Kalidasa Gunasena

15 July 2007

APPRECIATION – KALIDASA (KARL) GUNASENA

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando in London

Finally arrived a day towards the beginning of July, after eighty three long years, when the main sail of Kalidasa (Karl) Gunasena’s life boat suddenly had to take the impact of an unexpected and imperceptible wind force to plunk the boat peacefully.

On a sunny afternoon in London on 5 July 2007, Karl Gunasena made his final journey on earth to the North London Crematorium leaving eternal fond memories in our hearts. The news of his unexpected death came to me as a humungous shock just as I disembarked at the Heathrow Airport.

Karl Gunasena was born in Galle. He came to Colombo from his parental home at the age of twelve to attend St. Thomas’s College, Mt.Lavinia. Subsequently he continued his education from Royal College, Colombo.

Karl was a remarkable person who thought life, from birth to death, was a university, and we mortals needed to be educated in one form or the other all the time. He was a passionate reader who delved into any area to stimulate his grey matter which made him deeply involved in Buddhist literature. Though he was a Christian by birth, more he read Buddhist text, enhanced and philosophical he became. Naturally Buddhist way of life, its thinking and values appealed to him exceedingly which made him a Buddhist in 1965 despite his Christian upbringing.

As a transformed Buddhist Karl took a leading role in religious and social activities attached to the Sri Saddhatissa International Buddhist Centre at Kingsbury. With acquired knowledge in Buddhism and refractive journalistic aptitude he undertook the responsibilities of editing a monthly Dhamma magazine published by Kingsbury International Buddhist Centre. Karl’s devotion and dedication became more apparent when his supreme organizational genius was uncovered at a time when Lord Buddha’s corporeal relics (Sarwagna Datu) were exposed for the first time in the UK from the Wembley Conference Centre. His wife Renaira, who was decorated by Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II, as the first Sri Lankan in the UK with a MBE for her services in Buddhism attached to the British Libraries, no doubt would have influenced him towards his aspiration to Buddhism.

Karl Gunasena introduced and dominated English drama on Sri Lankan stage and became the backbone of Lionel Wendt theatre in the 1960s. Forty years ago, at a time when he was a popular English broadcaster attached to the Radio Ceylon along with Chris Greet,

Karl became a legend and an icon in the society and made foot prints in Sri Lanka Cinema by appearing in the films Gatawarayo and Chandiya playing the villain to the late Gamini Fonseka, the superstar in Sinhala cinema...

The year 1965 became a hallmark in his life where his performance took a three hundred and sixty degree turn to something different. In London, attached to the then Greater London Council (GLC) and under Ken Livingstone, the present Mayor of London, he undertook duties as a planning officer in charge of prestigious buildings in London.

Karl’s thirst for Sinhala drama had not exhausted completely, yet a residue was still bubbling like glowing amber within him. In 1981 he organized a cultural circle in London with the help of his wife and Namel and Malini duo (Weeramunis) with the idea of resurrecting and upholding the Sinhala culture and dram in London for the benefit of the expatriate community. The result was heartening; soon productions such as The Bear, Kattadiya and Golu Birinda hit the boards in London. A parched expatriate society received them overtly and always acknowledged with standing ovations.

After a lapse of forty long years Karl was approached to act in a tele-drama, a London production, with Wimal Alahakoon. After much persuading and convincing him to get involved in acting he made two choices in doing so. In accepting the offer he said: “I like to keep something to my grand children and I like to project with my dear friend Wimal Alahakoon”, which exactly he did as a final episode not only in the film but in his life by playing the character of Dr. Lloyd Wickremasinghe, a prominent Sri Lankan Medical Consultant living in London giving advice to a Sri Lankan youth who had come to Britain seeking greener pastures, lost his track and finally got involved with a white girl and got hooked on drugs.

Karl Gunasena always retained a modest disposition and was a human being with a magnanimous heart. He did not exactly know the meaning of the words malice, hatred or jealousy; but always extended a helping hand to whoever needed help in word or deed whenever approached him. He never cultivated barriers between the affluent and the poor and always had room in his heart to forgive and forget even those who did not agree with him at times, a gracious quality he has left for the rest of us to emulate.

The value of a society does not depend on the numbers of its populace but of a handful who would shine as beacons in their behaviour and contribution to the society. When such personalities fade away in an ephemeral world, it does affect the value of a society as well. Karl Gunasena, actor, philosopher, broadcaster, traveller, husband, grandfather, ‘interminable student’ and a dear friend, was a one of those rare gems Sri Lanka had ever produced. May he attain Nibbana.

Ends.

Dr. Tilak S. Fernando

London

C I Gunasekera

A life lived to the fullest

'C.I.' - the great cricketing giant recalls early days

By Rosanne Koelmeyer Anderson - Sunday Observer Aug 5 2007

CRICKET: The cynosure of all eyes of a bygone era of explosive entertainment of matches packed with sixes, a versatile cricketer and then Captain of the Ceylon cricket team way back in 1962, I am told, is non-other than the eminent C.I. Gunasekera whom I was fortunate to have the pleasure of talking to; which inspired me to write about the intriguing way of life of a great gentleman, now turned geriatric and who now stays aloof and very modestly dispelled all attributes to his credit.

C.I. Gunasekera, a living legend of cricket, better known as 'C.I.' among his colleagues and peers as he told me in the course of the conversation, hadn't the faintest idea that I was going to write about him.

He took me far back in time as 1921, the year he was born and his days at Royal College, his alma-mater, having played for his school cricket team which he subsequently captained. Thereafter, he joined the Law College but fate did not permit him to pursue his studies as the World War Two broke out and he joined the Army where he enlisted in the Artillery as an anti-aircraft gunner.

He rose to be Major by 1946 and it was after the war that he engaged in cricket actively once again.

He was picked to play for Ceylon against Don Bradman's team of Australians where he performed remarkably to secure the award for most outstanding fielder in the Ceylon side.

The memorable year 1959, when C.I. was chosen to lead the Ceylon side which he did for three notable years during which he played many enthralling innings of an all rounder records reveal.

C.I. Gunasekera continued playing for the Ceylon team for 17 years and there was never a dull moment when 'C.I.' played, I was told by many cricketing fans of yesteryear, a name synonymous with cricket.

They told me that he simply thrashed many stalwarts and was in par with international cricketers which he of course very modestly declined to acknowledge but his office room at his residence at Dickman's Road, Colombo 5 spoke of his performance and achievement, as in it hung a number of cricketing photographs of yesteryear to his credit.

Yet a good looking, lanky, well-mannered but indomitable man at 86, C.I. Gunasekera spends most of his time at home reading vividly, driving around to attend to his chores and insists on being independent.

He spends the evenings with his friends having a drink or two or watching television and never misses the Test matches. Mr. Gunasekera told me that he may be the only living geriatric of his era and that speaks for the very few friends who are good company.

A great lover of vintage cars over the years, Mr Gunasekera spoke of his passion for the two vintage cars and a motorcycle he still had in his possession safely locked up in a garage which he said he had kept as a souvenir for his son. A true sportsman, C.I. Gunasekera didn't seem to have lost his love for sports. Even at the age of 80, he had still been playing golf and to date he goes for short evening walks for exercise a few days of the week as he says it eases his breathing problem which he attributes to the fifty years of heavy smoking and irrevocable he says smiling. "It is a condition of Emphysema if you know what I am talking about my child" he told me, taking a deep breath.

Much has been achieved in C.I. Gunasekera's life and now all he longs for is to see his one and only son, Chris and his family who are residing in the UK, sooner or later. A proud father and grandfather, Mr Gunasekera still feels the loss of his wife, Doreen, who passed away in January 2007 after sixty five years of marriage. Nothing can fill the void and sorrow he lives with; life has to go on till the calling comes from above, Mr Gunasekera poignantly says. An honorable salute to a living legend and master of the game "May God Bless You."