowledge of events and personalities in his long, momentous life and his ability to relate them with flair and unbridled enthusiasm. One of the stories stood out from the many he relayed to me: his visit to North Korea with a delegation of Sri Lankan Parliamentarians. The extreme secrecy shrouding the entire visit, the exceedingly long and unnerving train journey to an unknown destination and then the dramatic meeting with North Korean supremo Kim Il Sung bordered on something from a John le Carré novel.
He also had an innate sense of curiosity and a thirst for what was going on both locally and globally on the political and economic fronts. His extended time living in Washington, D.C. to study operational aspects at the U.S. House of Representatives left him with both a fondness and abiding interest in American politics. Whenever I visited with him, he would ask me a series of questions about various political, legal and constitutional developments in the U.S. From his questions, I could see how he was comparing dimensions of the American and Sri Lankan political systems and how the two systems approached thorny challenges.
In closing, I have to reference Uncle Galba’s incredible love for his immediate and extended families. His grandchildren brought him such joy and he was so proud of all their accomplishments. To Aunty Srima, Jit and Shanika, thank you for sharing Uncle Galba with all of us and for allowing us to experience all his unique attributes. For me, Uncle Galba’s passing signals the end of an era in terms of my quartet of individuals from my parents’ generation; yet, another indication of the relentless march of time. In the meantime, I am grateful for all that I have absorbed from my friendship with Uncle Galba. Very grateful.
Sujit CanagaRetna
A true friend and father figure
DHARMIN PERERA
At 8:50 that morning, my phone rang. The caller was Jayalath – Uncle Dharmin’s driver. I went cold, knowing that the call would bring bad news. And it did. As I answered, Jayalath -his driver, confidant, and close ally – was engulfed in tears and emotion. He told me that Uncle Dharmin had just passed away.
The relationship Uncle Dharmin shared with Jayalath was a complex and deeply human one. Jayalath was the custodian of his beloved Mercedes. Uncle Dharmin would say, with unmistakable pride, that he had bought over 10 cars from DIMO, and he would then proceed, without hesitation, to rattle off the registration numbers of all of them. His Mercedes had to be spotless. That responsibility fell squarely on Jayalath, and if it ever fell short of Uncle Dharmin’s fastidious standards, it would be met with colourful adjectives and firm instruction.
The standards he applied to his Mercedes were the same standards he applied to himself. He dressed impeccably at all times—tie perfectly in place, shoes always shining, hair gelled and immaculately set. And he gently but firmly expected those around him to meet those standards too. Once, when I picked him up to attend a funeral, he smoothly suggested, “Shall we go past your place so you can pick up a tie?”
That same precision defined his Freemasonry. He attended his final Masonic meeting on August 6, 2025, at a time when his mobility was already severely challenged. His body struggled with the stairs, but his mental strength took over. With assistance from able-bodied brethren, he made his way up. He prepared meticulously for every Masonic responsibility he undertook and delivered each one flawlessly.
His Masonry was not confined to the Lodge. It governed his life. If a brother was in hospital, Uncle Dharmin visited daily. If financial help was needed for medical care, he was among the first to contribute. If a brother faced a court case, Uncle Dharmin would be there – quietly seated in a corner of the courtroom, dressed in his white shirt and trousers, black Masonic tie, Mercedes tie pin and cufflinks. Present, loyal, unwavering.
Uncle Dharmin was happiest in that Mercedes, driven by Jayalath. If he wanted to order food from his friend Gihan Perera at Perera & Sons, he would go there in person. He believed in doing things face to face and valued human relationships deeply, far more than convenience.
He never gave in to old age. He fought it fiercely. Poor Menaka had the unenviable task of trying to curtail his “loafing,” concerned that he might over-exert himself. Often, Uncle Dharmin would say he was heading somewhere innocuous, only to embark on one of his marathon outings, buying pastries and eclairs he was not supposed to eat along the way. Jayalath was instructed, if asked, to say simply, “Dharmin Mahathaya is with Sheran.”
Once, Menaka called me, frustrated and worried. “Sheran, Thathi should be resting more and shouldn’t be going to…” In that moment, I realised I had unknowingly become an accomplice in an elaborate Dharmin Perera excursion – my name used in facilitating his carefully orchestrated plans to outmanoeuvre Menaka’s caring scrutiny.
I had known Uncle Dharmin for many years through his passion for motor racing. He would often attend races I participated in, making sure to wish me well before each race and to speak with me afterwards, every time, without fail.
The next phase of our relationship began when he bought a Suzuki Vitara from us. He confirmed the purchase verbally, and I told him his word was sufficient – I did not need an advance. Shortly thereafter, duties increased steeply. The very next day, Aunty Neliya and Uncle Dharmin were at my office when I arrived. I assured him the verbal agreement stood and that there would be no price increase. He valued doing business the old-fashioned way, on word and trust.
That decision earned me far more than a sale. It earned me a friend for life. Someone who became a rare blend of true friend and father figure.
For over 20 years, Uncle Dharmin and Aunty Neliya were part of every important decision Roshi and I made. When Colombo society cast us aside because of our respective divorces, they stood by us like rocks. They supported us, advised us, and loved us without judgement. In every meaningful sense, they became our parents, and we are immeasurably richer for their presence in our lives.
For two decades, Roshi and I saw them at least once a week. We travelled with them, partied with them, and spent racing weekends together – enduring heat and poor facilities at racetracks, never once hearing a complaint.
What Uncle Dharmin gave us was not just friendship, but constancy. Not just advice, but example. Not just affection, but values lived quietly and consistently.
He will be deeply missed. But he leaves behind something enduring: a standard of how to live, how to show up for others, and how to remain oneself, right to the very end.
Rest in peace, dear Uncle Dharmin.
And thank you for everything!
-Sheran Fernando
He gave of his best in every field
DR. JAYANTHA BANDARA ILANGARATNE
Dr. Jayantha Bandara Ilangaratne passed away peacefully in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2025, aged 68, following a diagnosis of advanced cancer in September 2023 which he courageously battled, long beyond his expected survival.
Jayantha was born on March 25, 1957 in Kurunegala, the youngest child of P.B. Ilangaratne and Chandra Ilangaratne. He was a much-loved brother to his elder sister Yamuna, who lives in Sri Lanka, and his eldest brother Lalith, who lives in London.
A gifted and diligent student, Jayantha was educated at St. Sylvester’s College in Kandy, where he achieved a number of academic awards. He later attended Ananda College, before entering Colombo Medical School in 1976. He graduated as a medical doctor in 1981.
In 1984, Jayantha migrated to the United Kingdom following his marriage to Manique Kithulegoda and ending up settling down in East Yorkshire. Over the course of his career, he worked across a wide range of medical specialties, ultimately specialising in psychiatry. He was widely respected for his clinical insight, integrity, and compassionate approach to patient care. He retired from clinical medicine in 2023.
Alongside practising as a psychiatrist, Jayantha worked for the UK Ministry of Justice, sitting as a Medical Member of the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal and, latterly, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal. Testament to his exceptional commitment to this role, he continued in it even after his retirement from the National Health Service, having sat in what was his last hearing in the week before his untimely passing.
In a letter to Jayantha’s family after his death, Lord Justice Dingemans, Senior President of the Tribunals, wrote: “Jayantha has served as a Tribunal Medical Member of Social Entitlement Chambers since his appointment in 2013. We have benefited greatly from his experience and expertise over the years of his service. He made a valuable contribution to the administration of justice in the tribunals throughout his service. He will be missed by all who knew and worked with him”.
Jayantha was very much the life and soul of any social event and brought to life his often humorous anecdotes.
In 2009, Jayantha entered his second marriage to Panthip, with whom he shared a deep and loving partnership. Throughout his illness, Panthip cared for him with extraordinary devotion.
Jayantha’s funeral took place in Beverley, East Yorkshire, on November 14, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Panthip Ilangaratne and his three children: Charmaine, a Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology; Neshan, a Family Physicia; and Chevan, a Barrister in employment law. He was also a proud and devoted grandfather to his granddaughter.
Jayantha’s life was defined by an immense level of curiosity about medicine, law and the wider world. He believed passionately in equal treatment, respect in the workplace, and ensuring accountability at the highest levels. A keen socialiser, family man and real gentleman with a wonderful way with words, he will be deeply missed forever.
-Charmaine, Neshan and Chevan Ilangaratne
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