Doctors abound in one family, while lawyers aplenty in another

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

Rita Fernando and Neranjani Ramadasa, two mothers who have some thing in common to be happy about is their children. Rita is proud as all her children turned out to be lawyers and Neranjani is proud because her children turned out as doctors.

Rita Fernando

Neranjani Ramadasa

In an era where parents 'push' their children to become 'so and so' as they want to mirror their dreams through their children, these two mothers never pushed their children to become the professionals they are today.

"I never asked my five daughters and son to take to Law. Studying law was their choice", Rita said they might have been influenced to take to law as their father was a lawyer.

Rita, who is a daughter of a doctor and married lawyer Aqainas Fernando in 1963, had to face the challenge of educating her six children single handedly after the unexpected death of her husband, a former Mayor of the Balangoda Municipal council, in 1990.

Thereafter, life was not rosy for Rita. "Though my husband never asked the children to do law, he wanted at least one of them to follow his footsteps. Our elder daughter Ayomi passed out as a lawyer and practised under my husband for a year.

The second and third daughters were in Law College when he died and he was very happy as they made his dream a reality", she said.

Rita who had to sell some of her properties which were inherited from her parents for her children's education. "They also knew the struggle that I had to raise them and especially as they knew about their father's dream they studied well", the mother who was a shadow behind the six lawyers produced from Balangoda said.

The story of six lawyers gets more unique as five of them got married to lawyers. Now this family has the 'largest contingent of lawyers' in Balangoda. "Ayomi married Banu Munipriya, a lawyer and Provincial Health, Indigenous Medicine and Women's Affairs Minister, the second daughter Anusha married Unofficial Magistrate of Hambantota, H.A. Amarasena, the fourth, Amani married to Unofficial Magistrate, T.M. Chandrasekara and her only son Amal is married to lawyer Ranjika. The sixth in the family is Lakmali and she is married to the Chilaw Mayor and lawyer Prasanna Fernando. My third daughter Anoma is the only one who is not married to a lawyer and he, Hemantha Kularatne is a senior officer at the State Timber Corporation", Rita was saying in one breath about her children.

Rita Fernando with her family

Rita Fernando commitment and sacrifice was rewarded recently by President Mahinda Rajapaksa

The family is a multi religious and has multi political affiliations, being Christians her children married Buddhists and represent the UPFA despite their father contesting from the UNP. "When we are together there is no difference and my children and in-laws take part in all the religious ceremonies and functions", she said adding that her main desire in life in her old-age is to see her grand children- nine grandsons and three granddaughters- having a good education. "I am happy as I am able to fulfil my husband's dream. I must thank my children for helping me to do that", her voice becomes emotional.

While Rita becomes the mother with the highest number of lawyers in the Sabaragamuwa province, 81-year-old Neranjani Ramadasa has the record of being the mother who produced the highest number of doctors in the province- all her four children are doctors.

Neranjani, who is a retired teacher of Malwala Maha Vidyalaya Ratnapura, said her four children from their childhood were studious. "I and my husband who was also a teacher did not push them for studies", she said recalling the four - a boy and three girls - were going to school with her, where she taught at the primary section of Malwala Maha Vidyalaya.After their primary studies they entered Ferguson Girls High school and St. Aloycious school in Ratnapura for their secondary education.

"My son Dr. Rahula Ramadasa is at the Ratnapura Hospital, my second daughter Dr. Sarangi is attached to the Blood Bank at the Ratnapura Hospital, my third daughter Dr. Kamani is serving at the Welisara hospital and the youngest in the family Dr. Udayangi is a Consultant Physician at Kahawatta Base Hospital", she said.

"My husband and I always taught our children human values while explaining to them what is right and wrong. We really showed them the path and let them walk that extra mile to achieve their own goals in life. We were able to teach the lesson of life not only to our children but thousands of other children who we taught in the schools where we were.

I know that many of them are also doing well. I am so proud", tears glistened in her eyes.

Rita and Neranjani's commitment and sacrifice were rewarded recently by President Mahinda Rajapaksa who named these extraordinary mothers as 'Abiman matha' at a ceremony held to felicitate mothers who produce three graduates or more.

"I was surprised and it's like a dream that I received an award from the President for my dedication for several decades", said Rita."

I still cannot believe that I was felicitated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. I have no words to explain my happiness", Neranjani couldn't hide her tears.