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| Sunday, 26 March 2006 |
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Winner all the way by Lakmal Welabada " 'Mao's last dancer' is the novel I am reading at the moment. It narrates about a girl who lived in China during Mao's era and who struggles hard with great expectations and succeeds in the end," says Achini Eranda Wijesinghe, a 17-year-old school girl photographer who has succeeded in almost everything she has aimed in life so far. Achini is another proud product of Devi Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo.
This stout, friendly and optimistic young woman's radiant personality manifests her all-round capabilities. Achini won first places in both the inter-schools and inner-school photography exhibition and competition titled 'Roo Chaaya' organised for the fourth time by Devi Balika, and held at the Wimala de Silva Memorial Hall at Devi Balika recently. Her exhibit competed with 302 photographs sent by 22 school photography clubs including schools from Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala and Galle. "I sent seven pictures. One of them won the first place and another won a merit award in both inter schools and inner school categories," she says. Although she grabbed all the prizes, Achini had joined the school photography club only two months ago. Photography has not been a new found experience for her. Firstly watching her mother working with a camera and later clicking it with a lot of enthusiasm, Achini had no fear in handling any type of 'little black boxes'. "My mother has done photography in Japan. So I learnt my first steps in photography from her," she says.
Today Achini is studying photography under professionals, Panduka Silva and Chandrasena Perera who do a great service in conducting free lessons for school photography enthusiasts. "I am very grateful to these two masters and to Mrs.Swarnalatha Liyanage, teacher-in-charge of the photography club. Mrs.D.A.Ramanayaka, assistant teacher-the Principal, Sandya Malalasekara and Nimanthi Karannagoda, President of the Devi Balika Photography club should also be thanked," says Achini who doesn't want to miss any of the names of those who have stretched an encouraging hand to her success. "We work hard. Our school photography club is a very active body. We even made many outstation trips," she recollects all the joyful moments the school photography club members have had while touring from Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, Colombo Cemetery and Viharamahadevi Park to Anuradhapura, Mathugama, Salgoda and Maligakanda clicking their cameras and flashing at every corner they thought would draw an artistic shot. Achini excelled in her O/Ls with nine A's. She thinks she has taken the right decision by switching from science subjects (after a few weeks of attending to science lessons) to Arts subjects for A/Ls. "I am very happy with Japanese, English literature and political science," she giggles. "I have been learning Japanese for the past three years. I started to learn it for fun at the National Youth Council, Maharagama. But today it has become really helpful," she says quite seriously. Achini has even got a scholarship from Japan (through the Foreign Ministry here) to participate in a two-week South Asian Students' on an invitation Programme held in Japan in September last year. Just after two months of returning from Japan she was selected to take part at the International Cultural Olympiad for World Peace conducted by the City Montessori of School in Lucknow last December. "Sixty students took part from Devi. We were selected in cultural categories like dancing, drama and music. I got selected for drama. And my younger sister, a student of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo was selected for dancing. So we, both could go for that. It was a three-week programme promoted on the internet for students. Our principal who came to know about it arranged everything, and a few of our teachers also proceeded with us to India. We had to spend for our air fare, but it was really memorable," she recalls. While tapping on the desk Achini began to murmur a 'Vannama' (dancing rhyme). She learns Kandyan and Bharatha dancing under her mother Dhammika Panditha, a dancing project officer at the National Institute of Education (NIE). Achini has done vocal training under musician Premadasa Mudunkotuwa for a few years. She has excelled in playing all kinds of drums affiliated to eastern dancing like 'Thammattama', 'Getabera' and 'Dawula'. "Dancing gives a child a lot of physical fitness and physical disciplinary. And being a girl guide gives one a lot of mind discipline" says Achini who is a First Class Girl Guide as well. "I like playing net ball, but I haven't had much time to attend to sports," she smiles. Achini is the Deputy House Captain of 'Maithree' House and also a Senior School Prefect. She is the Deputy leader of the Eastern band and President of the school Japanese Club. Question: "Tell us something that you haven't done" Achini: "Oh! So many things. But I like to try out things, and if I feel interested I would continue it. However, I always get the advice of my parents and elders' Question: "Well, you seem to be an obedient girl" Achini: "We've got that training from our home, school and 'Daham Pasala' (Sunday School)." Question: "You are a School Prefect and involved in many extra curricular activities. How do you find time to do all that simultaneously? Do you think it's neccessary to attend a Sunday School even at the A/L classes?" Achini: "Well, our school is very much into Japanese 5 Seiries (5S). And we learnt the basic 'time management' from Sunday School. So I have been into it right through out, and managed to attend to a lot of extra activities while succeeding academically as well. Also I think it's a must to attend to learn one's religion. It provides you lot of discipline. Now I am studying for 'Dharmacharya', the final exam." Achini loves to read any good book that comes her way. "Especially Japanese, English literature and world famous books that have been translated into Sinhala," she says. Composing poems in all three languages and writing short stories are also part of her pastimes. She has even won many awards for her writings in school and national level. Achini stresses 'Oomph' should state that her father, Mahinda Wijesinghe who works as the School Admin Director of Homagama, her mother, her two grand mothers and grand father have meant a lot for her. "I am very grateful to them. My grand father almost adopted me. He even still pays my class fees and encouraging me a lot," she smiles. Achini's goal is to climb right to the top.
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