By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Courtesy Ceylon Today This article is based on our forefathers, excellent engineers and craftsmen, who possessed exceptional skills. How many of our present generation is conversant of the activities of Ceylon engineers in the bygone years who amazed the whole world. During the remarkable Parakramabahu reign, construction of the tallest […]

By Dr. Tilak S.Fernando Private organisations work more efficiently than Government ones do. The Russian Friendship Teaching Hospital in Malabe could be seen as a typical example, (before and after the Government took over). One can still, have a private consultation (from the 4thfloor) at a price. Could this impasse be due to the lackadaisical […]

By Dr.Tilak S. Fernando My elder brother, M. R. Fernando, passed away on 5 May 1995. On his 27th death anniversary, I write this to him tribute because at the time of his death I was living in London. Everyone called him MR. He missed his university entrance as our father suffered from Typhoid fever. […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando  Sri Lanka is facing an economic crisis and all consumer prices have gone up as a direct result because the Government did not have US dollars to pay for goods such as fuel, milk powder and gas. Six point nine million of the voting population elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa because he […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando | When I was in London my niece Shyamala Fernando asked me to interview Dr Galagoda Gnanissara Thera when I visited Sri Lanka on holiday in 2000, one of the most respected Buddhist prelates in Sri Lanka. He’s popularly known as Podihamuduruwo, the Chief Incumbent at the Gangarama Temple.   Venerable […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando There has been a lot of criticism concerning the dollar deficit that has significantly affected inflation. At long last, the dollar was allowed to free-float. However, financial experts say, it is too late!” Simultaneously, 367 non-essential items were restricted from 9 March 2022 after 45 years.  Many point an accusing […]

By Tilak S. Fernando We are so unfortunate that bribery and corruption in every Institution, particularly in the Government sector is dishonest. The Media has exposed the venality of Parliamentarians, members of Town and Provincial Councils, Chairpersons of Government Corporations, and Administrators as deceitful and corrupt. Still, there is no proof against them, as they […]

By Dr.Tilak S. Fernando Courtesy Ceylon Today “Young Love Is a Flame; Very Pretty, Often Very Hot and Fierce ” – Henry Ward Beecher When Henry Ward Beecher scribbled two sentences: “Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce and light and flickering; the love of the older becomes disciplined as […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando CEYLON TODAY | FOCUS Early last Christmas morning following the teachings of Jesus Christ’s, of kindness, forbearance, and tolerance, the writer accompanied by two friends headed towards Naththandiya. The coconut plantations on either side of the road made the drive down delightful watching. However, we found it strange the prices of coconut […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando The Government constantly complains about public services being overstaffed. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa takes every opportunity to restate the public should not face harassment; instead they must be treated with courtesy. When the writer was a schoolboy, letters from any Government institution carried the phrase at the end of the communication […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando The writer and his partner were invited on 1 January 2022 by Ceylon oldest living Olympian boxer, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sumith Liyanage, with some guests. Our conversation at the lunch table discussed details of Sumith’s career in Sri Lanka’s Police force. During the 1960 Olympics in Rome, […]

BY DR. TILAK S. FERNANDO The Coffin carrying the remains of Priantha Kumara at BIA Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan Export Manager, employed by Rajko Industries, Sialkot, became an Islamic fanatic group’s victim on 3 December 2021. Police records revealed that he was beaten with sticks, fists and kicks by a group consisting of dozens […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Douglas Wickramaratne answered the final call from above to leave this world on 1 December 2021. He was born on 9 April 1938 in Colombo and lived in North London. Educated at Ananda College, Colombo, he was the leader of the debating team for both Sinhala and English until Dr […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando  Christmas 2021 approached with several restrictions from the Sri Lankan Health authorities due to Covid-19. Over two billion people celebrate the birth of Christ on 24 December every year. Christmas is the most joyful season in the year. Generally it’s an occasion for the family to reunite and everyone in […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando  During the past few weeks, wives, cooks at various hotels and restaurants and other family members were shocked by gas explosions originating from the domestic liquid petroleum (LP) gas cylinder. From 1 January to 5 December 2021 there were 244 explosions. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed an eight-member committee to investigate […]

By Dr.Tilak S. Fernando Recently the surgeon Dr. Athula Withanage translated into Sinhala for the first time, ‘Evgeni Onegin’ a Russian romantic novel written in verse and a masterpiece of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.  Simultaneously, he translated it into English, making it the 46th English translation. This achievement by  Dr. Athula Withanage can […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Last week the writer approached a local studio to get some photographs to get his passport renewed. During the conversation with the photographer, he advised the writer about the legal requirements of the Immigration office, which require both ears to be visible in the photograph to renew his passport. He […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Islandwide farmers are continuously protesting about the unavailability of fertiliser. One cannot blame the Government for the inadequacy of officials responsible for distributing the compost. The poor Minister gets blamed over weaknesses of the distribution sector. It is due entirely to the inefficiency of the officials in charge of distribution. […]

By Dr. Tilak S.Fernando The masterpiece of the Great Russian poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin’s novel ‘Eugene and Onegin’ is translated into Sinhala for the first time by Dr Athula Withanage, who has written many books in Sinhala and English. Dr Withanage was a senior surgeon who worked for over twenty years in the NHS UK. […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando When a man looks into a mirror, the image reflects who he is today. But it also reveals whom he used to be. Although appearances change, many of the underlying characteristics remain the same. It is the same with ‘Ceylon Today’, as the paper celebrates its 10th anniversary and reflects on […]

By Dr. Tilak S Fernando | COLUMNS There is much controversy over organic manure vs. toxic fertilisers. It was proposed at the Presidential Election by the Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa that if he came to power, he would undoubtedly introduce organic fertiliser for the safety of every citizen in Sri Lanka.  On the 72nd Anniversary of […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando FOCUS The ‘Pandora papers’ is a complex offshore financial investigation led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that has exposed the corrupt politicians the world over. The latest research contains 11.9 million confidential files analysed by the ICIJ in the teamwork of over a hundred journalists worldwide. ICIJ first […]

By Dr. Tilak S Fernando Courtesy Ceylon Today By Dr. Tilak S Fernando The nature of a crime is an inter-reaction with society. There is nothing, philosophical, to distinguish one crime from that another. There are various murders, but it does not include all human beings alone but covers a broader range of killings involving […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando FOCUS COVID-19 is a deadly infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Many become victims of the pandemic daily. The severity of the disease depends on the person’s immune system, some recover without special treatment; others become seriously ill.  As a last resort, ICU units give oxygen to patients who […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Lord Buddha said on his deathbed: Do not believe what others say just because others say so! Do not believe it because you heard it from a wise being, but only believe something when you know it in your Heart.” The Heart is supposed to be the seat of sentiment, […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Reincarnation means a ‘soul’ moving from one and taking birth in another human body after death. Hypnosis uses to identify memories of past life. Buddhists and Hindus have a shared belief over incarnations. In Western countries ‘past-life practitioners’ use hypnosis, which has become more or less a business.  A session […]

By Dr.Tilak S. Fernando In 1927 the Secretary of State for the Colonies announced a special Commission under the Chairmanship of the Earl of Donoughmore to visit Ceylon and submit an account of the Constitution with any difficulties of administration that needed to be surmounted at that time. The Secretary wanted the Earl of Donoughmore […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando The writer met with the most Venerable Aggamahapandittha Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Mahanayake Thera in London, when he was 99 years old. The Venerable observed the rainy season (Vassana retreat) in London at that time. The Buddhist Centre organised a religious ceremony on account of his 99th Birthday, on 23 August. […]

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando The writer is confident that readers may have seen the picture of ‘praying hands’ umpteen times, mainly hung on Christian homes, but wonders how the story originated! As narrated initially by Ranjit Seneviratne, some time ago, the story was about a family in Nuremberg, West Germany, in the fifteenth century. […]

Dr Tilak S. Fernando There is an intensive drive by the Government to vaccinate people, irrespective of the type of vaccines. The adverse after-effects following vaccination are increasingly becoming evident worldwide. There is established proof that by vaccination, besides other complications like allergy etc., the formation of unusual blood clots (thrombotic complications) is a deadly […]