Features

Students in London – 1950s

Published

4 years ago

2021/09/26

by Vijaya Chandrasoma

Sri Lankan (Ceylonese in those days) students aspiring to continue their higher education in England in the 1950s and 1960s usually had to spend some time in England before they were accepted (or not) by the university of their choice.

Some students had already gained admittance to a university, and were able to time their arrival to move straight into the college that had accepted them. Others were lucky enough to have their parents or elders accompany and stay with them until they were settled enough to embark on their careers without help. Still others not so lucky were forced into the deep end of an unfamiliar environment. They invariably had some family contacts and the Ceylon High Commission and the Ceylon Students Centre in London to guide them through those difficult initial stages.

Accommodation was the first hurdle. Digs, as living quarters for students and young professionals were called, were not easy to find, especially for us “coloureds” in post war England, when colour bar was rampant in the big cities. I had a number of friends from Colombo, mainly schoolmates, who also were faced with this problem.

Advertisements for available rooms were pinned on notice-boards, usually in little convenience stores that sold newspapers and tobacco. Many of these advertisements specified “No Coloureds”. We soon identified “colour friendly” areas like Earls Court, Paddington, Notting Hill Gate and Holland Park, and managed to get roofs over our heads.

We either shared rooms or lived very close to each other, sometimes in the same building. Our rented rooms had the most basic cooking facilities, often just a gas ring. The shorter the period between arrival in England and entry into the safe haven of the university of their choice, the better for these young Sri Lankans who had been coddled in their homes with domestics to cater to their every whim. Even the task of boiling water was a mystery to most. We learned, some better and quicker than others. Our staple diet consisted of bacon and eggs, baked beans, potatoes, bread, butter and milk. And those little plastic packets of gastronomical delight like Irish Stew, Toad in the Hole and Shepherd’s Pie. Irish Stew was my personal favourite. All you had to do was to insert the packet in boiling water for a few minutes, and, voila, you had a dish that evoked the delicious aromas of the Emerald Isle.

We did treat ourselves to the occasional meal at one of the many Indian restaurants, which were as popular in London in those days as they are now. I used to indulge my healthy appetite by eating three parathas (mere mortals were satisfied with just one) and a full portion of Mutton Roghan Josh, cooked extra spicy.

The waiting period, for me, of over one year in London, with nothing to do, proved to be fateful. Our similarly unemployed little group of Sri Lankan friends met on a daily basis. We indulged in the many deleterious pastimes of studying the form of the runners in the day’s horseracing meetings; playing billiards at the University of London Union; Thursday and Saturday evenings at the White City dog racing stadium. And of course, regular visits to our neighbourhood pub, the Mitre, at the top of Ladbroke Grove on Holland Park.

England’s minimum age for consumption of alcohol was, if memory serves, 18, and that too was more honoured in the breach. We were regulars at this popular watering hole, and the barkeeper used to greet me with the “honorific” of Ding Dong on arrival, because my drink of choice was a double shot of Bell’s scotch whisky!

Of course, had I been a sensible student, impervious to the pleasures of the company of friends and the many lures of city life, I could easily have spent my days in the library, boning up on the subjects I had chosen for further study at the university which had accepted me the following October. I wasn’t, and I didn’t. I was a regular fun loving teenager, who had failed to approach maturity until my late 60s. I believe I have now, at 80 years of age, finally achieved the sober qualities of maturity and adulthood. Many ladies who continue to remain married to men who never seem to grow up are well aware of this particularly masculine phenomenon.

We had endless discussions as to our future, dreaming of ending our brilliant careers at the top of our chosen professions. As I recall, only one of us achieved such excellence in his stated ambition, that of being a playboy. Needless to say, these friendships forged six decades ago have endured, and a couple of them remain my best friends today. Except for the aforementioned playboy, who achieved his dream. He lived fast, died young and left a good looking corpse, a demise precipitated by alcohol, slow horses and fast women. Not a bad way to go.

I secured employment at the Royal Automobile Club in the City, where I had the task of arranging European holidays for English tourists, a mind numbing job involving drivers’ licences and passports. I was paid the weekly minimum wage of eight pounds and 10 shillings, which, believe it or not, was then a living wage in London. Added to the allowance of 45 pounds my parents sent me, I felt like a veritable millionaire! And provided the bookie at Notting Hill Gate with a regular source of income on Saturdays.

The job didn’t last. I found it extremely difficult to wake up in the freezing cold of an English Winter, dress up and take the tube to the City, day in and blustery day out. I called in sick one particularly cold day in March 1960, a sickness which continued indefinitely. I followed up with a letter from a Sri Lankan doctor, to the effect that I suffered from a lung condition which made it necessary for me to return to the warmer climes of my homeland.

A lie, which made me feel even more guilty when the RAC continued to mail me my weekly wages for two weeks, with a note from my supervisor wishing me a speedy recovery.

A Night in Jail

I spent my first, and only (so far), night in jail at the holding cell of Ladbroke Grove Police Station in London. I was 18-years old, and did not have a driver’s licence. One evening, I needed to hire a car for a reason that escapes my mind, though it probably involved a German girl I was dating at the time. My Sri Lankan friend and neighbour, who did possess a driver’s licence, offered to hire a car for me, in a rare exhibition of generosity drenched in foolhardiness.

Having dropped my girlfriend at home, I was driving home in the early hours, when I was pulled over. It was customary for the police in London to pull over any youngster driving alone at that time of the night. No alcohol was involved but I had no licence and didn’t know where the car’s registration and insurance papers were. I was taken to Ladbroke Grove Police Station, where I was placed in the holding cell. I had told the policeman that the car I was driving had been rented for me by a friend, whose address I gave them. They went to my friend’s digs, woke him up and he joined me in the cell, having confirmed my story. The cops treated us extremely well. We were booked and produced before a judge the following morning, who, with a twinkle in his eyes, warned and discharged us with a fine of five pounds each.

The whole matter was treated with understanding and compassion. Both the cops and the judge saw us for what we were, two teenagers having a good time on a Sunday night. Well, at least one of them was. Those were gentler, simpler days.

The friend who had foolishly agreed to rent a car for me that night is one of the most honourable gentlemen it has been my privilege to know. We still remain good friends, a testament to his forgiving nature. This was probably the only indiscretion he has committed in his entire life, one I have no doubt he regrets today, even after six decades.

And then October came along and we went our separate ways. We had many adventures, many enjoyable, a few not, during those few months. Suffice to say, we all survived. And we carried on with our education, with varying degrees of success and failure.

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Features

US’ drastic aid cut to UN poses moral challenge to world

Published

23 hours ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

An UN humanitarian mission in the Gaza. [File: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency]

‘Adapt, shrink or die’ – thus runs the warning issued by the Trump administration to UN humanitarian agencies with brute insensitivity in the wake of its recent decision to drastically reduce to $2bn its humanitarian aid to the UN system. This is a substantial climb down from the $17bn the US usually provided to the UN for its humanitarian operations.

Considering that the US has hitherto been the UN’s biggest aid provider, it need hardly be said that the US decision would pose a daunting challenge to the UN’s humanitarian operations around the world. This would indeed mean that, among other things, people living in poverty and stifling material hardships, in particularly the Southern hemisphere, could dramatically increase. Coming on top of the US decision to bring to an end USAID operations, the poor of the world could be said to have been left to their devices as a consequence of these morally insensitive policy rethinks of the Trump administration.

Earlier, the UN had warned that it would be compelled to reduce its aid programs in the face of ‘the deepest funding cuts ever.’ In fact the UN is on record as requesting the world for $23bn for its 2026 aid operations.

If this UN appeal happens to go unheeded, the possibilities are that the UN would not be in a position to uphold the status it has hitherto held as the world’s foremost humanitarian aid provider. It would not be incorrect to state that a substantial part of the rationale for the UN’s existence could come in for questioning if its humanitarian identity is thus eroded.

Inherent in these developments is a challenge for those sections of the international community that wish to stand up and be counted as humanists and the ‘Conscience of the World.’ A responsibility is cast on them to not only keep the UN system going but to also ensure its increased efficiency as a humanitarian aid provider to particularly the poorest of the poor.

It is unfortunate that the US is increasingly opting for a position of international isolation. Such a policy position was adopted by it in the decades leading to World War Two and the consequences for the world as a result for this policy posture were most disquieting. For instance, it opened the door to the flourishing of dictatorial regimes in the West, such as that led by Adolph Hitler in Germany, which nearly paved the way for the subjugation of a good part of Europe by the Nazis.

If the US had not intervened militarily in the war on the side of the Allies, the West would have faced the distressing prospect of coming under the sway of the Nazis and as a result earned indefinite political and military repression. By entering World War Two the US helped to ward off these bleak outcomes and indeed helped the major democracies of Western Europe to hold their own and thrive against fascism and dictatorial rule.

Republican administrations in the US in particular have not proved the greatest defenders of democratic rule the world over, but by helping to keep the international power balance in favour of democracy and fundamental human rights they could keep under a tight leash fascism and linked anti-democratic forces even in contemporary times. Russia’s invasion and continued occupation of parts of Ukraine reminds us starkly that the democracy versus fascism battle is far from over.

Right now, the US needs to remain on the side of the rest of the West very firmly, lest fascism enjoys another unfettered lease of life through the absence of countervailing and substantial military and political power.

However, by reducing its financial support for the UN and backing away from sustaining its humanitarian programs the world over the US could be laying the ground work for an aggravation of poverty in the South in particular and its accompaniments, such as, political repression, runaway social discontent and anarchy.

What should not go unnoticed by the US is the fact that peace and social stability in the South and the flourishing of the same conditions in the global North are symbiotically linked, although not so apparent at first blush. For instance, if illegal migration from the South to the US is a major problem for the US today, it is because poor countries are not receiving development assistance from the UN system to the required degree. Such deprivation on the part of the South leads to aggravating social discontent in the latter and consequences such as illegal migratory movements from South to North.

Accordingly, it will be in the North’s best interests to ensure that the South is not deprived of sustained development assistance since the latter is an essential condition for social contentment and stable governance, which factors in turn would guard against the emergence of phenomena such as illegal migration.

Meanwhile, democratic sections of the rest of the world in particular need to consider it a matter of conscience to ensure the sustenance and flourishing of the UN system. To be sure, the UN system is considerably flawed but at present it could be called the most equitable and fair among international development organizations and the most far-flung one. Without it world poverty would have proved unmanageable along with the ills that come along with it.

Dehumanizing poverty is an indictment on humanity. It stands to reason that the world community should rally round the UN and ensure its survival lest the abomination which is poverty flourishes. In this undertaking the world needs to stand united. Ambiguities on this score could be self-defeating for the world community.

For example, all groupings of countries that could demonstrate economic muscle need to figure prominently in this initiative. One such grouping is BRICS. Inasmuch as the US and the West should shrug aside Realpolitik considerations in this enterprise, the same goes for organizations such as BRICS.

The arrival at the above international consensus would be greatly facilitated by stepped up dialogue among states on the continued importance of the UN system. Fresh efforts to speed-up UN reform would prove major catalysts in bringing about these positive changes as well. Also requiring to be shunned is the blind pursuit of narrow national interests.

Features

Egg white scene …

Published

24 hours ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

Hi! Great to be back after my Christmas break.

Thought of starting this week with egg white.

Yes, eggs are brimming with nutrients beneficial for your overall health and wellness, but did you know that eggs, especially the whites, are excellent for your complexion?

OK, if you have no idea about how to use egg whites for your face, read on.

Egg White, Lemon, Honey:

Separate the yolk from the egg white and add about a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and about one and a half teaspoons of organic honey. Whisk all the ingredients together until they are mixed well.

Apply this mixture to your face and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes before cleansing your face with a gentle face wash.

Don’t forget to apply your favourite moisturiser, after using this face mask, to help seal in all the goodness.

Egg White, Avocado:

In a clean mixing bowl, start by mashing the avocado, until it turns into a soft, lump-free paste, and then add the whites of one egg, a teaspoon of yoghurt and mix everything together until it looks like a creamy paste.

Apply this mixture all over your face and neck area, and leave it on for about 20 to 30 minutes before washing it off with cold water and a gentle face wash.

Egg White, Cucumber, Yoghurt:

In a bowl, add one egg white, one teaspoon each of yoghurt, fresh cucumber juice and organic honey. Mix all the ingredients together until it forms a thick paste.

Apply this paste all over your face and neck area and leave it on for at least 20 minutes and then gently rinse off this face mask with lukewarm water and immediately follow it up with a gentle and nourishing moisturiser.

Egg White, Aloe Vera, Castor Oil:

To the egg white, add about a teaspoon each of aloe vera gel and castor oil and then mix all the ingredients together and apply it all over your face and neck area in a thin, even layer.

Leave it on for about 20 minutes and wash it off with a gentle face wash and some cold water. Follow it up with your favourite moisturiser.

Features

Confusion cropping up with Ne-Yo in the spotlight

Published

24 hours ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

Ne-Yo: His management should clarify the last-minute cancellation

Superlatives galore were used, especially on social media, to highlight R&B singer Ne-Yo’s trip to Sri Lanka: Global superstar Ne-Yo to perform live in Colombo this December; Ne-Yo concert puts Sri Lanka back on the global entertainment map; A global music sensation is coming to Sri Lanka … and there were lots more!

At an official press conference, held at a five-star venue, in Colombo, it was indicated that the gathering marked a defining moment for Sri Lanka’s entertainment industry as international R&B powerhouse and three-time Grammy Award winner Ne-Yo prepares to take the stage in Colombo this December.

What’s more, the occasion was graced by the presence of Sunil Kumara Gamage, Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs of Sri Lanka, and Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism, alongside distinguished dignitaries, sponsors, and members of the media.

Shah Rukh Khan: Disappointed his fans in Sri Lanka

According to reports, the concert had received the official endorsement of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, recognising it as a flagship initiative in developing the country’s concert economy by attracting fans, and media, from all over South Asia.

Nick Carter: His concert, too, was cancelled due to “Unforeseen circumstances

However, I had that strange feeling that this concert would not become a reality, keeping in mind what happened to Nick Carter’s Colombo concert – cancelled at the very last moment.

Carter issued a video message announcing he had to return to the USA due to “unforeseen circumstances” and a “family emergency”.

Though “unforeseen circumstances” was the official reason provided by Carter and the local organisers, there was speculation that low ticket sales may also have been a factor in the cancellation.

Well, “Unforeseen Circumstances” has cropped up again!

In a brief statement, via social media, the organisers of the Ne-Yo concert said the decision was taken due to “unforeseen circumstances and factors beyond their control.”

Ne-Yo, too, subsequently made an announcement, citing “Unforeseen circumstances.”

The public has a right to know what these “unforeseen circumstances” are, and who is to be blamed – the organisers or Ne-Yo!

Ne-Yo’s management certainly need to come out with the truth.

However, those who are aware of some of the happenings in the setup here put it down to poor ticket sales, mentioning that the tickets for the concert, and a meet-and-greet event, were exorbitantly high, considering that Ne-Yo is not a current mega star.

We also had a cancellation coming our way from Shah Rukh Khan, who was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka for the City of Dreams resort launch, and then this was received: “Unfortunately due to unforeseen personal reasons beyond his control, Mr. Khan is no longer able to attend.”

Referring to this kind of mess up, a leading showbiz personality said that it will only make people reluctant to buy their tickets, online.

“Tickets will go mostly at the gate and it will be very bad for the industry,” he added.