“It’s difficult to hold back tears”: Tribute to Athula Jayasekera

By Varuna Ratnaweera 

Athula Jayasekera

To call Athula Jayasekera just a good friend would be a gross understatement. I have known him for more than 30 years and the link we forged was something that was truly a bond beyond a friendship. He was a sincere friend, a motivator, an adviser, a brother, a counsellor, a partner and many more, all rolled into one. As a college mate, Athula shone as a cadet during our days at Nalanda and was a member of the Cadet platoon that won the coveted Herman Loos Trophy, the all-island championship award for cadets that our alma mater won after a lapse of 39 years. However, my real close association with him was after I became a member of our junior old boys’ association (Junior OBA).

As Secretary of the Junior OBA when Athula was at its helm as President, I was fortunate to work with him on several pioneering efforts for Nalanda, the Teachers’ Felicitation and the Medical Camp for past teachers initiated in 1997 which is being continued annually to date, a Dinner Dance which we called Silver Blaze, a Members’ Directory called Silver Honours, erecting a War heroes’ memorial at Nalanda, broadcasting live updates on the Ananda Nalanda One Day match in 1997 when technology for such initiatives were barely accessible. Athula joined the Management Club, a unique club formed in year 2002 for networking and development of professional managers, and his leadership qualities instantly came to the fore as he was appointed as the first Chairman of TMC Colombo. He was later bestowed with the position of Presidency of TMC’s Board of Management too. Athula’s leadership skills and enthusiasm for new initiatives paved the way for many new attractions for TMC’s members as well as the Management community through projects such as TMC Wisdom Quiz, The Way forward lecture series, TMC’s Read a Book evenings etc. Through all such projects Athula always demonstrated his knack for good leadership by engaging the right members to suit the needs of the project and allowing them to work independently, providing them the guidance while drawing from the experiences of senior members, whichever the organisation was.

He always believed that we as human beings should respect each other irrespective of race, religion and position and that any person could be groomed and guided for great achievements as long as they are disciplined, dedicated to the task and have the passion to succeed. Since the time of his untimely demise, several stories have surfaced from those who had been recognised by Athula, for some untapped talent in them and been guided and found opportunities to shine. There are many who have later become very successful in their own fields just because Athula had, convinced and inspired them in the initial days of their careers.

He was a true leader who always cared for his team members and would allow anyone who was having a personal difficulty to get over same while covering up for that person by allocating the task to the rest of the team.

I have collaborated with Athula on several projects and was impressed by his meticulous planning, which included well-structured task lists and clear timelines. He was also a prolific writer, sharing his insights on a wide range of topics for the benefit of others.

The most recent project we completed was the launch of the autobiography of our mentor, cricket coach and cadet master Nelson Mendis and it was Athula’s leadership and guidance that helped to conclude it with a grand function at the Nalanda College Malalasekera Hall, just two weeks before his untimely demise. Mendis’s story “Disciplining Many” is exactly what Athula believed should be the guiding factors for future generations and it is ironic that this was his last venture. There have been so many lives Athula had touched with his caring, friendly and helpful ways and his loss will be greatly felt not only by his loving wife and family members but also by numerous others who have been fortunate to have been touched by his kindness. It has been a rude shock to face the sudden loss of Athula, my dearest friend for over 30 years, who has always been a pillar of strength to me, whose absence will be hard to comprehend.

May he attain the bliss of Nirvana sooner than later.