Remembering Deshamanya Professor Tony Furkhan On His First Death Anniversary – May 8, 2023
A year has passed since the departure of my brother Tony Furkhan. I share and reminisce our very fond and cherished memories in our life together. We two, plus my late brother Sapthy (who passed away at the age of sixteen) together with my sister Mashooratha were the last four youngest living siblings of the Thassim family.
My brother and I had a five-year age difference. But we might have well been twins. Our life is so intertwined like two strings making up a rope.
We both started schooling at Siddhartha College Balapitiya. Then we both and my sister lived with our eldest brother Mansoor at 14th Lane Kollupitiya. During this time my brother Tony had a fall cleaning an inside window in the house and for many years was limping with one leg shorter than the other.
When Tony moved to a boarding house in Temple Road Maradana I joined & lived with him.
We both attended Zahira College Maradana and both enjoyed wrestling. When Tony left for UK, I followed him a year later. We both roomed together in a one-bedroom bedsitter at Sussex Gardens in London. Before moving into a three-bedroom apartment at Greencroft Gardens in Hampstead. And later a two-bedroom apartment at the Barnes in St Margarets Surrey.
We also worked for the same group of Companies at Lipton and later at Rank Organisation in UK. We both passed the CIMA UK examinations and shared a career as professional Management Accountants. On our return to Sri Lanka from UK we both were employed at Walker Sons Ltd in Colombo. We both trained CIMA students at Zahira College evening classes. We both were also members of Rotary Club of Colombo North
Whilst living in UK we both got married.
Tony had two children and three grandchildren. I had three children and nine grandchildren.
Before leaving for Australia, we built the first Confifi Hotel in Beruwela. Tony then took over and built the Confifi Group of Hotels including, Riverina, Palm Garden and Eden Hotels.
In Australia I headed CIMA pre-Branch days. Tony headed CIMA as the Branch President for CIMA NSW.
I moved to Australia. My brother also moved to Australia. I stayed in Australia and later my brother Tony returned to Sri Lanka.
My brother Tony and I were very close. He was my brother, mentor, guardian, and friend. We shared many interests like deep sea fishing and food such as bread fruit and beef with bones. We also had very similar professional and family values which we cherished and practiced. We both had a strong sense of right and wrong. We both shared in giving charity and helping others who were less fortunate, within and outside the family.
A year has already passed, and I do dearly miss my bro: I really miss our daily long phone calls .
As my mum would observe; my brother Tony and I were like two peas in a pod. We acted as ONE, collectively and collaboratively on all family matters.
Tass (Camer) Thassim Sydney 8th May 2023
