Goodbye Sir, Royal will never forget you………………….
October 31, 2007
It is with a sense of great sadness and a feeling of emptiness that I inform all those whom it may concern that, Mr. Viji Weerasinghe, an exemplary character who epitomized the true meaning of what it is to be a Royalist, passed away in hospital today.
Mr. Viji Weerasinghe was hospitalized at the Asiri Surgical Unit following a fall. He left us today with a legacy that will forever be in our heart and with memories that will forever be in our minds…….
God bless you dear Sir, for all what you have done to Royal College as a student, teacher and and administrator, and for showing us who a true Royalist is………..
October 31, 2007 at 3:16 pm
no one can be a better and true royalist than Mr.Viji Weerasinghe….he will be always in our hearts!
October 31, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Damn… that’s such a pity. Thanks for the info (I’m many miles away), and that’s a good tribute to a great man…
November 1, 2007 at 12:14 am
That new really hits you hard. He was a great guy. Viji Sir WAS Royal. We’ll miss him. May he rest in peace..
Floreat.
November 1, 2007 at 1:09 am
Amen to all of that……..
FLOREAT!
November 1, 2007 at 3:53 am
Can we ever find a replacement?,ever!
November 1, 2007 at 4:59 am
A Man in a Million.
They dont make them like that anymnore, sadly.
Thats all that I can say
May he rest in Peace!
November 1, 2007 at 5:04 am
Dear All,
I was present last evening at the CR & FC Grounds to witness the “Royal Rugby Fiesta 2007” project organized by the Royal College Group of 91, for all the Old Boy Groups. They had published a souvenir to coincide this event and saw this article written by Sir . Viji Weerasinghe and thought that I should share this with all of you.
Rizan Nazeer
Hony Secretary - RCU
DOWN MEMORY LANE
Having been within the precincts of Royal College, in one capacity or another for a total of 73 of my 80 years, the sprit of this wonderful school of ours has found its way into my blood and penetrated my bones!
I started as a student in 1933 at the former Royal Preparatory school from where I crossed over to the Royal College in 1939 and left in 1947. For the next two years I taught at St. John’s, Nugegoda while studying for examinations and was then requested by my former principal at College Mr. J.C.A. Corea to stand in for one of my own teachers – Mr. V.O. de Alvis Gunawardana who had retired prematurely and so in January 1950 I came to teach and what started as a temporary assignment became my life’s work. In 1971 I was appointed Head Master by the then Principal Mr. D.G. Welikala and in 1978 elevated to Deputy Principal by Mr.L.D.H. Peiris. I reached the age of retirement in 1987 but two successive Principals requested me to continue on a departmentally approved contract. Ten years later in 1997 I decided to accept the old boy’s request to work in the Union Office where I have been to date.
Mine has been an eventful stay during which I took the rough with the smooth and enjoyed every minute of it. If I were given a choice to live my life all over again I would not choose differently,
I have seen many generations of Royalists come and go, many teachers and many Principals come and go and I have watched the changes that the winds of the passing years have brought – but one thing has remained constant – the Royalist student community which has not changed radically. Let us bow our heads and thank the Powers that Be that the present Royalists from the Andersons to the Zaheeds the assorted Pereras, Fernandos and Silvas, Saldins the Pillais and the Weerasinghes are no different from their counterparts of earlier vintages and that they are even now laying in their personal treasuries of rich and golden memories of forbidden fruit which they enjoyed.
Let us all pray that the spirit of Royal will remain as it is till the end of time!
Vijitha Weerasinghe
November 1, 2007 at 10:19 am
Thank you ever do much Kadalay, for this thoughtful gesture of reproducing Sir’s article
I’m crying right now……………..
November 2, 2007 at 5:32 am
The Royal legend is no more
Nimal Dias Jayasinha
Having celebrated his 80th b’day on September 17 amidst a galaxy of Past Pupils whom he had in no small way helped towards positions of eminence, the Royal Legend, our revered Guru, Vijitha Weerasinghe passed onto yet another realm on October 31.
Barring the initial preschool tenure, and a brief stint of an year at the Law College, Weerasinghe’s entire life was devoted to the cause of Royal College - first as a student, thereafter as a teacher who ended up as the Deputy Principal and finally as the Advisor of the gargantuan Royal College Union.
Disconcertingly though, he took sick on October 23 also at the Royal College Union Office from which he never could recover.
Teacher per excellence, Guide with an unmatchable value system, Philosopher with a sagacious insight into life, a friend with whom you could have a drink and a educative chat and a Gentleman to his finger-tips-that was Viji Weerasinghe not only to this writer but to the many thousands or Royalists who had the good fortune of making contact with him.
I am also aware how successive Principals of the School and the many members of the staff relied solely on his advice and guidance in unravelling and solving many thorny issues.
He taught us English, he taught us Latin, he taught us the Classics but above all he taught us to become good human beings. Clad in immaculate white and with an endearing smile spread across his cherubic face, he opted to understand the strengths and weaknesses of every single student and helped by an unfailing and spot-on memory, he was able to ease the problems of many a pupil.
In as much he hated indiscipline he had the courage to believe in the adage that ‘boys will be boys’. He strove at all times to instill the famous Royal traditions into the pupil fraternity and was most proud when individuals stamped their Royal class through multi-faceted achievements.
His was a life devoted to the cause of ROYAL and his outlook and only ambition was to uphold and sustain the Royal values and Royal standards. He not only remained a thorough - bread Royalists but did also help to mould many incorrigible to become useful citizens of the country by installing such Royal standards.
Indeed, Mr. Weerasinghe taught us of ‘books and men and taught us to play the game’ possibly more than any other. He was the Magister Magistorum at Royal College, Colombo. When comes another?! We will all miss you Sir! Personally, I am left bereft of my Guru to secure guidance in many areas including the Latino-English in which you were so perfect.
The frequent chats with you not only helped me to continuously enrich the command of the Language but also afforded me a new dimension within a stressful world constantly driven by selfishness and commercial gain.
Your nobility indeed and word remained a guiding light and I remember with much gratitude the strength and support your singularly gave me during my stewardship as the Secretary of the Royal College Union in order to better manage difficult situations.
Your robust personality will remain etched in my memory and I shall cherish every single moment spent with you both as a student and thereafter. The warmth and love exuded by you necessarily overwhelmed me. Thank you Sir, for all your selfless efforts which to me are immeasurable.
I loved you in life and shall continue to love you during the rest of my life and shall by way of a constant measure, bestow merit upon you in the hope that WE will once again be together in this Sansarik cycle. YOU as my Guru and I as the benefactor of your guidance and direction. You shall remain irreplaceable!
May you attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana!
Daily News Fri Nov 2 2007
November 2, 2007 at 10:03 am
I am shocked to hear his demise.
Infact the last time I was back home he promised to attest my wedding next February, I was looking forward to that sir….
You used to always say “a man must write on white paper with black ink…” that was your motto for life, be straightforward, the true meaning of a royalist. I am glad sir, in a way I was selected by God to be in a generation that knew you, I am sad the next generations missed out on you. May you enjoy God’s eternal life…
November 2, 2007 at 10:56 am
[...] souvenir published for the “Royal Rugby Fiesta 2007″ and was posted as a comment in my previous post. Thank Kadalay for [...]
November 2, 2007 at 11:00 am
Don’t worry, I’m sure Sir will look down upon you and wish you well for your wedding……….