Those unforgettable memories of visits to Radio Ceylon with Amma

Much has been written by Amma’s colleagues about her professional achievements as a top educational broadcaster for 35 years at both Radio Ceylon and Rupavahini. However, on her second death anniversary, I wish to highlight some pleasant childhood/teenage memories personally experienced by me.

When we were in Grade 2 at Ananda in 1966 some of us were members of the junior band and Amma arranged for the boys to visit Radio Ceylon. My good friend and classmate Muditha Dayaratna, recalls even after 50 years how Amma treated all boys with ‘ice palam’ at the Radio Ceylon canteen. Also I still recall during that visit how we were introduced to that great civil servant and Amma’s Peradeniya batchmate Neville Jayaweera who was Director General of Radio Ceylon-- an encounter recalled by uncle Neville when he called me from London to condole over Amma’s death.

It was Amma who took me to Radio Ceylon studios to see C.T. Fernando perform live in 1967 and also view a live recording of ‘Vinoda Samaya’ during which programme Anil Barathi sang his evergreen hit ‘Ma Adarei Nangi’ for the first time to radio audiences in 1973. Also one morning in 1974 walking along the famous SLBC corridor, we met Dr. Victor Ratnayake and K.D.K. Dharmawardhana and exchanged pleasantries and Victor invited our family for his next “SA” musical show to be performed that weekend at Navarangahala. During our A/L days, we were crazy about Hindi films and songs and when Hindi legends Mohamed Rafi, Mahendra Kapoor and Manna Dey visited Sri Lanka to sing at the Govt. May Day celebrations, Amma took me to get a glimpse of these great singers when they did unscheduled whistle stop visits to the SLBC/ITN studios at Torrington Square.

At Rupavahini she trained several young producers who went on to become high ranking TV personalities. Of them Hema Nalin Karunaratne (who passed away recently), Sudath Devapriya (Director of Ambayahaluwo) and Bertram Nihal (Director of Gamperaliya) come instantly to my mind and these gentlemen paid a glowing tribute to her during the special programme telecast by Rupavahini in her memory shortly after her demise.

A little known fact is that in 1976 when she was Controller Education Service - SLBC she was offered a long term consultancy assignment through the BBC to establish the Educational Channel at St. Kitts Island Radio in the West Indies. She was on the verge of leaving the country but at the last moment fate decided otherwise for reasons unknown to me. However, she told me subsequently that if she had left Sri Lanka at that time she would have lost the opportunity to be involved as a pioneering member of establishing TV in Sri Lanka in 1980.

I conclude this article with the words of Neville Jayaweera now living in retirement in London who wrote me a long letter during the last stages of Amma’s life. He wrote “please inform your Mum that she was the most efficient, dedicated, unassuming official of the highest integrity I came across during my long professional career in Sri Lanka and overseas”. Such a tribute from a person of the calibre of uncle Neville is overwhelming and speaks volume of her capabilities.

May she attain Nirvana!

Mangala Herat Gunaratne