Channa Gooneratne

Royal College group of '81 grieve over the untimely demise of our dear friend Channa Gooneratne. Channa was truly an individual with a big heart.

Gampaha was his hometown. Inspired by his father Channa became an atttorney-at-law. His beloved mother as we recollect owned a Montessori.

Channa and his wife Ruki made sure their son Shenuka studied at the Royal College. Shenuka learnt of books and men and learnt to play the game well. Shenuka who was an exceptional swimmer while in school is now studying Medicine abroad.

Channa was a soulmate to many of his friends. His exceptional qualities and sense of humour made his friends in College to be emotionally involved with him. He was like a brother to all of us.

The words he spoke from his heart and there were no hidden motives behind them. He respected people and was a jovial fellow.

In school, Channa would illustrate modern cars during the free periods while I drew portraits. Those memories still linger in my mind.

Channa leaves his elder sister,

Ruki and only son Shenuka.

May he attain Nibbana

Channa Bandara Wijekoon

Royal College Group of '81

(On behalf of Channa Gooneratne's batch mates in school and our Alma Mater)

Professor Uditha Liyanage

It was a fine day in April, a decade ago, when I was to have a special and rare encounter with a fine gentleman at 'Vision' (which was ground for scores of visionary thinkers) at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM).

The concept of marketing was the topic of the day. I made a part of the audience, the first batch of MBAs in Human Resource Management of PIM. Drawing from Naama Roopa(the mind and body - as in Buddhist philosophy) this great teacher waxed eloquent to take the audience from the known to the unknown on the all so important psychological aspects of marketing, followed by the mental files, the 4Ps, 7Ps, the positioning and the branding, I vividly recall responding to a string of questions at one of these lectures, when I lost my train of thought and decided to withdraw. Very firmly, but affectionately, came the advise "Never abandon your thoughts and ideas." It was yet another striking advise I have had from a great teacher and fine gentleman - the late Professor Uditha Liyanage I was fortunate to have met. He was a man for concepts, strategies and models.

Writing this has not been an easy one. The date 10 November 2015 counts three months since Prof. Liyanage's untimely demise, which gave me good reason to record my experiences as a tribute, with this memorable human being.

I am yet to meet a teacher who carries nearly nothing physical to a lecture.He was so thorough. As he always preached "Be brilliant in your basics," he knew his basics, brilliantly. The audiences were mesmerised by this amazing style of delivery, knowledge and depth. A classy act indeed!

His influential teaching produced scores of successful and highly placed practitioners. He strongly advocated 'Be an MBA' concept, which delivered knowledge to practicalise learning. inspired his multifaceted audiences and students.

I am saddened when this great teacher is often called a 'marketer'. True he earned the name 'Marketing Guru of Sri Lanka'. To me, he was an all-rounder who taught management, leadership, professional communication, human and resource management. Moreover, an unsurpassed think tank of our times. He was unofficially a coach for life.

Felicitation

In 2011, when Prof. Liyanage was conferred 'Professor of Management' by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, the PIM Alumni organised a felicitation. It also coincided with the university extending his appointment as Director PIM for a further three years. With all the attention on him at the event, for the first time I noticed him blush. Such were his qualities. Humble and simple to the core. He kept pushing the event to the backburner as the organisers from the alumni tried several times to convince him. He finally succumbed to their pressure.

The speech he delivered that day was of a different kind. He reflected on his colourful and exemplary journey from a corporate executive to an academic leader, thanking several people who helped him along. He said how hard it was to compile his writings to apply for the professorship that the university was after!'This was my calling in life" he said referring to his teaching and academic administration work, which followed a highly successfully corporate career he ended in 1993 to join PIM as a Senior Lecturer. He redefined the 4Ps in an authentic approach as Purpose - sensing your calling and recognising what you want to be, Passion - the drive to do what you want to do, knowing that sacrifices have to be made, Process - knowing what you have to do, and Progress - evaluating your actions.

Writing competence

His writing competence I know for sure was in his genes and in his name 'Liyanage' (house of writing) too, as I often joked with him. His daughter Chaturi should have inherited his eloquence in speech and writing (the name Chaturi means speaker).

When Prof. Liyanage was first appointed director and chairman - Board of Management of PIM in 2007, two positions that befitted him; he said he had to fill 'big shoes' as he took over the reigns from his teacher. After two terms at the helm, the 'shoes 'he has left behind are even bigger to fill. He maintained a high standard and was endowed with delivering results with utmost passion.

During his tenure at the helm of PIM, he increased student intake, corporate training and consultancy programs, income, established PIM's research arm, introduced new infrastructure, restructured and reorganised PIM Alumni, launched the 'Professional Manager' magazine and many other things.

I felt humbled when he invited me to co-teach for a top corporate at a leadership development workshop at PIM in July 2014. I had no idea that it was going to be my first and last with him.

When I ran into him a few minutes before the commencement of the workshop with butterflies in my stomach, he reassured me. That workshop was special in more ways than one. There were several of my former supervisors from my first job, and here I had to teach with a larger-than-life persona, and my teacher!

It was a privilege to meet his wife Sriyani and daughter Chaturi and their extended families. No wonder Prof. Liyanage had perfected a great balance in life that he believed in - 'work, learn, play'.

Sriyani told me how spiritually inclined he was. No surprise as his life bore testimony.

Unfortunately, his life was snatched away prematurely at such a young age when there were so many who could have gained from this extraordinary teacher and human being.

Prof. Liyanage's influence changed my professional life. He was my mentor and advisor, encouraging me to 'keep going'. I can't thank you enough Sir.

I will continue my work, through which I will attempt to do justice to you. My appeal to his students and to Chaturi is to take his teachings forward. You will make his legacy last.

You area lifelong resident in my life. I can't thank you enough Sir.

May your journey through samsara be short until you reach the supreme bliss of nirvana!

-Deepanie Perera

Hameed Abdul Kareem

O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well- acquainted with all that ye do.Verse 135 of Surah Al Nisa (The Women) of the Noble Qur'an.

Hameed Abdul Kareem that we knew is someone who lived by this command. Hameed was a man of principles who spent his time, mind and energy on the path of justice and care for other human beings.

His heart would warm, his mind would cogitate and his body would haste to act, whenever and wherever he saw people suffer injustice or oppression. His constant words for those who were suffering, against the perpetrators, spoke of his relentless determination to get the message across, to be a voice for the voiceless.

Hameed was a longstanding friend, who was a livewire at the Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine. He identified himself with the struggle of the Palestinian people, who have lost their loved ones, their lands, their livelihoods and their country but never lost their dignity or resolve. Hameed never missed a meeting, as long as he was in Sri Lanka, or never missed a commitment.

His concern and energy were contagious, able to awaken good souls to empathize and act.

Prophet Muhammed said, "The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind."

Indeed, we felt he was among the best of us, while he was with us.

May Allah, with His Grace, make him among the best in the hereafter, and grant him the highest level of paradise.

- Imthiaz Bakeer Markar