Features
My Final Chapter in Sri Lanka

Part 26 PASSIONS OF A GLOBAL HOTELIER
Dr. Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena DPhil
President – Chandi J. Associates Inc. Consulting, Canada
Founder & Administrator – Global Hospitality Forum
chandij@sympatico.ca
Learning More PR Strategies from a Guru
In 1994, I had the privilege of working at the Galle Face Hotel (GFH) as the Consultant to its Chairman, Cyril Gardiner. Over time, our professional relationship evolved into a warm camaraderie. Cyril had a sharp sense of humour. On one occasion, while discussing the maintenance challenges faced by historic seaside hotels like Mount Lavinia Hotel (MLH) and GFH, he quipped, “Chandana, GFH is only 130 years old!”
Cyril was a master of public relations, capable of crafting newsworthy stories and engaging with leading international journalists. He turned what might seem like eccentric behaviour into captivating narratives for the media. His knack for creating publicity was not accidental but meticulously orchestrated, a lesson I was fortunate to learn first-hand.
His extensive network of affluent and influential families in Sri Lanka further amplified his ability to promote GFH. One day, he showed me a photograph taken at his wedding, where he and his wife were flanked by four of Ceylon’s most powerful figures: the second, third, and fourth Prime Ministers and a long-serving Governor-General.
Among his many achievements, Cyril elevated the GFH’s iconic doorman, Kuttan, to celebrity status. Kuttan, born in 1920 in southern India, arrived in Ceylon in a small boat at 19, penniless but full of ambition. After working as a domestic servant for a Colombo elite family, he joined GFH in 1942. Over seven decades, Kuttan became a symbol of Sri Lankan hospitality, renowned for his friendly demeanour, sharp memory for guests, distinctive handlebar moustache, and full head of white hair.
Cyril’s efforts ensured Kuttan’s fame extended far beyond Sri Lanka. Kuttan graced the covers of international travel magazines, becoming one of the most celebrated hotel employees in the world alongside Chef Publis of MLH. My interactions with Kuttan enriched my experience at GFH, as he shared fascinating stories of the hotel’s illustrious past.
Establishing a Consortium of Hotel Consultants
Cyril was equally supportive of my initiatives beyond GFH. When I confided that my part-time M.Phil./Ph.D. at the University of Surrey and a textbook project with UK publisher Hodder & Stoughton had been sidelined during my tenure at MLH, he was disappointed but encouraging. He even reduced my GFH commitment to three days a week while continuing to pay my full salary, enabling me to complete my book, Profitable Food & Beverage Management, co-authored with Professor Richard Kotas.
I then formed a consortium of hotel consultants with three esteemed professionals: Hiran Serasinghe, the first Sri Lankan General Manager of a five-star international hotel; Damayantha Kuruppu, a London-educated hotelier-turned-planner; and Kamal Hapuwatte, an expert in hotel training. At our initial meetings at my in-laws home in Nugegoda, they chose me as the leader of this venture.
The consortium achieved early success, providing services such as drafting standard operating manuals, upgrading equipment, and delivering training programmes. We were on the brink of securing management contracts for a pioneering resort in Negombo and a 90-room hotel near Colombo. I began our presentations to potential clients with a bold statement: “Ours is the only consortium of hotel consultants in Sri Lanka, with over 100 years of collective experience managing hotels ranging from one to five stars.”
A New Path for the International Hotel School
Even after leaving MLH, I remained the Managing Director of the International Hotel School (IHS), where I owned 30% of the shares. My mentor, Professor Kotas, held another 10%. When Sanath Ukwatte, Chairman of the MLH Group, suggested that I buy the Ukwatte family’s 60% stake and move IHS outside MLH, I began exploring the possibility.
Around the same time, Clairemont, Sri Lanka’s second-oldest hotel school, was up for sale. I started negotiations with the founder’s son and envisioned merging it with IHS. Central to my vision was the concept of a “functional hotel school,” which required operating within a large hotel. I proposed relocating IHS to GFH and shared this idea with Cyril, who was intrigued and asked for time to consider it.
My First Solo Art Exhibition at Galle Face Hotel
Amidst my hectic schedule, I pursued my passion for art, producing a significant body of work in my home studio. In 1994, I participated in the Kala Pola Open-Air Art Fair alongside my son, Marlon. Launched in 1993 by the George Keyt Foundation with 35 artists, the event had grown significantly by 2024, hosting over 300 artists and attracting 30,000 visitors annually.
Following my Kala Pola experience, legendary Sri Lankan artist Cavaliere Tilake Abeysinghe encouraged me to organise my first solo exhibition. I approached Cyril, an art enthusiast, for a venue. He promptly offered GFH as the host site free of charge, declaring, “Chandana, don’t look any further.”
In March 1994, I held my first solo exhibition, Contrasts, at GFH, showcasing 50 paintings and five sculptures. Cyril purchased two pieces and displayed one in GFH’s boardroom. Sri Lankan film star Swarna Mallawarchchi inaugurated the event. This exhibition marked my only solo exhibition in Sri Lanka.
After that regularly having held solo art exhibitions in Guyana, Jamaica, and Canada, I presented my 16th solo show in November 2024. More details on Reflecting on my 30-year journey as a semi-professional visual artist, I remain grateful for Cyril’s initial support, which set me on this artistic path.
A Legacy of Growth and Gratitude
Looking back, my short period at GFH were transformative, thanks to the mentorship and friendship of Cyril Gardiner. His generosity, vision, and support allowed me to grow as a consultant, entrepreneur, and visual artist. His influence continues to resonate as I reflect on this chapter of my life, one rich in experiences and lessons that shaped my future endeavours.
In 1994, as I was feeling happy with successes at different fronts, I gradually accepted that I may not achieve my previously set goal of becoming an international hotelier/the General Manager of globally branded five-star hotel in another country. My wife and son too were doing well in Sri Lanka, and it appeared that we would remain in Sri Lanka.
One rainy night the phone rang at home, and it was an overseas call. The caller said, “This is the Vice President – Human Resources of the Trust House Forte (THF) Hotels head office in London. We received your application some time ago… We now have a vacancy for a General Manager. If you are still interested, can you fly to London within two days for a series of interviews? We will look after your air tickets and board and lodging for three days in London. Are you available?”
I said, “Yes!”
Features
US withdrawal from UNHRC, a boon to political repression and ultra-nationalism

The US’ reported withdrawal from the UNHRC and some other vital UN agencies could be seen as a fillip to anti-democratic and ultra-nationalistic forces worldwide. Besides, the stark message is being conveyed that the developing regions of the world would from now on suffer further impoverishment and powerlessness.
The UNHRC needs to be more effective and proactive in bringing to book those states that are lagging in upholding and implementing human rights standards. But thus far it has been notable in the main in only ‘naming and shaming’ periodically those countries that stand accused of human rights and associated violations. More states and their rulers who have proved notorious violators of International Law, for instance, need to be brought to justice.
Hopefully, the UNHRC would be more dynamic in carrying out its responsibilities going forward but it needs material, moral and financial sustenance in increasing measure as it goes about trying to implement its brief. By withdrawing its support for the UNHRC at this juncture the US has further weakened the body and thereby provided a stimulant to the forces of repression worldwide.
What ought to be equally disquieting for the ethically-conscious is the withdrawal of US support for the WHO, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees or the UNRWA and the Paris Climate Agreement. With these actions the US under President Donald Trump has forfeited all claims to being the world’s foremost democracy. It could no longer lead from the front, so to speak, in championing human rights and democratic development.
It is no coincidence that almost at the time of these decisions by the US, President Trump is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At the time of writing what transpired at these talks is not known to the public but it is plain to see that under the ultra-rightist Israeli Prime Minister, there would be no easy closure to the Middle East conflict and the accompanying blood-letting.
This is in view of the fact that the hawkish Trump administration would be hand-in-glove with the Netanyahu regime right along. There would be no political solution in the foreseeable future nor could it be guaranteed by the main stakeholders to the Middle East question that the current ceasefire would continue.
As mentioned in this column before, Israel would need strong security guarantees from the Palestinian camp and its supporters before it sits earnestly at the negotiating table but a policy of repression by the Israeli state would in no way help in resolving the conflict and in ushering even a measure of peace in the region. With the staunch support of the Trump administration the Netanyahu regime could stave off Palestinian resistance for the time being and save face among its supporters but peace in the Middle East would continue to be a lost cause.
The issues in focus would only be further compounded by the US decision to cease support for the rehabilitation and material sustenance of Palestinian refugees. This policy decision would only result in the further alienation and estrangement of Palestinians from the Western world. Consequently, Intifada-type uprisings should only be expected in the future.
As should be obvious, the US decision to pull out of the WHO would further weaken this vital agency of the UN. A drop in material, medical and financial assistance for the WHO would translate into graver hardships for the suffering civilians in the world’s conflict and war zones. The end result could be the alienation of the communities concerned from the wider international community, resulting in escalating law and order and governance issues worldwide. Among other things, the world would be having on its hands aggravating identity politics consequent to civilian publics being radicalized.
Considering the foregoing, the inference is inescapable that the US is heading in the direction of increasing international isolation and a policy of disengaging from multilateral institutions and arrangements geared to worthy causes that could serve world peace. As matters stand, it would not be wrong to conclude that the Trump administration is quite content with the prevailing ‘international disorder’.
One of the most negative consequences of the US decision to pull out of the UNHRC is the encouragement the forces of repression and ultra-nationalism could gain by it. In almost all the states of South Asia, to consider one region that is notable from this viewpoint, the forces of ultra-nationalism and majoritarian chauvinism could be said to be predominant.
Unfortunately, such forces seem to be on the rise once again in even post-Hasina Bangladesh. In Sri Lanka these forces are somewhat dormant at present but they could erupt to the surface, depending on how diligently the present government guards against their rise.
However, the government of Sri Lanka could not be said to be going the extra mile currently to blunt the appeal of ultra-nationalism, whether it is of the Southern kind or of the Northern kind. Crunch time for the Sri Lankan state would come when it has to seriously cooperate with the UNHRC and help bring those accused of war crimes in Sri Lanka to justice. On whether it could cooperate in this exercise would depend the democratic credentials of the present regime.
The cumulative result of the Trump administration weakening the UN and its agencies would be the relentless rise of anti-democratic, fascistic and repressive regimes the world over. Given this backdrop, one could expect the war in the Ukraine and those wasting civil wars in Africa to rage on. In the case of the Ukraine, the possibility of the US and NATO not being of one mind on ways of ending the war there, could render closure of the conflict any time soon impossible.
However, waiting on the US with the expectation that it would be pulling itself together, so to speak, before long and addressing the issue of international law and order would be tantamount to handing over the world to a most uncertain future. It is highly unlikely that the Trump administration would prove equal to the challenge of bringing even a measure of order out of the current global chaos, given the primacy it would be attaching to what it sees as its national interest.
Rather than wait in suspense, democracy oriented sections the world over would do well to come together in a meeting of minds, with the UN playing a catalytic role in it, to figure out how they could pool all the resources at their command to bring about a world order that would be more respectful of International Law in word and spirit.
Features
‘The Onset: A Short Story’: A philosophical drama attempting to redefine perception and cinema

Debut filmmaker, Thevin Gamage, presents a bold challenge to the time-honoured conventions of cinema. Through his daring short film, Thevin invites audiences to reconsider ‘the truth’ of cinematic rules. The 180-degree rule is broken with seamless subtlety, and a fresh perspective is offered on breaking the fourth wall.
This 13+ minute dialogue-driven drama, ‘The Onset: A Short Story’ featuring two actors and created with the collaboration of a debut cinematographer, was shot entirely in his living room—a testament to ingenuity and creative audacity.
The film not only aims to redefine the language of cinema but also thematically contests one of Plato’s most renowned teachings—The Allegory of the Cave. Thevin offers a fresh lens to examine ‘truth’ blending bold cinematic innovation with a philosophical exploration of perception, arrogance, and enlightenment.
At its heart, this story reflects the universal tension between belief and truth, highlighting the cost of breaking free from illusions. His debut is both a defiant act of rebellion and a bold invitation to shape the evolution of future cinema, leaving audiences with as many questions as answers.
Born into a family of artists in Sri Lanka, Thevin, grew up surrounded by a legacy of creativity yet confined by the traditional expectations of society. His parents achieved success as actors and later as entrepreneurs.
For Thevin, questioning the rules was not rebellion for its own sake—it was a search for freedom, truth, and new perspectives. This drive began in childhood, where strict parental expectations collided with his innate creativity. Movies became his escape, a lens through which he experienced life, love, and possibility.
Yet it wasn’t until his late twenties, after years of academic success and professional detours that he finally embraced his calling as a filmmaker. His audacious short film bridges his personal journey with his artistic vision. By breaking the 180-degree rule and redefining the fourth wall, the film demonstrates that cinematic rules can evolve—not as acts of rebellion, but as purposeful explorations of storytelling.
In the spirit of art and its boundless novelty, Thevin Gamage seeks to induct exactly that: originality.
His debut film is a bold exploration of cinematic boundaries and philosophical inquiry, redefining two foundational principles of cinema. This film invites audiences to experience a narrative that subtly bends the historical rules of the 180-degree rule and the fourth wall—often without them even realizing it.
This debut dares you.
It’s a resolute challenge to tradition and a provocative reminder that “rules” are just a few letters that form a word.
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About young filmmaker

Thevin Gamage
Thevin Gamage is a South Asian filmmaker whose journey reflects both a profound reverence for tradition and an unrelenting desire to transcend it.
Born into a family of artists in Sri Lanka, Thevin was shaped by a legacy of creativity and resilience. His grandfather, Sri Lanka’s first film makeup artist, pioneered his craft with remarkable dedication, laying the foundation for a family deeply rooted in the arts. Though Thevin never met him, his grandfather Regie de Silva’strailblazing work ethic and passion for storytelling helped shape the family ethos, inspiring Thevin’s mother and, in turn, Thevin himself. Reggie was the first Sri Lankan makeup artist. He went to India for his studies in makeup artistry and was active during the era when B.A.W. Jayamanne and Rukmani Devi pioneered the Sri Lankan film industry.
Thevin’s mother, Kumudumali De Silva, a celebrated Best Supporting Actress winner two decades ago and recent Lifetime Achievement Award honoree for her contributions to the wedding industry, met his father, Nihal Gamage, while on set. Together, they transitioned from the entertainment industry to entrepreneurial success, founding a wedding photography and bridal dressing business. Their ventures flourished, even leading to the publication of their own wedding magazine, providing a middle-class life of success and recognition.
Despite these creative roots, societal expectations in Sri Lanka compelled Thevin to pursue academics. After excelling at the University of Toronto with a degree in Political Science, Economics, and Psychology, Thevin still yearned for storytelling. In his late twenties, after years of professional detours, he enrolled in film school and committed fully to his craft.
Operating outside the framework of traditional film production companies, Thevin embraced the challenges of independence. From conceptualization to execution, his debut film is a testament to his determination, ingenuity, and unwavering commitment to his vision. His journey as an independent filmmaker exemplifies the power of creative freedom to challenge norms and shape unique perspectives.
Thevin’s work invites audiences to question, reimagine, and ultimately transform their understanding of storytelling. His journey is not just one of artistic pursuit but an act of defiance—an effort to inspire others to embrace the power of the arts and forge paths beyond traditional norms.
Features
Top three at 40th Mrs World pageant

While South African model Tshego Gaelae becomes the first Black woman to win the Mrs. World title in its 40-year history, we, too, were in the spotlight, at the finals.
Ishadi Amanda took the No. 02 slot, being the first runner-up at the prestigious pageant, held in Las Vegas, USA, from 29-30 January, 2025.
Thailand’s Ploy Panperm was placed third, as the second runner-up.
Sri Lanka’s Ishadi had support from the audience when her name was announced as one of the three finalists.
The Mrs World pageant winner, from South Africa, expressed her thanks on Instagram, saying, “To God be the glory. Thank you so much for the love and support, I am beyond grateful and elated! My beautiful South Africa, the crown is coming home,” she shared with her followers, encapsulating her elation and gratitude.
The Mrs World pageant, established in 1984, stands as the first international beauty contest solely for married women, providing a platform for married contestants to showcase not just their beauty, but also their intellect and community outreach efforts.
Before being picked as the winner, Mrs South Africa was asked: “What is the biggest challenge you have faced and achieved?” And her answer was brilliant:

Rosy Senanayake: Mrs World 1984
“I was so stressed on social media. Social media people should use it to share knowledge and good things. But it’s used to stress people out. But I stood up for myself without that social media pressure. I used the same social media that stressed me out to share good thoughts and hope to get to the victorious place I am today.”
Gaelae’s success is a testament to the ideals celebrated by the pageant, where diversity and empowerment take centre stage.
Gaelae balances her roles as a devoted mother, wife, labour relations manager, and model.
Being the first black woman to clinch the title at the Mrs World pageant has ignited a sense of pride and celebration among South Africans.
The Mrs South Africa Organisation, which played a crucial role in supporting Gaelae’s remarkable journey, also expressed their pride through a statement: “From Soweto to Vegas and now the World, @mrsworldpageant The Crown is Coming Home! Thank you to everyone who supported our queen on her incredible Journey.”
Gaelae returned home to a triumphant celebration fit for a queen.
At the airport to welcome her were her family, friends, church community, the Mrs South African team board and alumni, and the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg.

The crowning of the 40th Mrs World winner
And, guess what? Gaelae is now in touch with me!
Second Runner-up Mrs Thailand Ploy Panperm is quoted as having said: “I believe that modern married women have the potential to excel in multiple roles – as wives, mothers and even as beauty queens – embodying intelligence, talent and beauty.”
For the record, it was our very own Rosy Senanayake who brought Sri Lanka fame at this pageant … being crowned Mrs World at the very first Mrs World pageant, in 1984.
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