Thank you for leaving your handprint on my heart
“It isn’t often in our lives we come across someone so special who’d be a haunting memory lingering in our thoughts.
“Achchi” for me was a kind of a living monument of love and we can never forget that there is a part of her in each of us, something she so lovingly gave us and asked nothing for in return. Though we know that you are no more with us, the memories we shared with you will remain for as long as we live,” said Anishka, her beloved granddaughter paying tribute from the pulpit of Christ Church, Kotte.
What makes a great teacher? Teaching demands broad knowledge of subject matter, curriculum and standards, enthusiasm, a caring attitude, a love of learning, knowledge of discipline, classroom management techniques and a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people.
It’s hard to find great teachers like Irene Felicia Gunasekera, a former In-service Advisor (Master Teacher of English – Western Province) and English teacher at Thurstan College, Colombo.
Her father, late Samuel Alfred Perera was a famous photographer of his day in Diyatalawa. Her mother, late Sarah Lillian Wijesinghe, was a teacher of repute who hailed from the then famous Pagoda House in Nugegoda. Her sister, late Alfreda De Silva, was a wellknown writer.
She married P.S. Gunasekera, former principal of Thurstan College, Colombo. Her eldest daughter, late ‘Roshi’ as she was fondly known was an English teacher at Royal College, Colombo. Nirmali, Thilantha, Irusha and the writer are her other children.
A past President of the Inner Wheel Club of Maharagama, she served as English Instructor at the Ladies’ College Vocational Training Institute.
On completing her education at St. John’s Girls School (present Samudra Devi Balika Vidyalaya) in Nugegoda, she entered the Government Teachers Training College (present National Institute of Education) at Maharagama and graduated with a Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language.
Her first appointment was to St. John’s College, Nugegoda. She moulded futures. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, professionals, academics and educators while also moulding people who were passionate about what they did. She embodied the phrase “do it with a passion or don’t do it at all.”
The passion she exhibited for a subject many students (openly) disliked made it not only bearable but enjoyable. Many young people later remembered and showered their “beloved teacher” with love and appreciation. I remember an instance, where she showed me a photograph where former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had his right hand over her shoulder, as if showing his love and respect to her. The photograph was one of her treasured mementos.
She spent her twilight years surrounded by the love and care of her children, daughtersin-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren and a band of care-givers. We used to sit often by her bedside, help her have a generous bite of chocolate cake (one of her favourites) and chat for long hours. She passed away at the venerable age of 93.
Dear teacher, dearest “Amma” thank you for gracing our lives with your presence, thank you for the memories and thank you for leaving your handprint on my heart. Jai Sunthush Abeyewardene