Features

ADH Samaranayaka birth centenary Mar. 22

Published

4 years ago

2022/03/20

March 22, 2022 marks the 100th birth anniversary of our beloved Thaththi, Aluthge Dharmadasa Hemachandra Samaranayaka, fondly known as ADH or Samare to his friends. He passed away peacefully during his afternoon nap on March 30, 1996, aged 74 years.

Our father was born in Kumbuka, Horana to traditional Buddhist parents. He was the eldest in a family of seven children.

The champion athlete of St Thomas’ College and University of Ceylon

They grew up in the Mahagedara, built my grandparents in Kumbuke. Thaththi had his early education at Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya in Panadura, but later Achchi admitted him to St Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. Thaththi’s prowess as an athlete was not known until he was asked to run in the one mile event at the annual STC sports meet as the regular champion had suddenly fallen sick. Not only did Thaththi win the one mile event in his first attempt in 1939, but shattered the existing ground record in Mount Lavinia on that occasion, running bare foot! The next year in August 1940, he bettered his own record at STC in the one mile event.

Later on, for many years he helped St Thomas’ (STC) to win the coveted Tarbet and Jefferson Challenge Trophies at the public schools athletics championships. The other members of the victorious Thomian athletic team were L C Goonaratne, R D Duckworth, E D Bandaranayaka, J B R Simmons amongst others. The half mile public school record that Thaththi setup in 1941 of 2 mins 10 secs was only broken 23 years later by another Thomian S K Jayasinghe. When I was a school girl, I vividly recall answering the telephone when the Warden of STC rang up my father to inform him that his record was broken.

Many decades later when he was invited as the chief guest at the STC annual sports meet, he recalled these events with nostalgia and spoke how his hostel diet improved overnight on being discovered a prize athlete and that he was made a prefect at the next assembly. His contemporaries at STC at that time were Sam Wijesinha, Lal Goonaratne, C.N.Gunawardena and Charlie Munasinghe amongst others. Uncle Sam and Thaththi were lifelong friends and he was bestman at his wedding, when Thaththi married my mother Susila in 1947. In the appreciation that Uncle Sam wrote about my father, he mentioned “Sam was the first in our batch to get employed, get married and build his own house”.

Our Thaththi was an outstanding student of science at STC and was awarded the prestigious Wijewardene prize for science and chemistry. He proved the veracity of the adage “mens sana in corpore sano” by successfully passing the University of Ceylon entrance examination in 1941. In the University of Ceylon he represented the University of Ceylon in the half mile, one mile and the 440 yard hurdle events. At the All India inter university athletic meet held in Madras in 1943, he was the only Ceylonese athlete to win an event and that was the 440 yard hurdles .In the National Athletics Rankings of Ceylon in 1943,ADH Samaranayaka was ranked first. Later my father captained the athletics team of the University of Ceylon .The Vice Chancellor of the University at that time was the much respected and admired Sir Ivor Jennings.

The Government Examiner of Questioned Documents

Our father obtained an honours degree in chemistry and was recruited to the Questioned Documents (QD) section of the Government Analysts’ Department under the former Examiner of QD, Mr. Tom Nagendran. As Dr A R L Wijesekara (ARLW) the former government analyst and badminton champion of Ceylon recalls about my father, in the appreciation he wrote, “Samare had the distinction of being the first scientist to be recruited to the QD section of the analyst department, when QD examination was more an art than a science. The importance of his presence with his scientific background greatly contributed to revolutionizing the concepts and techniques of the handwriting experts of yesteryears and building the image of the modern examiner in QD”. He further stated that “Samare strode like a colossus in an era where giants of forensic sciences of the calibre Colvin Sirimanne, Newton Weerasinha, Noel Jayatunga, C Sathkulanadan and FC Pinto also strode”.

Dr A R L W further continued “he was a fearless witness,much respected by both judges and counsel of both sides for his scientific skills, clarity of expression and undoubted honesty and unimpeachable integrity. They were aware that Samare never deviated from speaking “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”. The exposition of his evidence as an expert witness was indeed an object lesson for young forensic scientists” he concluded.

Our father received advanced training in document examination from Scotland Yard, the FBI America and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. From 1960 onwards, as the government examiner of questioned documents (GEQD), he trained document examiners for the governments of Malaysia and Singapore and trained three assistant document examiners for Sri Lanka – P H Manatunga, Thangaratnevel and Kalupahana. After retirement from the government service, he was selected as a forensic document examiner in New South Wales Australia.

As children we enjoyed travelling the length and breadth of Sri Lanka accompanying Thaththi as he drove to give evidence in courts of law throughout the country. He often showed us the basic techniques of recognizing forged documents, which was very interesting and exciting.

As Chairman of Red Cross Society

As recalled by P H Manatunga, who succeeded him as document examiner in 1977, in his appreciation “Samaranayaka was a man with tremendous energy who applied himself with dedication and devotion to any cause. He was a man of action and was known not to postpone what had to be done today for tomorrow. If his office was not swept, he would not hesitate to do it himself and set the example.

“He was greatly influenced by his wife who was a social worker of great repute, who introduced him to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society in the early 60s. The organization recognized his talents and he was soon made the honorary treasurer and in no time he was elected as the chairman. This position he held with great distinction from 1967 to 1977 by annual election. His organizational capabilities and leadership qualities blossomed in full measure as a chairman. He is best remembered for having taken the Red Cross movement to the village school, temples and churches and setting up first aid units islandwide.”

He was the first to spring into action when a disaster struck the community and would himself lead the Red Cross volunteers in providing emergency food, shelter and clothing. He resolutely upheld the fundamental principles of the Red Cross which are impartiality, neutrality and independence. He saw to it that the society steered clear of politics and passed on the society to his successors free of rift, and the fundamental principles uncompromised untarnished and intact. He represented the society at many international conferences held in many parts of the world and brought much credit and recognition to the society by his innate leadership qualities, with the finesse of a diplomat” Manatunga concluded.

There is no doubt that his pioneering efforts helped in the construction of the four storied Red Cross building in Colombo 7. I must also add that when an ambulance driver was not available, my father would personally drive the ambulance even long distances to the outstations. Such was his commitment to the sick. Sometimes the occupants of the ambulance never realized that the driver of the ambulance of was the chairman of the Red Cross Society himself!

The family man

Our father was the patriarch of the Samaranayaka clan. He was called “Loku Aiya” by some of his relations and “Colombo Mama” by others. He was always helpful to the extended family and the village folk of Kumbuka. Our home in Ascot Avenue was open to all his relations from Kumbuka. Many of his relations lived with us during their school days and my sister and I gladly shared our beds with them. He never turned away anyone who came to his gate, seeking help. He was a warm and caring person and was always transparent in his dealings. He had numerous friends and associates from all strata of society and he treated them equally, with the respect they deserved.

Thaththi was a keen environmentalist and Ascot Avenue, where he lived for nearly50 years was probably one of the greenest and cleanest lanes in Colombo at that time. This was indeed a tribute to his untiring anti – garbage and anti – litter efforts. He prided himself in his car, which was always spotless and gleaming.

As a dutiful son, he showered much attention on his mother. Visiting her on Sundays with food and sweets was often a family weekend routine. Thaththi taught us many lessons in life. Foremost among them were the values of honesty, integrity, civic sense, contentment. These were the qualities he practised and enjoyed throughout his full and fruitful life. He was indeed a man in a million.

Dearest Thaththi, may your journey through sansara continue to be rewarding and may you finally reach the supreme bliss of nirvana.

Your ever loving daughter – Anula Wijesundere nee

Samaranayaka and son

Hemanatha Samaranayaka

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Features

Proactive peacemaking becomes a paramount need

Published

23 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Wasting wars: Some war-displaced people in Lebanon. BBC

It may be some time before the full impact of food inflation is felt in the West. Until such time the world would continue to keep itself in suspense over whether the Trump administration is in earnest when it seeks to convey the impression that it is backing a negotiated solution in West Asia.

As is usually the case, consumer stress would be one of the final determinants of political change. To the degree to which the average US consumer somehow ‘muddles through’ and puts the food on the table, to the same extent would the Republican sections of the US public in particular be tolerant of the Trump administration’s inconsistent handling of the West Asian war and the main issues stemming from it. That is, there would be no grave popular disaffection and a demand for political change in the short term.

However, the indications are that the Trump administration’s support base is suffering some erosion in the wake of the current economic crisis. While reports indicate that Democratic sections are firming-up their opposition to the political centre, Republican support for Trump is also showing signs of waning, we are given to understand.

The above developments are probably why Trump is on record as having given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘dressing down’ recently on his seeming intransigence on the question of giving negotiations a chance in West Asia. The show of displeasure could be really aimed by Trump at containing the impatience of the American public.

However, the current ground situation in the Middle East, particularly the uncontained bloodshed, is likely to impress on the thinking sections of the world that more than temporary political change is needed in West Asia and the US.

A well thought out political solution that addresses all the contentious issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict is what enlightened opinion would demand, and very rightly. Right now, the ‘peace efforts’ initiated by the Trump administration give the impression of being piecemeal solutions at best.

There have been, of course, numerous initiatives in the past aimed at bringing permanent peace to the Middle East. These failed mainly because they did not address in full the root causes of the conflict.

At bottom the Middle East conflict is mainly about race and religious hate bred by socio-economic and material inequalities. For instance, if the Palestinian people were not displaced and deprived of land occupied by them at the time of the founding of the Israeli state, ethnic enmities would not have grown to the current unmanageable proportions.

When addressing the above questions, though, it must be remembered that the Israelis too were a displaced people who were entitled to land and a state of their own in the Middle East. Basically, out of these seemingly irreconcilable and conflicting demands have grown the Middle East imbroglio.

Middle East peace is considerably about reconciling these demands and arriving at a solution that would ensure the creation of two states that would opt for peaceful co-existence thereafter.

As long as the US does not see the need for a non-partisan solution that addresses the needs of both ethnicities and religions and goes all-out, as it were, to have it implemented, the Middle East would continue to bleed.

However, staunching the blood flow through the creation of two states would be only half the job done, though a very important part of it. More pernicious, pervasive and difficult to remedy are the inter-ethnic and inter-religious hatreds that have been unleashed over the decades.

However, if substantial, long-lasting peace is to be fostered in the region the latter ‘demons’ would need to be exorcised from the hearts and minds of the communities concerned. No doubt an uphill task but one that must be undertaken by those who wish the region well.

The UN would need to put its ‘best foot forward’ in such undertakings but it is time that it dawned on the international community and other caring quarters that Middle East peace, and all other such uphill challenges, require proactive peacemaking on the part of all civilized sections for their effective management. That is, public involvement in peacemaking too is a must.

Since hatreds are harboured in the human consciousness the enmities embedded in the latter need to be managed and defused judiciously alongside other undertakings in a peace process. In the case of West Asia, such enmities could be even spread globe-wide besides being multi-dimensional. For instance, it ought to be thought-provoking that Iran is insistent on a peace initiative that would also include Lebanon.

Besides security considerations it is also ethnic and religious affiliations that account for Iran making this demand. For instance, the Shias are a numerically important religious community in Lebanon and they provide a significant number of Hizbollah fighters, who are in a vital sense carrying out a ‘proxy war’ for Iran. It also needs to be factored in that Iran is a Shia-majority country.

Thus trans-border religious affiliations could add to the complexities and enormity of ethno-religious conflicts. However, the task of managing centuries-long enmities needs to be launched and prodded on with by peacemakers since a downing of arms alone would not guarantee substantive peace.

It is not realized sufficiently that the process of ending hatreds begins with mutual apologies by antagonists to a conflict for the harm inflicted on each other. This would be anathema in some ears but there is no getting away from the requirement. It is the vital first step to permanent peace anywhere.

In fact there could be no reconciliation worth speaking of without such mutual apologies. It is a point worth re-iterating in these times when even the government of Sri Lanka is voicing the need for national reconciliation. Well, without the words, ‘I am sorry’, there could be no permanent end to enmities – they would do well to remember.

The above requirements may not go down very well with governments, but they resonate in the hearts and minds of most people, since they are inheritors of religious traditions of some kind.

This is a principal reason why peacemaking works well when publics too are involved in them. The effectiveness of such campaigns increases several fold when they have a Mahatma Gandhi or a Jawaharlal Nehru at their helm. A strong proactive involvement by the public in peace could lead to the emergence of such leaders at some point in these campaigns.

Features

Dialog Brings Sri Lanka’s Largest Digital Vesak Experience to Matara

Published

23 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

From left to right: Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, and Lasantha Theverapperuma experience the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered VR tours.

Official Digital Partner of the 2026 ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, collaborated with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to bring one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most technologically advanced Vesak experiences to the ‘Dakshina Prabha’ National Vesak Zone. The three-day celebration, in Matara attracted more than hundred thousand visitors, who engaged with a series of innovative digital activities powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, digital pandols and a Data Dansala. The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development and Hon. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, along with distinguished guests and Dialog’s senior management.

One of the key attractions at the venue was the Dialog 5G Ultra-powered Virtual Reality (VR) experience, which attracted more than 35,000 participants. The activation enabled devotees to virtually visit and pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, including the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India and the Atamasthana in Anuradhapura, directly from the Vesak zone in Matara.

Visitors receive complimentary mobile data through Dialog’s QR-powered Data Dansala.

Dialog also conducted an AI Digital Vesak Greeting Card Competition from 21 May to 01 June 2026, attracting numerous entries from across the country. The shortlisted designs were showcased across 20 large LED screens throughout the venue and across Matara City, and were also made available for download via mobile devices. Further, through the use of AI, traditional Jathaka Katha were reimagined in a digital format, demonstrating how technology can be used to preserve and enhance cultural and religious heritage. Together, these initiatives blended traditional Vesak celebrations with emerging technologies, offering visitors a unique and immersive way to engage with Vesak traditions.

Extending the spirit of Vesak through connectivity, Dialog conducted a special Data Dansala powered by its QR Reload platform, enabling visitors to receive complimentary mobile data by scanning QR codes placed across the venue. In addition to the Matara National Vesak Zone, similar Data Dansala activations were also conducted at the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones in Colombo.Visitors also had the opportunity to create personalised Vesak-themed digital photos through an AI Photo Booth, generating AI-enhanced portraits using their own photographs and adding a contemporary digital element to the Vesak celebrations.

Visitors watch AI-generated Jathaka Katha

Commenting on the initiative, Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, said, “The 2026 Dakshina Prabha Vesak Festival marked the first time AI-powered digital innovations were incorporated into a National Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka. Presenting Buddhist stories and teachings through technology created a new and engaging way for visitors to connect with these traditions. We thank Dialog for supporting this initiative and for working closely with us to bring our vision to life. Their contribution played an important role in making this first-of-its-kind event a reality.”

Lasantha Theverapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We thank the Government of Sri Lanka for the opportunity to support the 2026 Dakshina Prabha National Vesak Festival and for embracing technology as part of this year’s celebrations. As the Official Digital Partner, we were privileged to contribute through our Dialog 5G Ultra and AI capabilities, creating new ways for visitors to engage with Vesak traditions while preserving their cultural significance for future generations.”

Beyond supporting the National Vesak Zone in Matara, Dialog also enhanced the Gangaramaya and Bauddhaloka Vesak zones through a range of digital activations during the Vesak season. The company additionally continued its sustainability initiatives, including the Thirasara Aloka Poojawa, which illuminated rural places of worship through solar-powered lighting solutions.

Features

Beauty, elegance and talent…for women

Published

23 hours ago

2026/06/4

Sahan Weerasooriya

Universal Woman is an international pageant focused on “beauty, elegance, and talent” for women, positioning itself as a platform to shape global ambassadors. The 2026 edition will be held in Cambodia, and Sri Lanka will be there, as well.

According to reports coming my way, contestants, at the international event, will work with industry trailblazers, under international standards.

Sri Lankan supermodel, runway and pageant trainer Chulpadmendra Kumarapathirana, is the National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026.

With over two decades in the industry, Chula was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2006, and has since shaped the next generation of titleholders through her Colombo-based Chulpadmendra Catwalk Studio, widely regarded as one of the country’s leading modelling academies.

The team behind Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026

A former host of Derana Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2008 and a judge for Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025, Chula now serves as National Director for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026, leading the franchise’s search for Sri Lanka’s delegate to the international final in Cambodia.

Applications for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 are being taken, via WhatsApp: 077 659 4994, says Chula.

The judging panel for Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 includes Senaka De Silva, Pageant Aesthetic Advisor & Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Angela Seneviratne, Caroline Jurie, Rozelle Plunkett, and Suraj Mapa.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka 2026 officially began its journey with a first round of auditions, held in Colombo, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Sri Lanka’s pageant industry.

Launching the first round of auditions

The platform aims to empower women while selecting an intelligent, confident, and inspiring representative to compete at the Universal Woman International Pageant 2026 in Cambodia, this September.

Universal Woman Sri Lanka now moves forward with the vision of creating one of the country’s most prestigious and empowering pageants while preparing to crown a queen who will proudly represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.