AVIATION CENTENARY SRI LANKA

AVIATION

Photo credit: Mr Hiran Fernando

Narration: Capt Ashi Fernando

First Flight Stewardess at Air Ceylon

She was Cynthia to some and Jayatri to others. Not many are aware that this beauty was the first formally hired flight stewardess of Ceylon. If so, why was she eliminated from history as the first Flight Stewardess of the national carrier Air Ceylon?

The answer lies in the cliché that she was not ‘in the right place at the right time’; due to a severe bout of flu on the day of the first Air Ceylon flight. Unable to roster Jayatri for the flight, Air Ceylon managed to dress-up one of the office secretary ladies in cabin crew attire and dispatch the flight.

Born in India to Francis and Beatrice Tampoe Philips, Jayatri is the younger sister of the famed lawyer and trade Unionist Bala Tampoe. Jayatri attended school in Ceylon and studied at Ladies College Colombo, Newstead College Negombo (during the war) and finally Methodist College, Colombo.

At the age of 18, Jayatri joined the Royal Air Force; which perhaps accounts for her interest in matters aviation. Leaving the RAF after the war, she worked as the secretary to Revd. James Cartman, Principal of Wesley College. She then joined Air Ceylon as their first Stewardess. An emotional high for Jayatri during her tenure in Air Ceylon was when she met and married the most influential pilot of the time – Capt Peter Fernando.

Jayatri continued to serve in the field of aviation even after quitting her job as a Flight Stewardess. She went on to become a professional in the travel and trade sector. One of the most amusing moments of her travel and trade career was when she unwittingly danced away the night with Willie Brandt – the Chancellor of Germany during a trade fair in Berlin… and only got to know who he was after the event!

Jayatri was also a leading sportswoman. She was the National Badminton Champion in 1953, 1955 and 1957. In 1959 she played for the National (women’s) Cricket Team. Having opened bowling for Ceylon she took two wickets and scored 38 runs out of a total of 63, against the British team. She also played for the Ceylonese National Hockey Team.

Jayatri who excelled in French was the Hon Vice President at the Alliance de Francaise. Apart from her contribution to Aviation she was an avid gardener, a painter, an Interior decorator and poet.

Following is a poem penned by this beautiful Woman in Aviation.

O Heart ! O Soul !

Patience has been your watch o’er me – Whilst I squandered my true riches

Believing my longed for wishes – Had come true!

For in my ignorance of Love’s true ties – I substituted an image which denies

The cries of my one true identity – you!

O Heart! O Soul!