I turned 75 yesterday.....

I turned 75 yesterday. We had dinner with a few friends and close relatives at our Battaramulla home. Some selected pictures from last night.

Immunisation: Experts urge concerted action to build on Lanka’s success story

Click on the following link. Then click on News. Read Sanath Lama's keynote address at the Vaccine Forum


Immunisation: Experts urge concerted action to build on Lanka’s success story

Creative Spot by Indra Anandasabapathy

An Amateur Horticulturist cum Photographer writes:

CURRY LEAF ( KARAPINCHA / KARUVEPELAI )

They were outdoors from late spring till a few days ago. They will remain here through the winter, till next spring. The solarium is kept at 55 degrees F at night, the temperature rising to 90 F often in the day from the sun's heat. So, artificial heat is required only at night on a really cold night (latter half of December, January, February, March) only. Why 55 degrees? The plants, mostly tropical, have over the years adapted to the lower temperature at night. Years ago, the curry leaf plants would shed their leaves by February. I thought they would not make it alive by spring. They did develop new leaves  by spring and they do not shed anymore. I had to get them used to the lower temperatures at night to keep the heating bill down. It is still an expensive hobby and needs work.The plants get watered well twice a week and manured/fertilized once a month. Pruning keeps the curry leaf plants at the current height of about 6 feet.In winter, the vents are all closed and the humidity causes condensation which is good for the orchids .

 The potted plants are indoors as the weather changes in fall

THE BIRD OF PARADISE IN BLOOM. ON ITS RIGHT, THE TEMPLE FLOWER TREE - CUT BACK TO RE ENTER THE SOLARIUM. IN THE FOREGROUND ARE THREE CURRY LEAF PLANTS - 6 foot tall . YOU SEE ONLY ONE IN THE PICTURE. THE ORCHIDS ARE ALL BACK IN EXCEPT FOR ONE - A CYMBIDIUM), WHICH NEEDS TO STAY OUT TILL THE TEMPERATURE DROPS FURTHER TO MAKE IT FLOWER.

ANOTHER TROPICAL PLANT - any   GUESSES?

HINT. GROWS IN THE HILL COUNTRY IN SRI LANKA. 

HERE IS A PICTURE IN BETTER  LIGHTING AS REQUESTED BY NIHAL

Why I think Ragging should be banned

By  Mahendra Gonsalkorale

I can distinctly recall the anxiety and fear I experienced as the first week of my life as a Medical student approached. I was just 18 years old and fearful of the big jump from A level student to Medical Student. But more than anything, I was worried about the indignities I may have to suffer in the name of Ragging.

Ragging was purported to be a welcome for the freshers organised by the seniors. It was meant to ‘educate’ them on what is expected from them in terms of behaviour and discipline as new entrants. Sadly, it was nothing of the kind and was a forum for sadistic inadequate students with untamed cruel streaks to impart humiliation and physical and mental discomfort in an organised way. Unfortunately, teachers and Administrators often turned a blind eye for reasons which are unclear to me. Some spoke of upholding tradition, and that is laudable if the traditions are worth upholding.

Ragging can vary from relatively minor teasing to more overt forms of unacceptable behaviour including the use of physical violence and sexual harassment.  Ragging has led to major psychological trauma and in extreme cases, even to suicide.

I did not and still cannot see even an iota of sense in allowing this sort of behaviour to continue. Some refer to it in glowing terms as a way of helping new entrants to become more mature and as a catalyst to forming lasting friendships between the raggers and the ragged. In some instances, it was a case of the seniors taking the Law into their own hands and meting out punishment to badly behaved juniors, as happened to our Batch after the infamous Castle Street invasion affair at the Law-Medical cricket match.

In a free society which upholds the principle of protection for all citizens, there is absolutely no justification for allowing ragging to take place. If a citizen behaved in this manner towards another in any other setting, he would be charged and punished.

Ragging is unjust, immoral, and inhuman and has no place in a civilised society and should be strictly banned and the ban strictly implemented.

I would be very interested to know the views of colleagues. Have your views changed or do you still hold the same view, for or against.

E-mail from Indra Ana

From Indra to ND, but others too can read and enjoy.

Nihal, since you have given much thought to LIFE as such  you may want to read this remarkable book.

ATHEIST MIND HUMANIST HEART
re writing the Ten Commandments for the twentyfirst century

by

LEX BAYER & JOHN FIGDOR

published by ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD

It is only 178 pages. Beautifully written & thought provoking. I have read it .

Nihal, Like you I have thought about death, something one does not dwell upon in one's youth. Like you, I arrived at the conclusion that once one has finished his/her responsibilities. what matters is the way we go.
Only two years ago, my wife's uncle-passed away suddenly in Sydney, falling in a car park walking back with his attorney friend, after a RUGBY TEST BETWEEN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND. THE MATCH WAS A DRAW. USUALLY AUSTRALIA TAKES A HIDING LIKE THEY DID AT THE WORLD CUP FINAL AT WEMBLY. The family was very upset naturally. I was saddened too as he was a wonderful man who had helped a lot of people in need  & a lot of fun to be with. But I then thought he could not have scripted a better exit from this life. That thought was part of my eulogy, at the well attended service.

"Cricket 'loverly' Cricket" and "Ball Games"

By Razaque Ahamat

Recently a lot has been written about this great Gentlemen's Game in our Blog. It appears to some that this game in Ceylon/ Sri Lanka (SL) is played only in Colombo & it is the epi-centre or the centre of the universe for this game in SL!!!. One forgets that by far the most number of Internationally recognized & renowned players from SL, the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vas & Muthiayah Mularatheran to name just a few, all have been nurtured and nursed in the cricketing nurseries of schools from 'out in the sticks'. Let us take our very own from our Golden Batch, Lareef Idroos & Cyril Ernest for instance, they are from the cricketing nurseries of Mt. Lavania and Meegomuwa (Negombo)!!!.

So, it is not all Colombo.

 

Now, my pedigree in cricket begins with our namesake A.C. Ahamat was the very first non-European Cricket Captain of the then Ceylon. My Dad, Hajirin Ahamat was the Captain of Wesley College, Colombo and went on to Captain the Combined Schools in the 20's. His brother M.S.Ahamat  played for Royal and was better known as Ruggerite and athlete. Was in the team that broke the Public Schools 110x4 relay record. One of the members of that team was Dr. H.S.R. Gunawardene, the former Director of Physical Education and more importantly father or our very own Dr. Karmini (Gunawardene) Ferdinando, presently in NZ. I had the privilege of meeting her at a Conference in NZ at a place called Whakatane (pronounced in Maori as "Fxxk-a-ta-naye"). At the end of the Conference I took her and her mates out to dinner and had a very pleasant  evening along with our 'regular' hosts Dr. Desmond Collins & his wife Dr.(Mrs.) Puvi Collins --- both from one of our junior batches.

 

As for my exploits in this great game--- I played at every level (Under 14, Under 16 & First Team) for my school as an opening batsman and wicket-keeper, donning gloves to protect my fingers / hand and also pads for my shins & upper thigh. In them days we did not have the benefit of helmets and arm protection. Also, most of all I had have protection for my 'bottom $' or shall I say my 'family jewels' almost all day in view of my position in the team. This brings me to the "Billion $ question of the of the Bottom $ / Family Jewels" in Ladies Cricket??. Do they too wear protection for that part of the anatomy as they, I believe do not have 'bottom & & nor family jewels'!! This has been a conundrum to me as I do not know the answer!  Can somebody please, ladies in particular,  enlighten me??.

 

Now as you all know Gentlemen & Ladies play all manner of ball games. In Cricket ladies are very good in the field as they can hold on to & catch the balls.  Also can really belt the ball just as in Field Hockey. In Football, boy oh boy, can't they kick the balls around?? All in all Ladies do play far more ball games than men -- poor men!!! Take for instance Netball..... not only are they good at catching the ball, they even put it through hoops!!!

 

I rest my case. 

(Note by the Blog Administrator: This article by Razaque was sent in a few days ago. I regret very much that I have not had the time to edit it. As I have quite a few contributions waiting in line, and since there was a spate of articles on sport lately, I have published the unedited article)

Indra and Navam

The following picture of Indra Anandasabapathy and Navam Chinniah had been taken at M. Satchithananthan's 
(former MSU President who was in our junior batch) 75th birthday party in Danbury, CT.