A giant will-power

by Marina Herath

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Happily married, Dharshini Nanayakkara, a mother of four and a half year old son with her loving husband who has encouraged her on several issues lives in Dehiwala. Though, Dharshini is a person of short stature her will power is more than that of a giant.

The owner of a Garment Factory which was opened recently with twenty staff members and share holder of several hotels in Dehiwala, her thoughts and views have made her successful in her life and made her wants to help other people of short stature in our country.

Here is how she related her story from her childhood to the present. I know my farther went through many difficulties finding me a school. When he failed to get me admitted to a government school because of my physique he finally found me a place at the Bishop’s Collage in 1975.

My farther died while I was doing my O/L’s. After my A/L’s I got myself the AAT Diploma. Then I worked for an Audit firm. Along with my late farther Prema Nanayakkara’s blessings I reached the top in my carrier.Her loving husband Athula Ratnaweera from Thissamaharama says, ‘I met Dharshini while I was working at Peacock Beach Hotel-Hambantota, she came with her friends, she too was involved in the hotel industry. On so many occasions we talked about tourism.

Friendship turned in to love within a year in 1998 and the wedding bells rang for us in 1999. Now its nine long but lovely years. My son Sachith keeps us occupied. He loves music and sports. Before he goes to bed he wants everybody at home to sing songs with him.

Darshini aims to build a society for people of short stature in Sri Lanka. Those who need help can be a member of the organisation called “Lesser Height Citizens”. Her brother who is domiciled in Switzerland and some Swedish organisation too have agreed to financially organise the project along with the assistance of the government. She has sent letters regarding this issue to the First Lady Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapaksa seeking her assistance.

All her worries are centered around her son, she said “I do not want my son and the new generation of short stature people to under go I went through and the way my father suffered. The main task is to face the public independently. I want my son to study in a leading government school. I do not want others to look at him in a different way; I expect others to treat him in the same way they treat normal children.

Bad experience

Dharshini related about some of the bad experiences that made her want to come up with this association. I have seen many people look at these people with short stature as if they are from another planet. “One day she went with her son to see the doctor, another short stature child with the parents (normal) had a chat with her and said that they wanted to leave the country because of the way society treats her child. I briefed them about my own situation and they decided to stay back. That was only one victim but still there are many more, who needs help.

Public service

In most banks the counters are high, even a normal short person can’t reach the counters. The public should help people like us by helping us to realise all are human beings whether they are short or tall. In European countries there are vehicles for special people with special driving licenses I was happy to see an owner of a garment factory, who has created a machine for female short stature people.

Dharshini’s mother tells me that her daughter has been very lucky from the time she was born. My husband’s business improved in many ways, after her birth. We gained a lot of wealth.

We are glad to have a dynamic daughter like her. I am happy her husband looks after her. She is a gift from god.

Down to earth Dharshini willingly wants to help others like her. She can be contacted on 0777 652561.