Love and business well matched

Sreeni talks about life with eminent businessman Jayantha Dharmadasa:

"He would watch TV while munching a snack, answering the mobile and giving interviews over the phone and scan through the pages of a newspaper simultaneously. I don't know how he does all that at once," smiles Sreeni Jayasekara Dharmadasa, wife of Jayantha Dharmadasa, a renowned businessman in Sri Lanka.

"He is well-focused and target oriented, and doesn't waste a second in vain," she continues. May be true! His very first target was launched when he was a teen at the age of seventeen; that was to win his love, Sreeni.

"The two of us came from business families, were well-connected and family friends. We attended the same business functions and were socially matched too. Among all, religious functions were given priority.

He and I had been meeting each other since we were little children. But the day he really showed interest in me was when we attended a Bana sermon (Buddhist preaching) held at the Maha Bodhi Society Temple at Maligawatta. It was in 1967. I was just 13 years old and he was 17," she blushes.

"I knew it was not the age to start a love affair. And unlike today, getting involved in a love affair was considered misbehaviour. But it just happened," she smiles.

Sreeni was the eldest daughter of three brothers and two sisters of H.R. Jayasekara and Soma Jayasekara.

Wholesale vegetables was the Jayasekara family's business. "I was studying at Visakha Vidyalaya. The day following the event at the temple, I received a phone call Jayantha.

Fortunately, I who used to answer the telephone all the time and from that day onwards he kept on calling me. It was easy for him to talk to me at the functions. Only my paternal grand mother knew I was getting telephone calls as she was with us all the time when my parents were away.

She was very fond of me, so she never uttered a word about it to my parents," she says. "Jayantha used to call me frequently accept for the days on which there were cricket matches on the air. He hasn't changed. He is still engrossed with 'cricket', she laughs.

Question: Did you discuss about your teen-romance with your friends?

Sreeni: I told you about it. With one or two close friends, and that was all. I'm not much of a talker.

So I rarely reveal anything to anybody she smiles. Later, when my parents got to know about it they were a bit mad with me, but eventually accepted it as Jayantha's family was well connected and known to ours. But they asked me to wait for a few years as they felt we were too young to be in love.

So we were very careful. However, most of the communication was over the phone and when we attended functions we had to remain unmoved and pretend that there was nothing going on between the two of us.

After sitting for the O/L exam, Sreeni tied the knot with Jayantha on May 22, 1972. Jayantha Dharmadasa was born to a popular businessman, H.K. Dharmadasa alias Nawaloka Mudalali and Meelin Dharmadasa on November 7, 1948, the fourth in his family of four sisters and a brother.

Though he didn't perform excellently in any particular sport, Jayantha played cricket and rugby while at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia.

After doing A/Ls in the Science stream, Jayantha immediately stepped into business. The best university education he got was under his father, learning to manage every section of the Nawaloka group.

He started off as an ordinary clerk and was then promoted to the post of cashier, once a mechanic as well as a supervisor of the labour pool. Jayantha was not given the executive desk at the outset, but was put to the field to learn the work.

"It was a great training one could ever get as I learnt everything and enhanced my knowledge as a businessman from the lowest level right to the level of Managing Director. That training gave me a lot of endurance in business," butts in Jayantha who spent a few minutes with us before heading back for office.

"Even my two sons followed the same. After completing their school education, Harshith and Givantha were thinking of going for higher education abroad. I okayed it, but asked them to work with me in the business for three months before setting off.

And after the third month, they themselves decided that the best education was not abroad and not in the desire to wear the academical cloak, but in the field of business.

'Whatever learnt at university level would be all theoretical. For practical knowledge one would necessarily have to step into the field some day. So, they thought why waste time for three-four years and since then, they have been in the business," says Jayantha.

"I too didn't want them to go away," says Sreeni. "My children are closer to me than to the father. Not that Jayantha is too strict with them, but that is how it has been since they were very young. Even now, (not for business matters) they go through me when they want to get something personal done from 'Thatha'. Even Jayantha is still like that when it comes to his father," she says.

Question: Other than that what are the special qualities you see in him?

Sreeni: Neatness is his god. Also he is an extreme punctualist. As I told you earlier he can attend to many things simultaneously. I'm generally slow and always end up getting pulled up by him.

If he says 7 O'clock, it's 7. He doesn't believe in excuses. Before getting married I did piano music and sewing. But, after marriage I have had to put a stop to all that. When Jayantha is at home I have to be around.

If I'm not he would snarl saying, 'In vain I came home this early. I should have stayed in office a few more hours'... So I've decided to sacrifice everything for his happiness, she smiles. He is a food lover.

Cooking has become my pastime now. He relishes whatever I make and it has to be varied. He loves variety. So attending food demonstration has been the only pastime I have been involved in for the past few years. Jayantha is a great teaser.

Unlike me, he talks a lot and has a good sense of humour. In my case, my parents sent me to the Montessori at a very early age thinking I would start talking. I was not a talker but all my friends and close associates were very talkative.

I don't know why, all of them talk non stop, though I don't. (People love to talk especially when they have somebody to listen. No wonder Sreeni has a talkative hubby and friends.

"A good listener has more friends and less trouble."

Question: Your children?

Sreeni: I'm very proud of them and really happy too. Both my sons are married. The youngest, my daughter Givanthi is also in business now. My children have been very different from other children.

When they were small too they were very good and obedient, they were never troublesome. Even Jayantha had only to voice his opinion once and they would listen to him. If they disapproved they would say 'no', but they have never argued.

Jayantha Dharmadasa is the Managing Director of Nawaloka Group of Companies and Polysacks Ltd in Sharjah, Deputy Chairman of Nawaloka Hospitals (Pvt) Ltd and Nawaloka Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, Chairman of Nawaloka (Pvt) Ltd, Ashford International and Nawatex Ltd.

Apart from them he chairs three associations; the Sri Lanka Cricket, President Asian Cricket Council, the Cinesta Foundation for film artistes and the OSCA (Outstanding Song Creators' Association), a high-powered profile.

Question: He is a man of many matches. How does he manage all that?

Sreeni: He is capable, great and marvellous! Sometimes I would not remember what happened in the previous week's teledrama, but he does. He would relate the whole story despite all his work. (Genius!).... He would not miss a single match on TV nor the first day of the newest film. He is always on the move. I hardly see him relaxing. No, no, he never relaxes. He is always busy doing something.

Question: How would you deal with rumours concerning your husband?

Sreeni: I would ask him, and I have done so, she smiles. 'Don't be bothered', would be his only answer'. He never discusses official matters with me. In other words he does not bring office issues home.

He helps outsiders very much (even more than to his children), and is very sensitive to the needs and reactions of outsiders. This I would consider a big weak point in him.

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