Teaching at a Military Academy

Greatness comes from vision, tolerance of the spirit, compassion and an even temper, which is not ruffled by ill fortune or good fortune. - Jawaharlal Nehru

by Lakmal Welabada

"What is your capacity of tolerance? Gage it by yourself, and that is the measurement how great you are," advocates Deepthi Lekani Waidyasekara, a scholar in 'Geo-Socio-Defence' education.

"When you think deep about life one will realise that objects, beings and incidents around us are just not permanent. When compared to our life span with a Light Year, the time that you could exist in this life is less than the time you take to snap your fingers.

So, why worry of the negative happenings which takes place in your lifetime? All what you consider as sorrowful is meaningless!" she smiles. "Think positive and condition your mind," she advocates.

Deepthi holds the post of the Head of the Department of Social Sciences in the Kothalawala Defence Academy (KDA). "Working with military people is," she went on "not difficult." She pauses. "That is because they are coming from a 'well disciplined' set up.

We handle young people in Cadets level ranging from 19 to 22 years, and then middle age officers of all three Forces and Police who visit us for short courses. It's true that they have to get used to a hard life. But when it comes to a classroom study circle they are the most obedient students. They are simply the best! That I would say very frankly," she stressed.

Deepthi is specialised in Geography. "Military Geography is slightly different from the general geography as a subject. Geography is basically about the land. But it doesn't stop 'soil lumps' situated in the oceans.

The population, vegetation, building, animal habitat, space and everything is geography. This land of the world belongs to everybody. Geographical limitations are all man made ones, and nature has no demarcations as such. Tsunami showed this well by devastating everything irrespective of boundaries of 'my land and your land'.

The Geo-Defence education that the Military people are getting covers all these concepts. And they get a broader knowledge and picture which helps them to function their duties very well as educated Military Foremen. Through this they could have a good rapport with the civil set up, government and also when dealing internationally", explains Deepthi.

The short haired, mid complexioned steady and smart professional lecturer is very modes of her achievements and retains her dignity which earns her a lot of respect in return.

Deepthi had her primary education at the Baptist Mission English School and then entered St. Gabriel's Convent, Hatton. "My father was in the plantation sector and we lived in Thalawakele amidst a picturesque scenario.

I had a wonderful childhoods surrounded by tea estates, waterfalls and beautiful landscape. I am the second in my family with two sisters and a brother. We are a well united family," she said.

"My aim was to get a Hotel Management degree abroad, but could not fulfil it as my father didn't like the idea. So I entered the Sri Jayawardanepura University and obtained a Geography (Special Honours) degree.

At that time I was the Secretary to the English Union and was involved in many extra curricular activities throughout," she says.

The mandatory destitution for the final exam she handled was the 'Role of government and non-governmental organisations in up-grading squatter settlement in Colombo'. "For this I did a thorough research at the Slums in Aluth Mawatha, Mattakkuliya and Obeysekarapura, Borella.

This field study has helped me to arm myself well in my career, and even at present (after 20 years) it has still been useful to me," she recalls." "The effect of late marriages and its effects on - fertility in Sri Lanka was the topic I chose for my second desitation for my Post Graduate studies at the Department of Demography (population studies) at the University of Colombo," she continued.

'Planning implication for the industrial areas in Sri Lanka' was the research study she did for her Master of Science in Town and Country Planning at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Moratuwa. "I hope to take up 'Regional Planning' for my PhD which I would do abroad by next year," she hopes.

After having obtained all her degrees Deepthi got a teaching post at her own school, St. Gabriel's English School, Hatton. "That was because I owed it to my convent, as I had my education there under the Irish missionary nuns. Even as a Buddhist, I learnt a lot from them, especially when it came to discipline. They never disturbed our faiths, and taught us to respect mankind and all races," she recollects.

"It was my husband who pushed me to apply for the KDA lecturer post," she smilers. "Asoka is very conservative, but tolerated my staying away from Colombo (where he was stationed) when I was teaching in Hatton for two years.

I got a transfer to Buddhist Girls' School, Dehiwala before joining the KDA," she smiles. Leaving a primary school teaching post to serve as a lecturer at a military institution was an extremely different experience and a challenge.

"It was a pleasant challenge with a lot of interesting work," she points out. Deepthi is also the President of the Geo-Informatics Society of Sri Lanka and a Council member of the Population Association of Sri Lanka. Deepthi, as a 'Defence teacher' believes that military training is something that the young males of all walks of society should undergo immediately after leaving school.

"I do not know how it would be applicable to a culture in a country like Sri Lanka. But, in Singapore and Malaysia, I have sighted it as compulsory duty for male school leavers.

The main objective of this is to train the civil society to face any emergency in the country. Otherwise it is only the military that goes forward and the others fall behind. I also think it can mould a well disciplined generation with great tolerance and be able to take up any hard work, efficiently and shoulder the task of our country's development very well," believes Deepthi.

"I'm a mother of a 14-year-old son. My husband is the main supportive soul behind me," she smiles. "I'm very good at sewing. I sewed my entire wedding outfit. I listen piano recitals and love to paint when I have a bit of leisure time. I'm very fond of house work.

It is part of my desire to follow a hotel management course, and if, fulfil that dream I feel that I have achieved most of my dreams", she concluded.