OBITUARY – CHANDRA SENARATNE (9 Feb 1933 – 3 June 2024 ) – By Hugh Karunanayake
The news of Chandra Senaratne ‘s passing came as no surprise to me, as he was not in the best of health recently. Nevetheless, the sadness and the finality it brings to a life well lived, remains so indelibly etched in my memory, and will remain forever.
Chandra was a dear friend with whom I have been able to associate closely over the past 30 years. He is only two years older than I, and it would have surprised him to know that I remember him as a student in Royal College in Colombo, where we both attended, he a couple of forms senior to me. As you all know, a two year seniority in school brings with it a certain aura of respect, and adulation. In Chandra’s case he was (if I remember right,) the Tennis captain of the school, and that brought another layer of adulation. His younger brother Nihal, better known by a nickname derived from a rather fancied plant from the vegetable kingdom, was closer to us in the sense that he was only a form senior to me, and it was a great privilege to have met him at the homes of mutual friends, over meals during my recent visit to the old country.
As most would be aware, the Senaratnes have descended from a prominent family in Sri Lanka. Chandra’s father was Dr OLF Senaratne, a prominent eye surgeon in Colombo, famed for his medical as well as sporting skills. He represented the Sinhalese Sports Club in cricket and tennis, and also was a prominent member of the island’s cricket team, then known as the Ceylon Cricket Association eleven. His mother Lorraine(later Loranee) was a distinguished social worker long associated wit the Lanka Mahila Samithiya, a progressive institution that sought to provide women with a dignified position in Society through various social and economic programmes throughout the island. She acquired international fame by being Sri Lanka’s first female Diplomat serving as the High Commissioner representing Sri Lanka in Italy. Chandra’s late wife Marlene was the daughter of Charlie de Soysa, who was the only son of AJR de Soysa, the owner of the that imposing building in Thurstan Road Colombo, known as Lakshmigiri. Chandra and Marlene were both direct descendants from Charles Henry de Soysa, the famed 19 th Century philanthropist of Ceylon.
Having dealt with some aspects of Chandra’s genealogical make up, I would briefly aver to a certain aspect of the wedding of Chandra and Marlene. The normal custom is for the groom to arrive at the bride’s home in a limousine . In Chandra’s case he did it one better, he arrived on an elephant !!
On leaving Royal College, the then somewhat portly Chandra, entered Cambridge University from where he obtained his Masters Degree in Arts. On returning to Colombo, he worked as a Senior Executive in two of the island’s foremost commercial establishments, viz the Ceylon Tobacco Company, and Ceylon Cold Stores Ltd. He migrated to Australia almost 50 years ago and settled down to a busy social life. Always a community minded person, Chandra was a a key organiser in the Probus Club of Baulkham Hills and the Cambridge Society of Australia. When the Ceylon Society of Australia was formed 25 years ago, Chandra was its first Social Convenor, organising the Annual Dinner of the Society in great style for many years. Chandra’s skills brought in a sense of elegance and dignity to the proceedings. It has been my privilege as Founder President of the Society, to share the friendship of this sincere and most humble human being not only in the work of the Society, but as a sincere personal friend. Members of the Ceylon Society of Australia would recall the most enjoyable Christmas Dinners Chandra would organise replete with his unique “Santas on Parade” show. A person of endearing social skills he would step into fill the breach if required at any function.I recall how Chandra volunteered to conducting an auction of donations made at a Royal College old boys function, without any notice, thereby helping the organisation to add some funds to its coffers, and also prevented unforeseen waste.
Chandra’s personality was well displayed in his home at North Rocks, designed and built under his supervision. A collector of decorative objects, his array of Murano Art glass was exceptional.
For many years ( over twenty years at least) Chandra would organise a quarterly gathering of Old Royalists of his vintage to lunch at the RoseHill Bowling Club. My late wife Tulsi and I really enjoyed those occasions where a core group of about 20 met every three months for lunch, and when the occasion arose, to host visiting colleagues. Natural attrition ( a misnomer for ‘death”) has taken its toll, and our transfer to Melbourne, has denied us of those pleasures in recent years. Those indeed are wonderful memories! Chandra’s departure has created a void in the lives of many who were touched by his gregarious personality.
His devoted wife of many years, Marlene predeceased him some years ago.He is survived by his partner Kanthi, daughter Sharmini and son in law Michael, brothers Nihal and Lal, and sister Onitha.
May Chandra’s soul find everlasting peace.
Hugh Karunanayake
