Category Archives: education

March 22, 2025 · 12:43 am

Christina A. Bejan: Multi-Talented Authoress, Performative Artist, ….

A NOTE From the RHODES TRUST Secretariat, 24 March 2025

Cristina A. Bejan is a Romanian-American theatre artist, poet, and historian. A prolific playwright, Bejan has written nineteen plays, with productions in the United States, United Kingdom, Romania, and Vanuatu. Her hit play “Districtland” was bought for TV development, and Next Stage Press has released three of her scripts. She writes creatively in five languages and has published countless poems, plays, and poetry translations in literary journals and anthologies.

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March 21, 2025 · 4:45 pm

The THOMIA is Flying ….

A Note from Richard Simon, 21 March 2025

It’s taken longer than I expected – just like everything about this project has – but I’m happy to say the first batch of overseas orders was posted via Expedited Mail Service yesterday. We have to do them in batches for reasons of practical logistics: (a) there’s just Lionel the Cat Herder and me to carry these 3.3kg bubble-wrapped and manila-swathed bricks about, and (b) only so much room on the post office parcels desk to accommodate them; not to mention (c) other customers in the place staring daggers at us and our time-consuming transactions. But we got them off anyway, after sacrificing one to the nice lady behind the counter who wanted it opened so that she could see what was inside. Obviously that one did not go off yesterday, so my apologies to Mr T.A. of Castle Hill, NSW, whose nude and blue-bushing copy we brought back home for rewrapping. It will go off in the next batch, sir, I promise.

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March 20, 2025 · 6:57 pm

Pungent Rare Mushroom sprouts up in Galle Area

News Item in  Ceylon Today,  March 2025

A rare species of mushroom, which is considered one of the most unique in the world, has been discovered at a journalist’s residence in Hapugala, Galle, according to the Ceylon Journal of Science.

This mushroom species was first discovered in Malaysia, and later reported in Madagascar. Prior to this, it had been documented in Sri Lanka in 1919 at the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens among fungi. After a long gap, this species was reported again in Sri Lanka in 2023, with the discovery made at the home of a journalist couple, Sajeeva Wijeweera and Sirangika Lokukarawita, in Hapugala, Galle, following heavy rainfall.

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March 16, 2025 · 5:16 pm

An Epitaph for Charlie Ramanaden THEN, 13 March 1997

Dushy S. Perera

Jerry ‘Anna’ to his relations, Sir to his numerous subordinates and Charles to his friends, passed away suddenly whilst playing tennis (a sport close to his heart) partnering his son Pravin, at the Annual Darrawela Club Tennis Meet on 15th March, 1997.

He once told a friend that he would like to die playing tennis and also mentioned to me that he would like to see a Trogon (a rare endemic Ceylon bird) before he dies. It was only on the last Poya that Charles along with his good friend Doca drove into the Peak wilderness and had a glimpse of this endemic bird. So, in a sense, his wishes had been fulfilled.

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March 15, 2025 · 9:04 pm

In Memory of Mark Cooray, Sri Lankan Scholar & Patriot

Michael Roberts 

One of my batchmates at Peradeniya University when I entered in 1957 was Mark Cooray. He resided at Arunachalam Hall and not at Ramanathan Hall where I was. But both of us were churchgoers and attended the Anglican Chapel where Fr Lakshman Wickremasinghe led the flock in charismatic manner.

The various modes of Christian fellowship and the activities organised by the Student Christian Movement – both within Pera-Uni and in island wide conferences – brought Mark and me into frequent interaction. On occasions I even lodged at his parental residence in Kollupitiya [aka Colpetty] within Colombo during visits there for this or that [even though I had two sisters living in the city]. His mother was as sweet and supportive a figure one could ask for.

In brief, we were buddies – a friendship made all the stronger when he and Noreen Fernando fell in love and tied the nuptial know at some point. Noreen had been part of the Peradeniya SCM and was one of the sweetest women one could ask for.

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March 7, 2025 · 7:35 pm

Neyara Weerawansa as Prospective Tennis Star

 

Item in Daily Mirror in Sri Lanka, 6 March 2025, entitled “Neyara Weerawansa triumphs in Australia”

Rising Sri Lankan tennis star Neyara Weerawansa has made an impressive mark in Australia by clinching the RSY Club Championship title in the Women’s Category.

ave won my first tournament here in Australia. It was a great experience competing at the RSY Club Championship, and I look forward to more opportunities to challenge myself and grow as a player,” said Neyara after her victory.

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March 5, 2025 · 10:05 pm

The Royal-Thomian: A Message from Revd Marc Billimoria

A Message in Facebook from the Retd Warden, Fr. Marc Billimoria. early March 2026 

It is one year this week since I was part of organizing this spectacular sporting event – the blue ribbon and quintessential Big Match, the Battle of the Blues, the Royal-Thomian Cricket encounter, for the last time as Warden. The run up to the event and its aftermath, (particularly in the face of a loss) are equally or even more stressful for those in the ‘hot seats’ at both Mount Lavinia and Reid Avenue, the Warden and the Principal, due to so many ‘behind-the-scenes goings-on’ as well as the expectations of so many different individuals and groups, such as the unfair and unrealistic expectation that amateur schoolboy cricketers will play like professionals or the undue pressure on them to win at any or all cost.

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February 25, 2025 · 11:57 pm

Vale: In Appreciation of Dr. Sisira Jayasuriya, A Committed Scholar

Sarath Rajapatirana  & Premachandra Athukorala, whose appraisal is entitled “In Memoriam:   Sisira Jayasuriya, 1946-2025″

The distinguished economist Professor Sisira Kumara Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka-born and a scholar who spent much of his professional life in Australia, passed away on 18 February 2025, after a prolonged battle with cancer.  Sisira was a remarkable man: a highly respected economist whose intellectual contributions ranged far and wide; an influential public intellectual; a wonderful teacher, mentor, and institution-builder; and a deeply loved friend to many people across cultures and all over the world. Continue reading →

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February 25, 2025 · 5:38 pm

Rambanctious Middle-Class Ceylonese of Yesteryear

A NOTE from the THUPPAHIYAA, 25 February 2025

This email memo from a ‘middle class’ Sri Lankan born before World War Two and nurtured in an elite college whci addresses mates nourished in the same schools and planter/military circles is of considerable socio-political significance. Its implications are all the stronger because the “Letter” is An Epitaph for Richard Hermon, an Extraordinary and Rambanctious Sri Lankan of the Old School. 

 AN EMAIL MEMO from Retd Major Lalin Fernando to a  Circle of Ceylonese Pals, 23 February 2025

Dickie was in Alison, a bit junior to me. His cousins Duncan and Tyrone were there too Dickie played Rugby with me in the 2nd XV v SPC (1955) on their grounds when he was 14 or less. There were no age groups then. The Peterites average age would have been around 19. It included their Cricket captain Ken (20 yrs old) but not Russel Duckworth. Dont know if Lakshman Serasinghe too played. Our oldest would have been 16 or so. The first XV match was played before our match as the seniors wanted to watch the CR v CH match. It left us brats to the after the match mercies of the Bamba crowd!

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February 25, 2025 · 9:25 am

Some Biographical Items in TPS Visited Yesterday

Michael Roberts

The THUPPAHI Web-Site has a wide range of biographical tales presented over the years. The items listed below are among those that attracted a few hits yesterday. In marking this result, I seek to remind readers of personnel who have contibuted towards our island’s varied history.

https://thuppahis.com/2020/09/30/the-joseph-family-of-british-ceylon-service-to-mankind

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