Appreciation – Pratapkumar de Silva

Today, I celebrate the life of my stepdad, Pratapkumar de Silva (‘Uncle Kumar’ as he is fondly called by me and my four brothers). Uncle Kumar was called to rest on 23 May by his maker.

“Why celebrate?” one might ask. Because that’s what he would have expected family and friends to do, being the lively person that he was, be it in his professional and private life.  At work, as former Chairman and Managing Director of Alliance Finance Co. Plc, he is known to have been a strict disciplinarian but generous to a fault. Many are the employees who have returned and thanked him for the opportunities given and the training they received under his mentoring. In addition, he was a member of many Associations (Finance Houses Association), Boards (HNB Assurance) and Bureaus (CRIB).  Up until recently, he held the post of Honorary Consul-General of Peru. He was also a friend of Cuba and worked closely with the first Cuban Medical Brigade that provided health services to the people of Sri Lanka for two years from 1987 and hosted the doctors to an evening of music and dance at ‘Tranquil’, his home in Polgasowita.

In his private life at Tranquil, his paradise, Uncle Kumar was most comfortable, tending to his bonsai plants, or being in his workshop maintaining his collection of clocks, pocket watches and antiques or in the garage instructing technicians on the maintenance of his vintage cars. I am told that he had been quite a racing car driver during his heyday (in the 1960s)! Uncle Kumar had also been a member of the Yatch Club.

I remember, when Uncle Kumar first bought the first block of the property in Polgasowita along with mum in 1979, it was not in the state that it is in now. Much love and care by the entire family, including Uncle Kumar, Mum, Basil, Krushenka, Ravi, Romani, Sanka, Mario and me, went into landscaping the garden.  Many were the visits we made to Badurueliya to pick and bring truckloads of river stones and ferns and trees to beautify the garden, in addition to the trees which were already there. The garden is a veritable goldmine in terms of the fruit trees and indigenous medicinal plants planted by the previous owner of the property, who had been a ‘Veda Mahattaya’ (Ayurvedic doctor).  As for the house, whilst retaining the old world charm, it was restored to its former glory with a few trappings of luxury added in. Uncle Kumar also built a chapel dedicated to St. Jude, on a man-made island in the compound (possibly the smallest chapel in the world). For Uncle Kumar, any event would be cause for celebration – birthday, wedding or anniversary, for which purpose he had custom-built party/dance halls in the compound. Even themed parties! Anyone not adhering to the dress code would be kitted up instantly to fit in with the theme.  Uncle Kumar and mum were also members of the Dutch Burgher Union and used to go Sundown Dancing every Wednesday with their group of friends or they in turn would come over to Tranquil for dance sessions. No doubt his presence will be sorely missed by all members of the DBU. It was not all work and play for Uncle Kumar. He was also socially responsible, so much he, together with mum and some village elders, formed the Organization for the Upliftment of Siyambalagoda Village in June 1991, to upgrade the living standards of the villagers as well as promote coexistence among different communities. 

Among the projects worked out are; running of ‘Pubudu’ pre-school for less privileged children, granting of scholarships to children of H/O Dharmapala Kanishta Vidyalaya, Siyambalagoda, conducting English classes, fostering the arts, donating nutrition packs to pregnant mothers of the village, helping start-ups and last but not least, taking care of the health of the elderly and the disabled and giving them a monthly dole.

Last but not least, Uncle Kumar was a loving husband to my mum, which love, in addition to his children, he extended to us, his stepchildren and grandchildren. We owe much to him for the love and guidance given, both in our professional and private lives.

Goodbye, Uncle Kumar. You will surely be missed, but not forgotten.

Gitanjali Marchelline