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Ceylon University College Dons in 1933: A Photo that is A Treasure Trove Source:Thuppahis We are indebted to Thiru Arumugam and the latest issue of THE CEYLANKAN produced by the Ceylon Society of Australia for the two photographs reproduced here. I invite readers and old University personnel to provide pertinent bio-data on any of the individuals here who served the University and society over the next few decades.  I will be initiating this task below as time goes by. I now add a photograph in front of College House taken in 1947 which displays students and staff and is described as “University of Ceylon Class of 1947.” The only one I can identify is Mr WJF Labrooy from the Department of History seated on the extreme left facing viewers. Here, too, any aid that can be provided with definitive recognition of personnel would be appreciated. “Regina Walauwwa” belonging to the De ...

Feb 22, 2025 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
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Minette de Silva: An Ornament of Her Age, I-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Jane Russell … presenting A Memoir as one Step in a series and deploying the spelling of “Minette” which Minette favoured (not Minnette) The whine of Minette’s white Renault as it climbed the steep curves of the driveway to St George’s [in Kandy] could be heard long before the car arrived under the arched porch. The car headlights would be switched off and I’d catch a few words in Sinhala being exchanged between Minette and Punchi Rala, a tall, fair old man, whose thin grey hair was tied in a tiny knot behind his head, a dirty sarong half falling from his slack stomach. Punchi Rala was a semi-alcoholic (kassipu being his favoured beverage) who slept on a donkey bed in the recess of the porch. Under his bed he kept a pike that had surely been purloined from the ...

Feb 14, 2024 Posted by In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged , , ,
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St. Thomas’ College: A Wide-ranging History of the ‘School by the Sea’-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis David Sansoni, whose preferred title is “STC – an unauthorised history of Lanka’s greatest Public School” Richard Simon’s ‘history of Lanka’s greatest public school’, is an epic poem! Epic, in its reach; poetic, in its lyricism, this towering, magnificent opus is a pearl, of both history and literature. “STC” touches the soul and core, of historophile, linguaphile and bibliophile; Christian, Lankan and, above all, Thomian. This book is not a chronicle of STC history. Keble and Billimoria served that purpose amply. Neither is it intended to evoke feelings of nostalgia in Old Thomians wishing to relive the ‘best years of their lives’.”It is more ambitious. The story begins in 1801, the year “modern, Western-style education” was established in British Ceylon. Fifty years of Lankan history precedes the foundation of St. Thomas’s College. This pattern – Thomian history ...

Jan 25, 2023 Posted by In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged , , ,
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Dudley Senanayake Remembering a leader of the past-by Imthiaz Bakeer Marker He won the hearts of everyone, by visualising the Past, Present and Future The rapport we built up with Dudley Senanayake was the beginning of a long political journey. Even today in my Political career, my ideas are from my father and Dudley Senanayake He was very emotional and his heart was full of mercy towards others. But he stands firmly like an unshakable boulder and a tough character I first met Dudley Senanayake in 1970. Despite the heat of the colossal defeat of the so-called National Government led by Dudley Senanayake still brewing, I met him at his Woodland’s private residence along with a group of students from Ananda College Colombo. In that era, there were students of Ananda College who were attending classes conducted by the Communist, Sama Samaja and JVP parties. As we did not accept ...

Jun 22, 2022 Posted by In Articles Tagged , ,
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Sir John Kotelawala: Bequeathed his treasured assets to the nation – By Rear Admiral Dr Shemal Fernando PhD   Source:sundayobserver.lk Sir John Kotelawala, CH, KBE, KSTJ was a planter and soldier turned statesman, who served as the third Prime Minister of Ceylon from October 12, 1953 to April 12, 1956. Erect and soldierly in his bearing, ‘Sir John’ as he was affectionately known was undoubtedly one of the most colourful personalities of his time. An accomplished politician and a seasoned military officer, his interests ranged from sports and politics to mining, agriculture and architecture. He was a true and proud nationalist who loved his country and its people. Sir John, a skilled and gifted horse rider was commissioned in the Ceylon Light Infantry in 1922, climbed the ladder steadily and was promoted a Colonel in 1940. He first got elected to the State Council in 1931 from Kurunegala. He was ...

Jun 12, 2022 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , , ,
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Lessons Learned from the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture & Thereon – by Noor Rahim It was in February 1968 that I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting with the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture – University of Ceylon (Peradeniya Campus). He was a part of the Team that accompanied the Prime Minister of Ceylon, the Hon. Mr. Dudley Senanayake, at the inauguration of the “Green (agricultural) Revolution” that was being inaugurated in the Amparai District; in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. I believe the Dean of the Agricultural Faculty was Professor Peter Seneviratne.     The Dean arrived early at the Airport at Amparai; and informed us that the Prime Minister was held up at a Political Rally; and would be arriving later on. It was at this juncture that I thought of striking up a conversation with him; on the agricultural system in Sri Lanka. Thus, I ...

Feb 9, 2022 Posted by In Articles, Noor Rahim Tagged , , , , ,
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Dudley: One of Sri Lanka’s greatest sons-by Karu Jayasuriya Source:Dailymirror History does not provide us with answers to all todays or tomorrows questions; but it definitely provides us with options to answers to these questions if looked at carefully. I am indeed pleased to associated with the 110th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Hon. Dudley Senanayake – One of Ceylon’s greatest Sons and one of the nation’s most eminent liberal thinkers of the 20th century. His life and political conduct stand out as a beacon of light through history and is worthy of emulation to generations beyond his. June 19th 1911 was Poson Poya Day, an extremely auspicious day for Sri Lankan Buddhist. As it happened Don Sapter Senanayake, Dudley’s grandfather had pre-arranged to gift land to build the Senanayake Mudalindaramaya Temple in Ambepussa. While the land gifting ceremony was going on in Ambepussa in the presence of Don Sapter and ...

Jun 20, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged ,
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Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake – The First Prime Minister of Sri Lanka-by Karu Jayasuriya Source:Island (Former Speaker of Parliament President of the D.S. Senanayake Commemoration Society) The 69th death anniversary of Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake fell on March 20 and it is our foremost duty and obligation to refresh our memories and pay tribute to this great statesman for rendering an unparalleled service in winning Independence from the Colonial masters in 1948. The country knows and calls him “The Father of the Nation.” This paints in our minds an instant image of a well-built, broad shouldered six-footer, dark complexioned with rugged features and dominant grey moustache. ...

Mar 27, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged ,
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‘Scrap the presidency’ is a conditioned reflex-BY RAJPAL ABEYNAYAKE Source:Sundayobserver Why is Sri Lanka unsuited for a presidential system of government? Because, it was an idea that was hatched in the head of a single person, according to a pundit who has done a veritable treatise on the subject in a local newspaper. The said writer apparently scoured the biography of the late J. R. Jayewardene the brain behind the Sri Lankan presidential system, and he laments that Jayewardene did not write an autobiography. One may thank the late President for tender mercies. ...

Dec 29, 2020 Posted by In Articles Tagged ,
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  “SENANAYAKE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN” – By Des Kelly   It was indeed a proud political name, in the Ceylon I remember. Prime Minister Donald Stephan Senanayake, born 1883, and died in 1952, from wounds incurred in a tragic fall from his favourite horse, which unfortunately tripped, due to an unnoticed hole on the Galle-Face green, throwing this highly popular P.M. completely off. Don Stephan was a U.N.P. (United National Party) Stalwart,  highly educated both in English & Sinhala, was voted in as the Island’s first Prime Minister, and, not only did a superb job, but looked the part, as far as I was concerned. A truly distinguished Statesman, taken too soon.           D.S. Senanayake was succeeded by his eldest son.  Dudley Shelton Senanayake, immediately after the death of his father, was also popular with the people, as I remember, but could not follow in his ...

Jan 31, 2020 Posted by In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged , , , , , ,
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