ADH Samaranayaka birth centenary Mar. 22

March 22, 2022 marks the 100th birth anniversary of our beloved Thaththi, Aluthge Dharmadasa Hemachandra Samaranayaka, fondly known as ADH or Samare to his friends. He passed away peacefully during his afternoon nap on March 30, 1996, aged 74 years.

Our father was born in Kumbuka, Horana to traditional Buddhist parents. He was the eldest in a family of seven children.

The champion athlete of St Thomas’ College and University of Ceylon

They grew up in the Mahagedara, built my grandparents in Kumbuke. Thaththi had his early education at Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya in Panadura, but later Achchi admitted him to St Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. Thaththi’s prowess as an athlete was not known until he was asked to run in the one mile event at the annual STC sports meet as the regular champion had suddenly fallen sick. Not only did Thaththi win the one mile event in his first attempt in 1939, but shattered the existing ground record in Mount Lavinia on that occasion, running bare foot! The next year in August 1940, he bettered his own record at STC in the one mile event.

Later on, for many years he helped St Thomas’ (STC) to win the coveted Tarbet and Jefferson Challenge Trophies at the public schools athletics championships. The other members of the victorious Thomian athletic team were L C Goonaratne, R D Duckworth, E D Bandaranayaka, J B R Simmons amongst others. The half mile public school record that Thaththi setup in 1941 of 2 mins 10 secs was only broken 23 years later by another Thomian S K Jayasinghe. When I was a school girl, I vividly recall answering the telephone when the Warden of STC rang up my father to inform him that his record was broken.

Many decades later when he was invited as the chief guest at the STC annual sports meet, he recalled these events with nostalgia and spoke how his hostel diet improved overnight on being discovered a prize athlete and that he was made a prefect at the next assembly. His contemporaries at STC at that time were Sam Wijesinha, Lal Goonaratne, C.N.Gunawardena and Charlie Munasinghe amongst others. Uncle Sam and Thaththi were lifelong friends and he was bestman at his wedding, when Thaththi married my mother Susila in 1947. In the appreciation that Uncle Sam wrote about my father, he mentioned “Sam was the first in our batch to get employed, get married and build his own house”.

Our Thaththi was an outstanding student of science at STC and was awarded the prestigious Wijewardene prize for science and chemistry. He proved the veracity of the adage “mens sana in corpore  sano” by successfully passing the University of Ceylon entrance examination in 1941. In the University of Ceylon he represented the University of Ceylon in the half mile, one mile and the 440 yard hurdle events. At the All India inter university athletic meet held in Madras in 1943, he was the only Ceylonese athlete to win an event and that was the 440 yard hurdles .In the National Athletics Rankings of Ceylon in 1943,ADH Samaranayaka was ranked first. Later my father captained the athletics team of the University of Ceylon .The Vice Chancellor of the University at that time was the much respected and admired Sir Ivor Jennings.

The Government Examiner of Questioned Documents

Our father obtained an honours degree in chemistry and was recruited to the Questioned Documents (QD) section of the Government Analysts’ Department under the former Examiner of QD, Mr. Tom Nagendran. As Dr A R L Wijesekara (ARLW) the former government analyst and badminton champion of Ceylon recalls about my father, in the appreciation he wrote, “Samare had the distinction of being the first scientist to be recruited to the QD section of the analyst department, when QD examination was more an art than a science. The importance of his presence with his scientific background greatly contributed to revolutionizing the concepts and techniques of the handwriting experts of yesteryears and building the image of the modern examiner in QD”. He further stated that “Samare strode like a colossus in an era where giants of forensic sciences of the calibre Colvin Sirimanne, Newton Weerasinha, Noel Jayatunga, C Sathkulanadan and FC Pinto also strode”.

Dr A R L W further continued “he was a fearless witness,much respected by both judges and counsel of both sides for his scientific skills, clarity of expression and undoubted honesty and unimpeachable integrity. They were aware that Samare never deviated from speaking “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”. The exposition of his evidence as an expert witness was indeed an object lesson for young forensic scientists” he concluded.

Our father received advanced training in document examination from Scotland Yard, the FBI America and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. From 1960 onwards, as the government examiner of questioned documents (GEQD), he trained document examiners for the governments of Malaysia and Singapore and trained three assistant document examiners for Sri Lanka – P H Manatunga, Thangaratnevel and Kalupahana. After retirement from the government service, he was selected as a forensic document examiner in New South Wales Australia.

As children we enjoyed travelling the length and breadth of Sri Lanka accompanying Thaththi as he drove to give evidence in courts of law throughout the country. He often showed us the basic techniques of recognizing forged documents, which was very interesting and exciting.

As Chairman of Red Cross Society

As recalled by P H Manatunga, who succeeded him as document examiner in 1977, in his appreciation “Samaranayaka was a man with tremendous energy who applied himself with dedication and devotion to any cause. He was a man of action and was known not to postpone what had to be done today for tomorrow. If his office was not swept, he would not hesitate to do it himself and set the example.

“He was greatly influenced by his wife who was a social worker of great repute, who introduced him to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society in the early 60s. The organization recognized his talents and he was soon made the honorary treasurer and in no time he was elected as the chairman. This position he held with great distinction from 1967 to 1977 by annual election. His organizational capabilities and leadership qualities blossomed in full measure as a chairman. He is best remembered for having taken the Red Cross movement to the village school, temples and churches and setting up first aid units islandwide.”

He was the first to spring into action when a disaster struck the community and would himself lead the Red Cross volunteers in providing emergency food, shelter and clothing. He resolutely upheld the fundamental principles of the Red Cross which are impartiality, neutrality and independence. He saw to it that the society steered clear of politics and passed on the society to his successors free of rift, and the fundamental principles uncompromised untarnished and intact. He represented the society at many international conferences held in many parts of the world and brought much credit and recognition to the society by his innate leadership qualities, with the finesse of a diplomat” Manatunga concluded.

There is no doubt that his pioneering efforts helped in the construction of the four storied Red Cross building in Colombo 7. I must also add that when an ambulance driver was not available, my father would personally drive the ambulance even long distances to the outstations. Such was his commitment to the sick. Sometimes the occupants of the ambulance never realized that the driver of the ambulance of was the chairman of the Red Cross Society himself!

The family man

Our father was the patriarch of the Samaranayaka clan. He was called “Loku Aiya” by some of his relations and “Colombo Mama” by others. He was always helpful to the extended family and the village folk of Kumbuka. Our home in Ascot Avenue was open to all his relations from Kumbuka. Many of his relations lived with us during their school days and my sister and I gladly shared our beds with them. He never turned away anyone who came to his gate, seeking help. He was a warm and caring person and was always transparent in his dealings. He had numerous friends and associates from all strata of society and he treated them equally, with the respect they deserved.

 Thaththi was a keen environmentalist and Ascot Avenue, where he lived for nearly50 years was probably one of the greenest and cleanest lanes in Colombo at that time. This was indeed a tribute to his untiring anti – garbage and anti – litter efforts. He prided himself in his car, which was always spotless and gleaming.

As a dutiful son, he showered much attention on his mother. Visiting her on Sundays with food and sweets was often a family weekend routine.  Thaththi taught us many lessons in life. Foremost among them were the values of honesty, integrity, civic sense, contentment. These were the qualities he practised and enjoyed throughout his full and fruitful life. He was indeed a man in a million.

Dearest Thaththi, may your journey through sansara continue to be rewarding and may you finally reach the supreme bliss of nirvana.

Your ever loving daughter – Anula Wijesundere nee

Samaranayaka and son

Hemanatha Samaranayaka