R. Arunthavanathan

The death occurred recently of Mr R Arunthavanathan, Retired Senior Superintendent of Police, after a brief illness. My association with him started in October 1948 almost 55 years ago, when we joined the Sri Lanka Police Force as Sub-Inspectors along with about 25 others. "Aru", as he was affectionately known was a few years our senior in age, as he had been employed earlier for a couple of years as a Trainee Technical Officer in the Irrigation Department, having attended St. Joseph’s College Colombo.

His first posting as a young Sub-Inspector was to Galle and Aru proved to be a terror to kasippu dealers, gamblers, bookies etc. He broke all records in accumulating the most number of good entries in the first year of his service. It was at this time that Aru met his future wife Sita Windsor hailing from a famous family in Galle and married her shortly afterwards. She was a teacher and a great Buddhist worker and it was her influence that resulted in all their children being Buddhists and Aru being given a funeral according to Buddhist rites and customs. Aru leaves behind his sorrowing wife Sita and six children. To the everlasting credit of them both, the children have done exceedingly well in life.

The eldest son Ravi joined the Sri Lanka Air Force and has risen by dint of hard work and diligence to be an Air Vice Marshal and to be in the top rung in that service. Being yet young in age, we all expect him to rise shortly to be Commander of the Air Force, which rank, we are sure, he will adorn. Three others boys also did excellently, Niranjan to be a Chartered Automobile Engineer, Suvindran to be an Aeronautical Engineer in Sri Lankan Airlines and the third, Indran to be Franchise Manager in an Australian firm.

Not to be outdone, their daughters Gowri and Mayuri also hold Senior Executive posts in well known Colombo firms. In spite of the fact that Aru went about his Police work in various parts of the Island and later in Oman too, in the same capacity, he and his wife Sita guided their children through their schooling and higher education. It’s there for all to see what excellence the children have achieved. Aru, in the last years of his life, would have had no worries whatsoever regarding the future of his family.

Aru was a gentleman par excellence, an excellent friend, with malice to none. The very large gathering at his funeral with full Police Honours and in the presence of many Senior Officers of the Police and the Air Force speak volumes for the esteem in which he was so highly held.

Two of Aru’s batch mates K. S. Kadigawa, the Paratrooper and S. L. D. Abeygunawardena regretted their inability to attend due to poor health but sent their condolences.

To Aru’s wife Sita and her six children we extend our heartfelt sympathies. Aru’s batch mates who attended the funeral namely Neil Weerasinghe, Retired DIG, Basil Gunasekera, Retired Commander of the Navy and myself and the members of the family will sorely miss Aru.

Goodbye dear Aru. May you obtain the Supreme Bliss of Nirwana and may your journey be a short one.

J. A. Bandaranayake
Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police