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Love, unadulterated: Some thoughts on Mother’s Day

Published

2 years ago

2024/05/12

by Krishantha Prasad Cooray

There is no day in the calendar that can be called ‘Mother’s Day,’ not as far as mothers themselves are concerned. They don’t cease to be mothers on days that are not called ‘Mother’s Day.’ And yet, May 12 or rather the second Sunday in the month of May, as originally designated by Woodrow Wilson, then US President, is important, not so much for mothers as it is for their children. Children, who soak in the love and affection and are protected from anxiety and harm day in and day out, are reminded of all that when Mother’s Day comes around.

All of us have seen mothers. We have seen the mothers of our parents and the mothers of our own children. We have known the mothers of our friends and the mothers of their children. It occurred to me, however, that today, as mothers the worldover are celebrated, it is not a collective or the idea of ‘motherhood’ that is important. We remember our own mothers. I remember mine, my Amma.

Mothers make enormous sacrifices for their families. So did mine, Christobel Cooray, and indeed so she does to this day. She taught her three sons many things, but most importantly the non-negotiable characteristics of friendship and loyalty. We were taught from a very young age to stand by our friends through thick and thin. What I remember most, however, is her insistence that we look out for the weakest and poorest among us.

She was the kind of mother whose affection was not limited to her children. She was a mother to all our friends as well. Since we lived close to my school, St Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, we would bring our friends home almost everyday. She delighted in having them around and cooking for them. She has been a mother to all of them, literally hundreds in fact.

They remember her well. Some of them made it a point to buy her some gift from the very first salary they received. Even today, decades after our school days were done, whenever I run into old friends or talk to them over the phone, there are many times when my mother would come up in the conversation. They would inquire after her and tell me how special and kind she was.

It doesn’t end. Today I see her shower her grandchildren with love and it’s no different from what I remember of my childhood. Amma would sacrifice anything for her children and today she would do anything for her grandchildren.

Her concern was not limited to her children, grandchildren, close relatives and their friends. She is in fact the most generous person I know. There are countless times when she would be distraught over the plight of some helpless person. If she read about it or saw it in news telecasts she would call me and ask me whether I knew and what I was going to do about it. She never failed to follow up if I said I would try to help. She believed in doing the right thing. If it was about entertaining people or helping someone in trouble, she would put aside all notions of thrift. Yes, she went overboard at times, but this is because she always wanted to do things with class.

Her empathy, kindness and generosity does not imply that she is some kind of benign saint. She is tough and could lose her cool on occasion, but she quickly recovered her composure. She would argue with her siblings, for instance, but they all know that her love and loyalty are absolute, even though her bad temper made her loathe to ever admit a mistake.

Amma has a strong personality. Recently our family doc spoke to me after visiting Amma at home and then reported to me thus: ‘you know Krishantha your mother is a very resilient lady; she is a tough character, and she has a remarkable ability to face things bravely’.

She never tolerated any nonsense and encouraged us to follow suit. So we learned from a very young age that we should not back off from a fight. More importantly, she insisted that we should never initiate a fight. We have by and large tried to affirm these principles and I am convinced that if we are good citizens, we owe much of that decency to her. We are what our parents made us to be and the way we react to any issue largely depends on how they faced similar situations. I don’t tell myself ‘this is how Amma went about it,’ but I know that if I put my mind to it, I would have to conclude, ‘these are things she etched on my mind and that’s why I responded in this particular way.’

She knows I love her and that I appreciate all that she’s done for me, but Amma would probably tell me, ‘that’s how all mothers are,’ and she would be right.

It doesn’t sound right to talk of debts owed when it comes to children and parents. All I know is that we can never compensate for the love and affection our mothers have given us. We can and should never shy away from being there for them, especially as they grow older and infirm. This is why I feel that there can be no bigger crime than creating a rift between a mother and child for this is a bond that is so unique and made purely of love. And this is why, I feel, if a person is unkind to his or her mother then you can never expect any kindness from that person for anything or anyone. I believe if you don’t know how to treat your mother then you can never be a person who will treat anyone well. Basically, you can judge a friend by the way he or she treats his or her mother.

Our mother’s play the most crucial role in shaping our characteristics. Our mother and father are our gods who we are fortunate to touch and feel. They are the only people on this earth who love you more than they love themselves. Whether you are happy, sad, disturbed or facing a crisis it’s your mother who will know or feel first. That is something you cannot logically explain. Whoever you are, whether you are an unbelievably successful person or an absolute failure, your mother is the one who will stand by you even if the entire world is against you. Amma stood by me. She stands by me. It’s love, unadulterated.

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Sri Lanka ITEC Alumni Association formally launched

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/10

Priyan

Sri Lankan professionals trained in India under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme have formed a national alumni association. The Sri Lanka ITEC Alumni Association was formally launched at its inaugural meeting on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at the Grand Crystal Ballroom of Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo.

The Association is a unique initiative of the Education Wing of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka. The Wing oversees India’s education and scholarship programmes for Sri Lanka, including the ITEC programme. The initiative was led by Sandeep Chaudhary, First Secretary (Education), High Commission of India. His vision and support were key to bringing Sri Lanka’s ITEC alumni together under one platform for the first time.

The Government of India launched ITEC in 1964, and it has since become one of the cornerstones of India’s development partnership with countries of the Global South. The programme is fully funded by the Government of India and offers civilian training in a wide range of fields, including public administration, finance, information technology, engineering, management, agriculture, health and the environment. Courses are delivered at leading Indian institutions. Over six decades, ITEC has trained officials and professionals from more than 160 partner countries. Sri Lanka has been one of its most active participants, and thousands of Sri Lankan public servants and professionals have benefited from the programme.

The new Association brings these alumni together from government, semi-government and private sector institutions. Its aims are to foster professional networking, knowledge sharing, capacity development and community service. It will also encourage collaboration among alumni and guide and support future Sri Lankan participants in ITEC programmes. In doing so, the Association seeks to deepen the long-standing friendship and people-to-people ties between Sri Lanka and India.

At the meeting, members elected an Executive Committee to lead the Association. Ms. Gayathri Suveendran was elected President. The other office-bearers are:

Vice Presidents: P.B. Hasith Sandaruwan and Leo Darshan
General Secretary: Anupa Weerarathne
Assistant Secretary: Vimukthi Dushantha
Treasurer: S. Rubadharshan
Assistant Treasurer: I. Ravikumar

Four sectoral committees will carry the Association’s work forward:

Establishment, Administration and Finance: Prof. M.I.M. Mujahid Hilal, M. Farwis, Milroy Aluthwatta, W.P. Suraweera, M.S. Thayaraj and Asinsala Senevirathne.

ICT, Digital Transformation and Innovation: Sujah Ameer, Danushka Diunugala, T.M.M. Perera, Tharanga, M.K.H.P. De Silva, Pubuditha Madushan and Arulkumaran Mahalingam.

Coordination, Organising and Legal Affairs: T. Srirajeevan, Theja Jayathilaka, Eng. A. Lingeswaran, Chaminda K. Uda, Kumuduni, S. Sinthujan and Ananda Arasu.

Media, Public Relations and Publications: Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi, Dr. Gayani Kaushalya, Anandi Premarathne, Vimukthi Dushantha, R. Suhanthan and Shyam Nuwan Ganewatta.

The founding of the Association marks a significant milestone for the ITEC community in Sri Lanka. It turns individual training experiences in India into a shared national resource, and it adds a new professional dimension to the enduring partnership between the two neighbours.

News

Measures underway to protect Diyagama Forest as a Reserve — Deputy Minister of Environment

Published

15 hours ago

2026/10/10

Priyan

The government is taking all necessary measures to protect the Diyagama forest area located in Homagama within the Colombo District, Deputy Minister of Environment, Anton Jayakody,
stated on Friday (9) while delivering a special address in Parliament.

Originally an abandoned plot of land, it has regenerated naturally over the past two decades into a sensitive ecosystem bearing the characteristics of a rainforest. With rapid urbanization, numerous wildlife species displaced across
the Colombo District have now migrated to and found sanctuary in this ecological haven.

Citing field research conducted by a team of scholars from the University of Colombo—including Prof. S.W. Ranwala, Prof. Ileperuma, and Prof. Abeykoon—the Deputy Minister pointed out that nearly 120 species of flora and fauna have been identified in the area. Among them are species endemic to Sri Lanka, as well as rare wildlife such as the red slender loris and pregnant animals close to giving birth, clearly testifying to the rich biodiversity thriving within this habitat.

Located adjacent to the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium and the Japan–Sri Lanka Friendship Baseball Ground, this green zone serves as a vital ecosystem for absorbing carbon
dioxide emitted by athletes and residents in the vicinity.

In addition to directly contributing toward Sri Lanka’s commitments under the Paris Agreement to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the forest also functions as a vital catchment area feeding into the Bolgoda water basin.

Accordingly, following the approval of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee (DCC) with the participation of the Divisional Secretary, government officials, and environmentalists, steps will be taken to submit a Cabinet paper to formally declare this valuable woodland a forest reserve, the Deputy Minister emphasized.

News

NPP govt. reminded of its responsibilities as US warship leaves Colombo

Published

17 hours ago

2026/10/10

Thilina Walpola

Alireza Delkhosh

Stranded Iranian ships off SL:

Iran has reminded Sri Lanka that as a member of the UN the government is obligated to fulfil its responsibilities.

Iranian Ambassador Alireza Delkhosh in Colombo said that in terms of the Convention on the Law of the Sea (Article 98) as well as SOLAS and SAR Conventions, Sri Lanka couldn’t refrain from providing the needs of the Iranian vessels stranded in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Ambassador Delkhosh was responding to a recent Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath’s declaration that neither the government nor private companies would provide food, water and medicine to these ships.

The Ambassador questioned how Sri Lanka accepted illegal and unilateral US sanctions against Iran, contrary to the JVP’s much touted historic anti-imperialistic manifesto.

The Iranian vessels are believed to be under constant US surveillance to prevent any supplies from getting through.

The Iranian Embassy made these comments as USS Tulsa (LCS 16), an Independence-variant littoral combat ship arrived in Colombo where it received supplies. The US Embassy declared that; ” this goodwill visit provides an opportunity to strengthen ties between US and Sri Lankan sailors while the ship refuels and resupplies before continuing its mission in the Indo-Pacific.”

Ambassador Delkhosh said that even if the above-mentioned Conventions weren’t adhered to, there existed, what he called, unwritten yet binding conventions that compelled Sri Lanka to assist. “It is the Convention of not forgetting past friendship and Convention of Humanitarian Actions.”

The Iranian envoy emphasised that these conventions that exempt no country from extending humanitarian aid, especially Sri Lanka, which, throughout its recent history, has been a recipient of Iranian assistance.

A section of the international media reported that Sri Lanka faced the risk of secondary sanctions from the United States if Sri Lanka allowed supplies to reach the stranded Iranian vessels. Twenty vessels are believed to be stranded in EEZ.

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Tehran, M.M. Zuhair, recalled how the Iranian government swiftly and decisively provided assistance, amidst western efforts to jeopardise the military campaign, by undermining the national economy.

As the war entered a crucial stage, the government found itself in an extremely difficult situation. Following talks at the highest level, Iran provided Sri Lanka with an interest-free and concessionary oil credit facility worth $1.05 billion to help obtain crude oil requirements, President’s Counsel Zuhair said.

If not for the rolling credit line, easing severe foreign exchange pressures, the Rajapakasa government could have faced an insurmountable challenge, the former diplomat said, adding that, unfortunately, those in decision-making positions now have forgotten the past. (SF)