Good News From Jayam August 1, 2025 Pls Scroll Down 35 items
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Beautiful Tea Estate in Bandarawela for Sale Only US$500K – 34.5 acres – Available Now Ideal for retiree couple – Make your dream come true! This Estate has a beautiful owner’s bungalow! You can give it your own name!
Have you ever wanted to own your own tea estate in the luscious hills of Bandarawela vicinity? The estate is currently fully functional. Consisting of all amenities including, 4 bedroom bungalow, office room, 2 living quarters for the staff, 5-6 living line quarters, and a weighing shed etc. Serious buyers only. At $500K its a steal. Priced to sell! Contact Jayam at jayam2424@yahoo.com
Visiting Glacier Park, Montana recently were Gina, Fay Herft and Anne Schumacher of California – Almost Heaven!
Gina made friends with the neighbor’s horses in beautiful Kalispell, Montana
Anne, Fay, Gina and Paddy Johns in Kalispell, Montana
Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams – Hotel Review (Please click on arrow)
All Lankan BasketBall 2025 Tournament Saturday, August 9th, 2025 at Stevenson Park in Carson, Ca. Don’t miss it!
Sri Lanka Pushes for Better US Trade Terms
The Sri Lankan government was focused last week on efforts to further negotiate with the United States (US) for better tariff rates as the August 1 date for these rates looms ahead. The US had decided on a 30 per cent tariff rate for Sri Lanka. This is after a series of discussions between that country and a team of Sri Lankan officials. The previous rate the US assigned to Sri Lanka was 44 per cent. This 14 per cent reduction was welcomed by Colombo as a positive step.
However, after the announcement of the 30 per cent rate, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake who is also Minister of Finance met with officials from the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank as well his economic advisors, directing them to try and negotiate with the US for a further tariff reduction. One avenue that is being explored is exporting oil from the US. Sri Lanka imports over $4 billion worth of oil annually. If some oil exports are sourced from the US, this would go a long way in addressing the trade disparity which resulted in tariffs, officials say.
Get a loan to buy a home, Now! Specialiizing in Southern California We have many satisfied Sri Lankan clients! (All transactions “Highly” Confidential)
Call Jayam or Gina: 626-824-7892
2025 Geoffrey Bawa Memorial Lecture on July 24th by Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena
The 22nd edition of the annual Geoffrey Bawa Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Los Angeles-based architects Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena on Thursday, July 24, 2025 at 6.30 p.m. at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI). The speakers’ architecture firm, Escher GuneWardena Architecture, established in 2015, includes projects ranging from custom homes and housing, preservation of work of iconic buildings and collaborations with artists, art galleries, and exhibitions around the world.
In addition to preservation work, Escher and GuneWardena regularly design new houses and commercial projects in the Los Angeles area, including a 100-acre meditation center campus for California’s Sri Lankan community in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Parallel to the memorial lecture, Escher and GuneWardena will also host a workshop for architecture students and young architects titled Historic Preservation/A Role for Contemporary Architects on July 25, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the De Saram House in Colombo 7. Admission to both events is free on pre-registration. For registration and more information, visit: geoffreybawa.com/events.
Childhood Sweethearts found each other in Sri Lanka Charmaine Schuilling and Lorensz Misso (here with family) They now live in Sydney, Australia
www.utravel.com
Jayam’s Choice “Where the Boys Are” by Connie Francis (Please click on arrow)
Bishop’s College Past Pupils’ Association USA Celebrated 150 Year Anniversary of their Alma Mater in Orange County, Ca (Photos by Moran Moran)
Chandani Wanniarachchi (President) Aroshi de Silva (Vice President) Achala Weerasinghe (Patron Bishop’s College PPA) Bishop’s College Principal Chemali Goonetilleke Herath, Shiran Salgado
Shiran Salgado and Chemali
Migari Marasinghe (right) hosted the event at her beautiful home in Orange County., Ca. Here with friends.
Bishop’s College Colombo, Principal Chemali Goonetilleke Herath, flew to Los Angeles for the occasion. Here she is on the left with two past pupils.
Sonali Jinadasa
New Governing Body Elected at Sri Lanka – USA Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA – The Sri Lanka–USA Chamber of Commerce (SLUCC) in Los Angeles convened an annual general meeting via Zoom on July 16, 2025, to elect a new governing body. The virtual meeting, which was organized by Don Wijesinghe, followed an open invitation extended to the Sri Lankan business community via email at the instruction of former President Manickrajah Jayakumar.
The following individuals were elected to serve as officers of the Chamber: President: Don Susil Wijesinghe,
Secretary: Jack Knight, Treasurer: Aruni Boteju.
The Sri Lanka–USA Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, non-political organization committed to fostering stronger trade relations and business partnerships between Sri Lanka and the United States. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 8:00 PM (via Zoom). This session will include the continued expansion of our governing body, with the election of board members.
To participate, please reach out to me to ensure your email is added to our invitation list. We will send you the Zoom link prior to the meeting. Jack Knight – Secretary
Sri Lanka–America Business Chamber of Commerce,
Los Angeles. Email: jackknight44@yahoo.com
Los Angeles Businessman George Rutnam and Famous Sri Lankan Danu Innasithamby met at Danu’s book signing event at the now famous Sri Lankan Restaurant in Hollywood, “The Kurrypinch”
Happy Birthday Anusha of Los Angeles
Happy 3rd Birthday to Princess Sienna of Los Angeles, Ca.
SLAASC Fundraiser “Neka Maatra” Saturday, August 2nd, 2025
Besame Mucho! Dedicated to my dear friend Indrani Wye by Thaminie Perera (Please click on arow)
“Kaleidoscope with Savithri Rodrigo July 17th, 2025 (Please click on arrow)
On the show today – Savin Edirisinghe – Kata Katha – The Gratiaen Prize – Murtaza Jafferjee – Vehicle Imports – Denary Odyssey- Tom & Jerry – Bastille Day – Dogs in Sunglasses and More
Obituaries – Sad News
Merlin Kasthuriarachchi passed away in SriLanka. Wife of late Danasekara Kasthuriarachchi, mother of Palitha, Anura, Saman and Nilmini. A service was held in Los Angeles at the Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Temple on Crenshaw Boulevard on July 11, 2025
Victor Felsinger passed away in Colombo recently. Husband of Bernie, father of Sean and Cathy, father-in-law of Ameera and Thaweesha, grandfather of Caliandra, Adelina, Bhasha and Dulkith, son of late Luke and Jenny Felsinger, brother of late Lincolin, Anton, Milton,Melitia, Winston and of Shiela Muller and Zenobia Fernando, brother-in-law of late Mignone, Granville, Nicholas, Ivan, Aelian, Lloyd and of Shelton, Milroy, Loretta, Melvon, Emil and Romesh. Funeral service took place on July 19th. with burial at General Cemetery, Kanatte.
Recipes From Roma’s Kitchen
Warm Chickpea Salad with Chili and Lime Dressing
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 yellow(brown onion), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/3 cups (14 oz/440g) drained, canned chickpeas
- juice of two limes
- 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/160ml) chili oil
- 1/2 cup (3/4 oz/20g) fresh cilantro (fresh coriander
- leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- crusty bread, warmed, for serving
METHOD.
Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft,3-5 minutes. Add chickpeas and stir until heated through,about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low,add lime juice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chilli oil and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with bread. Serves 4.
Jayam2424@yahoo.com
My Father, Dr. James T. Rutnam by Jayam Rutnam (Excerpt from My Book) Not yet published!
James T. Rutnam was born in Jaffna, Ceylon, into a family rooted in enterprise and determination. His father, Dennis Seeva Rutnam, was in the transportation business, hauling goods from the Colombo Port to inland destinations using a fleet of over 100 bullock carts—at a time when motor vehicles were not yet in use.
James had two brothers, Sam and Willie, and a sister, Mary, who married Reggie Singham. He was educated at St. Thomas’ College and St. Joseph’s College, and later attended Law College, where he was a contemporary of J.R. Jayewardene, and a close friend of SWRD Bandaranaike—both of whom would become lifelong friends and eventually a President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
Early in his career, James became a teacher and, at the remarkably young age of 23, was appointed Principal of St. Xavier’s College in Nuwara Eliya. While there, he became an outspoken advocate for the indentured tea estate laborers, demanding better wages and living conditions from the British plantation owners. He often mobilized and inspired workers to strike, championing their rights in an era when doing so could carry great personal risk.
He was also deeply involved in the island’s independence movement. A nationalist at heart, he joined forces with figures like A.E. Goonesinghe and participated in the organizing of the “Suriya Mal Day” campaign, which sought to replace the British tradition of “Poppy Day” with the local suriya mal flower—an assertion of cultural pride and resistance.
Eventually, my father transitioned from education to commerce, joining the British firm Cumberbatch & Company as Chief Chartered rice broker. He was instrumental in negotiating large-scale rice imports from Burma. Later, he struck out on his own, dealing in sugar from Cuba and Eastern Europe, and flour from Australia. His business, which involved importing shipments of up to 10,000 tons at a time, also led him to become a ship’s agent, a venture that proved to be quite successful.
Outside of business and politics, my father was a passionate historian and avid reader. He had a particular interest in the contributions of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan and
Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, two brothers who played pivotal roles in Sri Lanka’s path to independence. He also published works on historical figures such as Sir Alexander Johnston, the third Chief Justice of Ceylon; the mystery of Count de Hérlève’s lock of hair; and the legend of Elara’s tomb, among others.
His personal library was widely and arguably regarded as one of the finest private collections in South Asia. It became a valuable resource for university professors and researchers, and was eventually donated to Jaffna College, where it continues to serve as a scholarly treasure trove.
James married my mother, Evelyn, and together they raised eight children—five sons and three daughters. All of them eventually migrated to the United States, except for Chandran, who returned to Sri Lanka and became a noted film producer and director.
Among his many public endeavors, he also ran for office in both Nuwara Eliya and Colombo. In one notable campaign, he contested the Cinnamon Gardens municipal seat against Ranasinghe Premadasa—who would later become President. He lost to Premadasa, who eventually
befriended him. James was asked by Premadasa, what can I do for you in Sri Lanka? The answer was that he would like a memorial built for A. E. Goonesinghe in his home town.
As a genealogist, my father wielded history as a political tool. During elections, when Bandaranaike and Jayewardene sought to emphasize their “pure” Sinhalese lineage to appeal to the majority, my father published well-researched articles exposing their Tamil ancestry, something they found deeply inconvenient. Two of his most well-known pieces were “The House of Nilaperumal”, detailing Bandaranaike’s lineage, and “Tambi Mudaliyar’s Legacy”, which explored Jayewardene’s ancestry.
Dr. James T. Rutnam received his honorary PHD from the Jaffna College. He presented a building in Thirunelveli to the Jaffna College. This building was named after my mother Evelyn Wijayaratna Rutnam, who passed away at the young age of 52. The Evelyn Rutnam Institute for Intercultural Studies was declared open in her memory on her birthday on May 10, 1981 by then Ambassador to Sri Lanka from the United States of America, His Excellency Donald Toussaint.
