He kept his cool always

Our good friend, Atte, as we called him, is no more. He passed away peacefully apparently over a heart issue in the wee hours of 2nd January 2023 at his residence in Minuwangoda – Devalapola. He was

66 plus.

A product of Veyangoda Central and a Maths graduate from Moratuwa and Colombo universities, he initially served as a teacher in Nigeria for a couple of years before returning to Sri Lanka together with his life’s partner Theresa from the Philippines, who too was serving as a teacher at the same school.

It was in 1997 that I met him first on an ambu-lift stretcher at the arrival terminal of BIA returning after a kidney transplant operation done in Chennai, India.

He was my senior and working with him as a Duty Manager at the Airport Management division was both amusing and enlightening for he never was found irritable nor excited, instead remained cool in finding an answer to solve any issue.

Working as a senior manager in charge of Air-side Operations, his contribution was much sought after by the Asian Regional office of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) when an Airside Audit was carried out together with the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka.

Atte was blessed to live more than 25 years with a single kidney, donated by a Buddhist monk of a temple in the Horana area.

He did radiate much charisma and friendliness and had a wide circle of friends and certainly, no foes. Atte was a gentleman in the true sense of the word.

He was well cared for by his wife and three children.

Goodbye Machan.