Upali Obeyesekere

RIP – MAUREEN RAYMOND (1937-2024) – By Upali Obeyesekere – Toronto, Canada A Life Well Lived for Others! The phrase, “She came, she saw, she conquered,” is popularly attributed to Julius Caesar – but the phrase has also been used in poetry and literature to convey the idea of someone’s irresistible power or influence. Such a person was Maureen Raymond who passed away in her sleep at home in Burlington on Saturday, July 20. It was family and core group of old friends and new who bid farewell to 86-year-old Maureen at Smith’s Funeral Homes in Burlington. Here was a lady who went totally out of her way to help many people in many ways lying still at the Funeral Home while eulogies poured out with her kindness, passion for culinary arts, selflessness, and the numerous sacrifices she made for others. Heather Maureen De Alwis married James Raymond (Jimmy) of ...

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RIP RICHARD HEYN by: Upali Obeyesekere – Editor, JPNN Int’l “No legacy is so rich as honesty” – William Shakespeare image source:-quadrangle.lk News has reached us that former Peterite cricketer and hockey player RICHARD HEYN passed away in the U.S. this morning (April 3rd). May the turf lie lightly over Richard as we mourn his passing. Richard was the older son of former Army Commander and All-Ceylon cricketer B.R. Heyn and Mrs. Heyn. Brother of former Peterite legend DAVID HEYN, Richard had his baptism to cricket at his alma mater St. Peter’s College Colombo in 1959, under the captaincy of another legendary Peterite cricketer Brian Seneviratne. Richard represented SPC in 1960, 1961, and captained college in 1962. Richard looked every bit a cricketer – tall and lanky. Besides cricket, Richard also captained SPC in Hockey. Those of us who lived through college life in the early sixties, may recall some ...

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Sri Lankan family of six dead, including four children, at Barrhaven home; one person arrested  By Upali Obeyesekere – Reporting from Toronto, Canada ( With files from Canadian Media Outlets) Source:-TIMES OF SRI LANKA INTERNATIONAL 365 Six people, including four children, were found dead late Wednesday at a home on Berrigan Drive in Barrhaven, Ottawa police confirmed Thursday. Police have charged a 19-year-old with six counts of murder after five members of the same family were massacred in ‘the largest murder in recent memory’ in the Barrhaven suburb of Ottawa, Canada’s capital. Police have identified one of the adult victims as 35-year-old Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake. Her husband The father and husband, who has been identified as Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, was found injured at the scene. He remained in hospital in serious, but stable condition as of mid-afternoon Thursday. Wickramasinghe was found at the scene, and was injured. He was rushed to ...

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76 years since Sri Lanka gained its independence from the British – by: Upali Obeyesekere – Editor, Times of Sri Lanka Source : TIMES OF SRI LANKA INTERNATIONAL 365 HAPPY 76TH ANNIVERSARY – SRI LANKA! SRI LANKA CELEBRATES ITS 76TH ANNIVERSARY ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH (2024). IT WAS ON FEBRUARY 4, 1948 THAT CEYLON WAS GRANTED ITS INDEPENDENCE AS THE DOMINION OF CEYLON. DOMINION STATUS (WITHIN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH) WAS RETAINED FOR THE NEXT 24 YEARS UNTIL MAY 22, 1972, WHEN IT BECAME A REPUBLIC AND WAS NAMED THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA. On 4 February 1948, Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon. Dominion status within the British Commonwealth was retained for the next 24 years until 22 May 1972 when it became a republic and was renamed the Republic of Sri Lanka. Unlike in India, there was no struggle for freedom, no blood shed to ...

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Peel Region Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah undertakes sentimental journey to Sri Lanka in search of his roots – By Upali Obeyesekere Chief Nishan Duraiappah with Sri Lanka Ministers Ali Sabry and Tiran Alles Peel Region Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah embarked on a sentimental journey last month to Sri Lanka – his country of birth. His beloved parents left Sri Lanka in 1974, emigrating to Canada with their nine-month-old son – Nishan. Forty-nine years later he made his second visit to his country of birth on a rare high – as Chief of Police, Peel Region in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Born in Colombo, this was his second trip “home,” as he may call it. His earlier visit to Sri Lanka was in 2003. For any Sri Lankan-Canadian to return home to your birth country Sri Lanka as a normal person is nostalgic. But for Nishan Duraiappah, it was special ...

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ANGELO MATHEWS TIMED OUT! – By Upali Obeyesekere Source : facebook SPIRIT OF CRICKET LEFT IN DOLDRUMS! PATHETIC APPEAL BY BANGLA SKIPPER SHAKIB AL HASAN! SAD DAY FOR INTERNATIONAL CRICKET! Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews became the first batter to be timed out in international cricket during the Cricket World Cup game against Bangladesh on Monday. Mathews wasn’t ready to face his first ball within the stipulated two minutes as the strap of his helmet appeared to be broken and he called for a replacement helmet. The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 playing conditions pertaining to “timed out” dismissals reads thus: 40.1.1 After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within 2 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If ...

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RIP FELIX PERUMAL – By Upali Obeyesekere Police Team: Standing from left: F.A. Fernando, A.T. Fonseka,V. Narendra, M. Guneratne, F. Burke, M. Siriwardene D. Rajaratnam (seated from left) H.C. Perera, N. Weerasinghe, F. Perumal, B.A. Jayasinghe (President GSCA) Minister of Health E.L. SenanayakeE. L. Abeygunewardene (IGP), T.B. Werapitiya, S. Kuruppu (Secretary GSCA), D. Weerasinghe, T.B. Kehelgamuwa Image source:Scotent Fb Source :  JOSEPHIAN-PETERITE INTERNATIONAL PERUMAL FELIX ANTHONY – Chairman,​ Vigilant Security & Investigation Services. Dearly beloved husband of late Chitra,​ loving father of Surani,​ Roshni & Mario,​ loved father-in-law of Michael De Silva & Nedra,​ loving grandfather of Jannik & Tehanee,​ Keshia & Rashmika,​ Tehra & Anaya,​ son of late Aloy & late Therese,​ brother of Vilma Navaratnam,​ Inez Panambalana,​ Evan & Walter (All Decd.),​ Jean Dharmaratne & Bryan. Remains lie at “The Restpect Home” by Jayaratne’s,​ Borella on Thursday 5th October from 9.00 a.m. Cortege leaves Parlour at 4.00 p.m. ...

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RIP HIRAN ADHIHETTY – by Upali Obeyesekere In happier times. This was captured by me at Hiran’s official farewell in Toronto in 2015, just before he returned to Sri Lanka for good! Hiran (2nd from right) with his 1st cousin Rohan Wanigatunga (USA), nephew Shanaka de Mel and wife Shaki (Toronto).   (1950-2023) It is with profound sadness we learn that longtime Toronto resident HIRAN ADHIHETTY passed away yesterday in Colombo. Funeral details are not known at present. Hiran is a proud alumnus of the “School by the Sea”, and was onetime President of S. Thomas’ College Old Boys’ Association in Canada. A professional accountant, Hiran and his wife Felicia lived in Toronto for many decades before returning to Sri Lanka. Our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences go out to his beloved wife Felicia, lovely daughter Natasha, her husband and two children in Australia. Hiran is the maternal uncle of ...

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