Sydney Peterites celebrate Golden Gleam in grand style – By Lawrence Machado & Photos by Spiridion Fernando of Envizion Studios View all Photos of the event on eLanka Facebook page – Click here  There was plenty of wonderful entertainment, fun, laughter, music, with old friendships renewed and new friendships forged as St Peter’s College OBU NSW hosted their Golden Gleam 2024 at the Hornsby RSL on Saturday, 5 October ‘24. The grand hall – the Showroom of Hornsby RSL – was decked beautifully with the college’s famous Blue, White and Gold colours and Golden Gleam theme highlighted as a wide array of canapes and drinks kicked off the evening in style. With Sydney’s favourite dance band, Kamis setting the tone for the evening, the Peterites, their partners and friends were quick to show off their moves on the spacious floor after a warm welcome by Peterite OBU president Roshara Alles. Dynamic MC Senani Gunasekera does what he knows best: making everyone comfortable, relaxed and in ...

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Goodbye Dhyan White: You Certainly Made Your Mark – By Lawrence Machado Goodbye, dear classmate and fellow altar server, Dhyan White. It’s always very sad to hear of the passing away of a childhood friend even though we hadn’t seen each other for many years. Those bonds never die, despite distances.  Dhyan died in his sleep in Sri Lanka on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, leaving his loving family and many friends bereft of his unique personality. Dhyan seemed to have recovered well after his major heart surgery some years ago and was looking forward to our Peterite 1974 class reunion next month in Colombo in June 2024. Sadly, we will never see his cheeky grin and hear his stories again as he was one of the liveliest members of our WhatsApp group. Fortunately for many of our classmates in Sri Lanka, he attended a mini-reunion a few months ago. Dhyan and ...

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MY APPRECIATION “He’s My Brother” – By Alix Vaz My brother Ronald, loved music like our mum & all the family and we had a very happy childhood in Sri Lanka. In his youth, when The Shadows & Cliff Richards were in their heyday, he wore drain pipe trousers & Hank Marvin’s dark wrap-around sunglasses, which to me resembled a racehorse with blinkers – focussing only on what was in front! He liked the sound of the monotonous bass guitar & practised endlessly driving us crazy. He & his, friend Randy Peries had music in their veins. I was absolutely thrilled when on my 21st birthday, he organised a group named the Commodores to play – complete with disco lighting. It was the craze at the time. The 1st disco lights were invented in 1968 when someone decided to control lighting using electronics (Transistors – no silicon chips). The idea ...

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Vale Richard Heyn – By Lawrence Machado image source:-quadrangle.lk The 1962 Peterite cricket captain Richard Heyn passed away yesterday in the US. He also was a very good hockey player. His brother David represented Sri Lanka in cricket and hockey. May Richard’s soul rest in peace. The sad news was passed on by their cousin Lawrence Heyn. No funeral details known at present. Below is the 1962 Peterite team, courtesy of the Quadrangular magazine special edition. image source: quadrangle.lk Seated (from left): David Heyn, Maurice Deckker, Richard Heyn, Fr Rufus Benedict (Prefect of Games), Tyrone Le Mercier, Tissa Jayaweera, Travice Fernando. Standing (from left):  D. Pararaswaram, Clifford Bartlett, Franklyn Bowen, Rohan Abeysundera, Kevin Ruberu, Ravi Fernando, Christopher Harridge, Aditiha de Silva. Click here to receive your free copy of the eLanka Newsletter twice a week delivered directly to your inbox! ...

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eLanka Newsletter – 20th March 2023 – 6th Edition Sri Lankans in Australia Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter Photos from The Old Josephians’ Association of NSW – Feast, Mass and Social held on 16 March 2024 The Tollywood film stars in a Celebrity Cricket Carnival in Melbourne for the 1st time Champions in the T20 exhibition match. By CCC in Melbourne – sent by Johann Dias Jayasinha Microplastics have been discovered in the plaques that accumulate in the coronary arteries – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Rukrakaganno’s Ecological Reforestation Project in Singharaja Rainforest-by Michael Roberts Battle of the Saints” – Recap of Josephian-Peterite Encounters Looking after humble people in Estate Sector who were making our Economy strong – Sent by former Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne – eLanka  Hans Van Culenburg: An All-Time Boxing hero – By Lawrence Machado Felicitas (Girla) Appathurai turns ...

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Goodbye Desmond Brohier, A True Family Man And Friend For Life – By Lawrence Machado Some friendships last for lifetime and so it was with Desmond Brohier, a one-in-a-million friend. My heart is breaking as I pen these lines to farewell him from this world. I know he is not in pain anymore and he died in his sleep in his own bed, which is a blessing. Yet, the ache is there. It will be much more for his grieving son Shannon, Mum, siblings Jerome and Elorine, and their families. But I am consoled we never lost touch despite being oceans apart and you are at peace now. All your cousins, uncles, aunties, relations, in-laws and many friends around the world are united in our grief at losing an amazing companion who was there for us at all times. Desmond, my wife Roshan and I have been very close and ...

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eLanka Newsletter – 26th November 2023 – 8th Edition Sri Lankans in Australia Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter Chamari Athapaththu visited a local cricket club in Sydney Anne-Marie Le Mercier Cade – elected Mayor at Glen Eira City Council Chamari Athapaththu visited a local cricket club in Sydney 24.11.2023 Champions return home after creating a long-lasting legacy How Does One Determine the Right Amount and Type of Vitamin D to Take? – By Dr. Sunil Wimalawansa Strong PM’s XI squad named to face Pakistan Anduren Eliyata – Darkness to Light Migration out of Ceylon & Sri Lanka – by Michael Roberts in ADELAIDE ICC Hall of Fame welcomes De Silva, Edulji and Sehwag as Class of 2023 inductees ICC Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Celebration Dinner (Aravinda De Silva amongst the legends of the game) Australia’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ...

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ADRIAN SERPANCHY – YOUR LEGACY WILL LIVE ON – By Lawrence Machado IT’s always emotional to say goodbye to a friend you have known since kindergarten, specially when his death comes so unexpectedly. When I heard that Adrian Serpanchy had passed away in a Melbourne hospital on the morning of Tuesday (November 22,2023), I was stunned. When I found the courage to call his devoted wife of more than 40 years, Lorraine, later that day, words were hard to come by. I can only imagine what Lorraine, her children Delon and Joanne, and his siblings Russell, Jerome, Randy, Loxley and Yolande are going through. Yes, it’s not easy to think that our wonderful, cheeky classmate Adrian is no more. This is such a shock as you are such a vibrant and positive chap, Adrian, with that memorable laugh. But God wanted you closer to Him and we are grateful for ...

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eLanka Newsletter – 8th October 2023 – 3rd Edition Sri Lankans in Australia Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter India has the wood on Australia but South Africa looms as the biggest threat. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor) නළියන දිය බුබුලක් වටකර තැනූ පනාමුරේ ඇත්ගාල – By ආචාර්ය ගාමිණී කාරියවසම්. Sri Lanka get a mauling from South Africa but show a bit of pulse. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor) ICC introduces ‘Cricket’s Greatest Canvas’ with Padma Shri Indian painter Paresh Maity to immortalise the biggest Cricket World Cup – Article Courtesy of ICC. © ICC 2023 (media contact; Trevine Rodrigo – ICC approved media partner) Enchanting Ella- Sri Lanka – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Review: Pride Without Prejudice – An inspiring Life – Beverley Pinder Bares Her Soul In Her Inspiring Life – By Lawrence ...

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Review: Pride Without Prejudice – An inspiring Life – Beverley Pinder Bares Her Soul In Her Inspiring Life – By Lawrence Machado Beverly Pinder OAM is an extraordinary Australian who never ceases to amaze me. Migrating to Australia as a teenager, she fought her own personal battles to become the first Sri Lankan-born to represent Australia at the Miss Universe pageant, going on to become a Melbourne city councillor for many years while running a very successful PR company which saw her make a big impact. Now, Beverley, who remains at heart a true Christian and believes in serving others, specially those going through homelessness and tough times, has bared her soul in her book, which has the blessings of her good friend and mentor, the late Fr Bob Maguire AM. Pride Without Prejudice – An inspiring Life (Wilkinson Books) shows the ups and downs of Beverley’s life and reaches out to us ...

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