Archt.Vidura Sri Nammuni:
Visionary and a teacher par excellence
Architectural education, how it was taught and learned, at the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Town & Country Planning, University of Moratuwa, underwent a major revolution in the 1980s. Earlier the process of learning design could best be described as trial and error. It was based on primarily trusting a Guru who would instruct the student what he should do. The teaching process was largely mono directional and the students learnt to imitate an authority rather than be creative. The essential difference in the new approach was the focus and importance of the architect, giving him confidence to work independently.
The person who was at the centre of this revolutionary change was none other than Archt.Vidura Sri Nammuni, former Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Architecture, and President of Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA).
He was a believer of educating students rather than making them qualified by merely passing exams. English language, which was the medium of instruction in the architecture course, often kept students at bay. It was thought that architects need to have an elitist outlook to convince clients on designs and act as the consultant of a design team consisting of other professionals such as engineers. But for Nammuni it was a barrier to educate. He often spoke in Sinhala to make students comfortable and get the best out of them.
He reminded students that he was there to teach architecture and not English. What mattered to him was what was spoken and not how it was spoken. It enabled many students to participate in live discussions. Not for him the formal lecture mode with limited interaction with students.
It is quite common for his afternoon design lectures to stretch into the early hours of the night. He was even ready to go on till the morning if students are ready. It is usual for us, his students, to stumble out in the dark after lectures; in the corridors of the faculty building and find the gates locked sometimes by the irate minor staff, eager to go home early. Academic discourse did not end there. Students who lived along the way to his home at Borella are given a lift in his vehicle (an old jeep then) and the discourse continued until each student alighted, one by one. We often wondered how he managed the last lap of his journey, all by himself. His house was open to students at any time and many a study session held there enjoying his hospitality. Such was his dedication. Such was his bonhomie.
He pressed students to hone their writing skills in English and any written document relevant to our studies we submit, with all our mistakes, he would go through meticulously and give his comments the next day. When we were entering the university for the M.Sc course our seniors joked that to do M.Sc one needs a typewriter. It was the period before computers. Most of us ended up buying typewriters which we put to good use. He firmly believed the age old Chinese adage, you hear, you forget; you see, you remember; you write, you understand.
The Architect’s role is not only one of satisfying a client but also educating him to respect society, culture and the environment. His discussions and tutoring sessions covered a wide range of subjects on society, culture, philosophy, religion, politics and even mundane matters of life. This helped many students to have a broader vision about the world and to become good human beings, a point sadly missing in our education system today.
The deterioration taking place in the built environment around the country and the damage to natural environment is a clear outcome of this situation.
Some of his students became more qualified and outshone him in later life, which is the mark of a great teacher. Some of them became professors and academics. Some are prominent practising architects. He remained a father figure to them. Some ardent followers also became fierce critics of his thinking, a testimony in itself.
He served the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA), initially as the editor of its journal, and later as president.
As the editor of the journal he attempted to initiate a culture of reviewing and discussing about architectural products. He allowed young architects to evaluate and review completed work done by even master architects, particularly their socio-cultural relevance and appropriateness of the design, sometimes using pseudonyms to protect them. He may have ruffled many feathers in the process, but to borrow a word from Joe Biden, former Vice President of USA, the project at his hands is much bigger than himself or any one individual. At present there is no such discourse, except advertising architects’ work. Anything that is built by architects is accepted as architecture.
He belonged to the last few of a generation who sought positions to serve fellow human beings and never used his position at SLIA to promote himself. Neither had he any axe to grind with those who opposed him, and he respected the other’s right to a different view.
High ethical standards and perfection in work was religion to him, a quality we sadly miss now.
Even with an illness which curbed some of his faculties, his passion for teaching did not die. He was a senior lecturer at SLIIT School of Architecture, Malabe, until the very last. Even before his last visit to the hospital, from which he did return, he had prepared two lessons for those students. It is a privilege to know and be associated with such extraordinary people and their memory lingers forever with those who are lucky to have that privilege.
His first death anniversary fell on September 15 this year. May he attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana.
Archt. N.M.P. Navaratne
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Kenneth Perera:
Simple, dignified, compassionate
Death is inevitable. It comes to all but when it comes to one who is close, it is extremely sad.
Life seems cruel, for him to be taken away from us so early. He suffered a brief illness and breathed his last a few days ago. Kenneth was a unique friend. He was quiet and reserved with many but vivacious and hilarious with close friends.
Kenneth was my closest friend for more than 55 years and was my Bestman. As schoolboys, we fished in the Lunawa Lagoon, played cricket and enjoyed eating ten-cent buns and ice cream (popsicles) from the College canteen. His death has created a vacuum and I have lost a dear friend who is irreplaceable, and I cannot seem to fill the emptiness in me. He was a man who reached out to his friends, particularly in their times of distress. He was steadfast in his loyalty to them, which was evident from the large crowd at his funeral including many eminent personalities.
Kenneth gave generously to the poor. Throughout his life, he epitomized love and compassion for the poor and the marginalised.
He was the President of Lions Club of Handala. He was a strict disciplinarian. Viewed from a Christian perspective, he was a true believer of Christ with an empathetic heart. His life is an example to all, simple, dignified and social. He was handsome, high-spirited, pleasant and humble.
Notwithstanding his social work, he was dedicated to his family, a loving husband to Priyani, and a devoted father to his only son Milinda. Priyani was a great strength to him in his challenging days and cared for him with affection. He was very close to his son Milinda and gave him the correct education and exposure, laying the foundation for his success.
I thank God for giving me such a wonderful friend. I will not say farewell because I know we will meet again and would laugh once more.
Let us offer a silent tribute and prayer for him.
May your soul rest in peace.
Lalin. I. De Silva
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Angelo Mascarenhas:
A great philanthropist
The owner of St. Ritas Wine Stores, Dehiowita, Angelo Mascarenhas passed away on August 31 after a sudden illness at the age of 64. His demise was a shock to his family members and friends as he never suffered from any ailment. He was born on July 6,1954. On completing his education Angelo joined an estate and was trained as a planter. When his father who was running the Wine Stores passed away, Angelo left the estate and took over the outlet in 1975. He was fluent in the English, Sinhala and Tamil languages. His wife, a trained Montessori teacher after a few years in Rome returned to Sri Lanka and joined her husband. His only daughter is an American BSc. Hons. Degree holder in Business Administration, worked at St.John’s American University in Vatican and is now a Communications Specialist at DAT a USAID contractor working on a government project in Sri Lanka.
Angelo was a devout Catholic. He was very much attached to the church and helped the churches in the district. He was a philanthropist.
It was philanthropy that made him popular among the people. He had donated blood more than 50 times. He selected children from poor families, irrespective of race and religion, and paid them Rs. 1,000 each, monthly, for their education. Some of them are now in university. During Christmas he was the Santa Claus helping poor families doling out foodstuff and clothes. The funeral service took place at St.Mary’s Church, Awissawella. He leaves his wife and daughter.
Joseph Antony
Dehiowita Spl.Cor.
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Carina Antoinette Maryanne Corea:
Compassionate and loving
Carina Antoinette Maryanne Corea was the only child of the late Dr. and Mrs. de Sampayo. She was popularly known as ‘Toni’ by all.
Toni was born on October 23, 1934, and had her early education in several government schools, because her father was a transferable government servant. She completed her education at Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya and entered the Ceylon University where she studied for two years.
Toni was initially employed as an Assistant in the Economics Research Unit of the Daily News and was later appointed a sub-editor of the Ceylon Observer.
She subsequently went on vacation to the United Kingdom, where she met and married her husband Malcolm Corea in the early sixties. She followed a course in Textile Designing in UK. They returned to Sri Lanka in 1969, and Malcolm passed away in 2006.
For many years, Malcolm and Toni were looked after by a caring couple. Since, they had no children, they adopted two boys, Suresh and Prakash, whom they brought up like their own children, and had them educated at St. Peter’s College, Colombo.
Toni was a soft spoken, compassionate, and loving person. She was immaculately dressed and visitors were always welcome to her home at Lucky Plaza.
On the morning of her demise, we were summoned to her home as she had been quite restless and in pain from the early hours of the morning. However, by the time we rushed to see her, Toni had already breathed her last and had passed away peacefully. We at Lucky Plaza are all going to miss Toni very much indeed.
May her soul rest in Peace and rise in glory.
Anandi Balasingham, Sylvia Perera,
Mary Babapulle
Lucky Plaza
Colpetty
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Kusuma Wickramasinghe nee Gajanayaka:
Reflected the values ‘Metho’ imbibed in her
Kusuma Wickramasinghe, nee Gajanayaka, an old girl of Methodist College, Colombo, passed away on February 15, 2018, just 8 months short of a centenarian.
Kusuma was the eldest daughter of K. B. Gajanayaka, a reputed Ayurveda physician, planter, philanthropist, and a well known social worker in Wellandura in the Ratnapura district and Mrs Rosalind Weerakoon Gajanayaka.
Kusuma, according to her sister, Sumithra Rajawasan, had been enrolled at Methodist College in the year 1923, when she was about 5 years old. Sumithra too joined Methodist in 1925.
Kusuma joined Methodist College when Ms. Park was the Principal. She was a boarder, and her Boarding Mistress was Ms. Keegle. According to her recollection there were about 30 girls in two dormitories at the boarding. She had mentioned some of her classmates- Ms. Enid Boteju and Mrs.Dorothy Perera.
Kusuma had been an all-round student. She had passed the Cambridge Junior School Certificate. She was a member of the Methodist College Netball Team, participated in the Annual Sports Meet of the School, and had excelled in soft ball cricket.
It is said, Kusuma had been invited by an Australian nun teaching at Methodist College to go to Australia with her, due to her skills in cricket. We remember her mentioning that she was a Games Captain, either for the School or a House.
The two sisters and the brother were brought to school at the beginning of the term in the ‘day train’ on the Kelani Valley line. From the Maradana station rickshaws took them to their boarding. They used to take the night train at end of term. Her father’s faithful assistant or an uncle accompanied them in the train. Occasionally, their father would take them in his car, an Austin, to Colombo.
Kusuma married Childes Clary Wickramasinghe of Paiyagala in 1941. They had three sons and four daughters.
Our mother used to recite a few English songs/poems she had learnt at Methodist College even a few months before she passed away.
It was thanks to Methodist College Colombo, that she was able to move with the highest in the land while being equally at home with the simple folks in the village and towns she lived. She was a loving and devoted mother to the seven children, and a friend, adviser and a beloved partner to her husband. Being Buddhists, they were an exemplary team who took in their stride the triumphs and tribulations of life with calmness and strength. They had 16 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren. She blessed them all every day by name. She remembered each and every grandchild and great grandchild by name, till about a year prior to her passing away. Kusuma Wickramasinghe nee Gajanayaka was proud to call herself an old girl of Methodist College, Colombo, and her life of accomplishment and concern for people in difficult circumstances reflected the values that Methodist College imbibed in her, as well as the values she inherited from her parents who were accepted as a leading family in the area.
Her husband Childes, too, on retirement from local government service worked for the benefit of downtrodden families as a politician, belonging to the older mould. Kusuma was the mother-in-law of the late Editor of the Sunday Observer, Leslie Dahanaike.
Lakshman Wickramasinghe