Grit and hard work pays, says Thilangani Warakagoda

By Lakmal Welabada

Wing Commander Rasika Warakagoda with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Investment Promotions Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and Senior Minister for Rural Development Athauda Seneviratne at the Helitours stall during the Tourism Exhibition at the BMICH.

Wing Commander Rasika Warakagoda with her team at the Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport.

Wing Commander Thilangani Warakagoda undergoes training for a special mission

The Madan tree in front of the Anuradhapura police quarters stood out among the others in the area due to its huge girth and that no one could climb on to it. One ‘Tom boy’ knowing that she couldn’t climb it in the usual way tried it by hanging on a drooping branch. “Of course, I did it. Not even the boys in the area dared to do so. But I made it. I was the Tom boy of the house, family and the area,” Thilangani recalled her mischievous childhood experience. “But I had to seek my IP father’s help to get down from the tree,” she said with her usual hearty smile. She never failed to take up challenges.

Wing Commander Rasika Thilangani Warakagoda is the first woman who has reached the senior rank of the Women’s Wing in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). “We were the Second Intake of the female cadets recruited in 1994,” she said. Thilangani is the In-Charge-Officer of the Scheduled Flights of the Helitours and also the Manager of the Rugby Women’s National Team of Sri Lanka.

“I sometimes think of my parents who always encouraged me to face challenges. “Don’t” and “Can’t” were never in their vocabulary. It was my father who came with a piece of newspaper carrying an advertisement for SLAF Women Cadets, and asked me to apply for it”, she said.

In 1994, Thilangani, a young woman was following a course for Higher National Diploma in Accountancy at the Technical College, Kandy. Yearning to join a bank. “I sat for the G.C.E. A/L examination in Commerce stream and was short of 10 marks to go to university. However, my dream was to become a private banker, and was not at all interested in joining the Forces”, she said. “But my father knowing my capabilities asked me to apply for it. It was the height of the North-East war and my only brother was already in the Sri Lanka Army”, she said.

Thilangani born in her paternal hometown, Kandy grew up in Anuradhapura where her father, Alfred Warakagoda, Chief Inspector of Police was serving. “My mother, Rani Lalitha was from Matale and was a housewife. My brother, Chamath Nishantha, the eldest in the family, is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Signal Division of the Sri Lanka Army. My elder sister, Nilanthi is a teacher and younger sister too joined the SLAF and retired recently as the Squadron Leader,” Thilangani said.

The three girls had their primary education at Swarnapali Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura and later joined the Central College, Anuradhapura to pursue GCE (A/L) studies. Thilangani, a prefect at both schools was elevated as the House Captain in the Mahinda House. She took part in every sport at school, district level and national levels. Table Tennis, Netball, Badminton and Athletics were her favourites.

“Climbing trees, hanging on to tree branches and cycling were her other pursuits. “I was the Tom boy. The whole Anuradhapura town knew me. None could beat me in the bicycle races. Teachers were very fond of me as I never neglected my studies. Once we took part in a Prefect Day at Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo. We really had a good time seeing the Colombo city and meeting the Colombo students. While we were returning, talking about the memorable time we had in Colombo, the train derailed at Bemmulla and the locomotive we were in, detached from the rest and started rolling down the slopy hill. I closed my eyes tightly and was prepared to die. But only one teacher was injured and the rest of us were lucky to escape with minor cuts. That was how our ‘memorable’ visit to Colombo ended up, recalled Thilangani.

Her parents who had great faith in her knew her capabilities in taking up any challenge or shouldering any responsibility. This was one of the secrets that propelled her to such an eminent position she holds today.

Thilangani was among the lucky thirteen girls to be in the second intake of the SLAF women cadets. After completing three-month combat training at Diyatalawa, she had an on the job training at the Logistic branch in the SLAF Base, Anuradhapura. She was commissioned as the Pilot Officer in July, 1996. “I’ll complete 19 years in my career by December this year,” says Thilangani recalling the dreadful experiences the cadets had during the war.

“The dead and casualties were brought to the Anuradhapura SLAF camp from the battle areas. We saw these dead bodies and wounded soldiers who were holding their last breath with tremendous courage. Pieces and flesh of human bodies were all over the board of the aircraft and we had to clean them by picking up and flushing the water. I still remember how some young soldiers died while they were being taken on stretches to the Anuradhapura Base Hospital. I hope our future generation will never face such a terrible experience we had yesteryear with the barbarous terrorism. The nation should salute President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Commanders of the three Forces and the Police for ending the war.

After serving at Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Colombo and Kotalawala Defence University at Ratmalana, Thilangani is now the Sales Manager of Scheduled flights at the Helitours. “Helitours was the concept of previous Commander of the SLAF , Air Marshal Roshan Gunathilaka to help the public to travel internally,” she said.

The present SLAF Commander Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama heads the Helitours since 2011. He has reduced the fares and increased the destinations. Under his guidance, the Helitours has become the cheapest ticketing agent in Sri Lanka. We have reduced both the commission we get and the rates of the internal and international fares of flight ticketing. Our aim is to render a service more than a business,” she said. Chief of Staff of the SLAF Air Vice Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke is the Chief Executive and the Director Operations, Air Vice Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala is the Managing Director and Manager of the Helitours. Flight Lieutenant Lakshitha Kolombage handled the Charter Flights of the Helitours. “We hope to organise outbound tours to Dambadiva (India and Nepal), Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Maldives from early next year at cheaper rates. We would also extend our service to Japan, China, Australia, USA, Europe and other countries in the future,” she said.

As Manager of the Rugby Women’s National Team, Thilangani has suggested that women rugby should be popularised among athletes and other sports enthusiasts. School goers and school leavers in the age limit of 18-30 years could become women ruggerrites.

After completing training and practice, they’ll be attached to one of the three Forces - Army, Navy or Air Force and provided with on-the job-training opportunity as well. Apart from that they’ll get the chance to take part in foreign tournaments. “Women’s rugby in Sri Lanka was launched with the dawn of the new Millennium- and the country should be happy about its present rank in the world’s women’s rugby,’ she said. “We’ll leave for India to play against the Pune Women’s Rugby team on November 8 and 9. There are about twenty women ruggerrites in the national pool at present, and our team holds the fifth place in the Asian region,” she said.

Thilangani said that the young women who wish to be women ruggerrites should apply to the Rugby Union, BMICH, Colombo 7. “They’ll be put on to a selection board and then given the training at the CH grounds of the Colombo Cricket Club at Torrington Square and Havelock grounds in Colombo,” she said.

Along with her lengthy discussion with the Sunday Observer, Thilangani, the first SLAF woman Wing Commander spared a few minutes now and then to share a word with her son, Kishara Vibath Mayurawasala through her mobile phone. “He’s 13 years and in Grade-9 at the D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo. My aim is to make my son, a lover of humanity leading a virtuous life,” she said.

“Both my beloved parents are dead now. As the Sri Lanka Air Force has provided me the parental care and shelter since I joined, I rarely feel their loss. I salute the Commander and my superiors in the SLAF and colleagues who stood by me in good times and in bad,” she said. The time management is an excellent skill which one could see in her.

“I follow a Diploma course at the International Air Transport Association which is relevant to my work at Helitours. I start my day at least at 3.00am as I have less time to study. Then I cook and drop my son to school. However, I never omit the Gym and jogging from my list of things to do as I’m very much concerned about my fitness,” she said. “I will serve the Air Force as long as possible and after I retire I will work as a counsellor for needy women to empower them to face life with courage. My message to the society is to empower the girl child in every sense and let her stand with her feet,” Thilangani said.