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I first set eyes on the larger than life character of Michael J. De Zoysa, sporting an imposing “afro mop” as a 16-year-old schoolboy, when he picked me up from my parents’ house on Castle Street to play cricket for the SSC in a Division III game. We hit it off from day one and thus began a 40-year long friendship – he was mentor, boss and spiritual guide in later years. I called him “Mike” as everyone at the SSC called him by that name. Ironically before that day ..... Read More
We are all of an age when the news of the sudden demise of contemporaries and friends should not come as a surprise. Read More
During the latter part of the colonial era, the emergence of the Low country tea sector was pioneered by the likes of the Ratnayakes’ and Budhadasas’ of Deniyaya, Wanigasekeras’ of Akuressa, Jayawickramas’ of Urubokka et al; in producing quality tea from their own estates and by purchasing green tea leaf from smallholder tea gardens. This was followed by the likes of Mr. Navaratne Pilapitiya (popularly and fondly known as Pila) of New Vithanakande, who took this initiative as the pioneers, to a higher level of excellence. Read More
In 1962 Vivian Blazé came to our house with his mother on a social visit. During the conversation Vivian mentioned to my Dad that his Company (STLC Ltd) was looking for a different type of recruit. I was at home when my father came into my room and asked me to come and meet Vivian. Vivian asked me whether I would like to be a tea planter. He had already been advised by my father that I had 3 GCE A Levels in Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Physics from ..... Read More
The Ceylon Planters’ Society was involved in the financing and influencing the establishment of the Tramways in Colombo. Read More
Manik Jayakumar was a storied rugby captain in his youth, a retired lieutenant colonel, regiment commander and a decorated combat veteran in his middle years; and he had managed several award-winning tea estates and helped pioneer organic tea farming in Sri Lanka by the time he was 50. Read More
Eustace Bryan Pereira passed away on 3 April 2019 at the age of 78, quite unexpectedly, but peacefully, with dignity and with no fuss in keeping with his gentle character and laconic lifestyle. Read More
To Julius Caesar in 1st century BC Rome, and to the Royal-Thomian tribesmen of today, the “Ides of March” presaged diametrically opposite outcomes. Read More
