A pioneer in the Montessori movement

Chulanganee Fernando (nee Dias) passed away peacefully at the age of 93, at her home in Minnesota, US on October 3. A pioneer in Montessori teaching in Sri Lanka before leaving for the US, she received her training directly under Dr. Maria Montessori during the years of the 2nd World War and thereafter commenced teaching pre-school children at Panadura in a school established for her by her father Robert Dias. This school known as the ‘Montessori House of Children’ is more than 70 years old.

In the early1970’s Chulanganee opened a Montessori House of Children at her house in Edinburgh Crescent, Colombo 7.

When the Montessori training centre was established in the

1950’s, first at Good Shepherd’s Convent and later at St. Bridget’s, Chulanganee was one of the three pioneers who started the training centre.The others were Joyce Gunasekera, the doyen of the movement in Sri Lanka and Sister Eta, an Irish nun. She along with Ms Joyce Gunasekera was responsible in organising the training courses for the AMI guided by Mr. Joosten from the Netherlands. She lectured there for nearly 20 years until she left for the US.

In 1971 she left for the US and joined as the founding trainer at the Montessori training centre in St. Paul, Minnesota where she taught Child Psychology and Mathematics. She later became its Director and retired in 1998. She was later invited to be a trainer at the Montessori training centre at the College of St. Catherine’s.

Chulanganee was married to our uncle Mahadeva Fernando, who retired as Senior Deputy Governor of the Central Bank and later functioned as an advisor to the IMF. She is survived by her children Priyath, Lalana, Mangalika, Aruni and her sister Rukmal.

We, the nieces and nephews, to whom her home was open at all times, fondly remember her generosity with gratitude.

May she attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana. Lalith De Silva, Priyalal De Silva, Damayanthi and Shirani on behalf of the family