Lalitha passed away on February 4, 2009. News of her death was received with shock by all those who knew her, both young and the elderly. She was truly an epitome of Buddhist values within the home, at the Japan-Sri Lanka Friendship School as its Principal and the community outside. The relationship she shared with each person, friend, relative or visitor held an unique humane quality that pervaded friendships and life’s experience throughout her life. I guess she had no unfulfilled dreams because she sought all activities with a purpose and expected to see results and followed every activity to its conclusion.

A Buddhist family background and upbringing enriched her activities. She taught others the richness of Buddhist principles and values and the benefits of practising these. Born to well-known Buddhist parents from Gonaduwa, the late G. D. Premaratne and Alice Senanayake, she was one of five sisters in a closely knit family. Lalitha completed her secondary education at Sri Sumangala Balika Vidyalaya and St. Johns’ College, Panadura and took to a teaching career at Kolonnawa Maha Vidyalaya and later at Yashodara Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo 08. She was also a social welfare worker, a community development organiser and a counsellor with Buddhist insights. To her, all children were malleable innocent pets to be loved but also admonished, and corrected.

"Lalitha teacher" had a soft voice and enduring nature and a way with children. She liked to communicate with them through talking, touching, petting and inquiring about their joys and fears. "Just like adults, children too undergo stress," she said repeatedly. The Friendship School was her second home where she taught human values to the kids, as her own children. Whatever mistakes made were inevitable, never would she pass blame to another.

When a young tot at school asked her, "What is peace?" she replied "To live without quarrelling and cruelty." Peaceful coexistence was the foundation of child development and education spiced with Buddhist precepts and Jathaka stories. Venerable Pelpola Vipassi, Director of the Japan-Sri Lanka Friendship School sought Lalitha as the role-model principal and teacher. So did the parents of these children. In recognition of Lalitha’s dedicated services to education she was appointed a National Chancellor, of International Education for World Peace in America in 1982. Every year, generations of grateful students, now parents, bring their kids to annual school events held at the Japan-Sri Lanka Friendship School. Several of these students now hold high positions of responsibility in public life.

I first met Lalitha in 1985 through a friend when we founded the Sinhala Women’s Welfare and Development Organisation, (now a Foundation). She was appointed Honorary Treasurer of the new body, an office she held responsibly and with dedication. Our organisation is in its 24th year. We do miss you Lalitha. The two sisters Lalitha and Padmini were close to each other. Lalitha was the guardian angel to her ever faithful and loving sister Padmini and vice versa. These two sisters handled all activities jointly. "Are you twins?" one would ask. "Don’t be over protective," each would say to the other. Both followed exemplary Buddhist practices and donated regularly to a few Buddhist temples such as "Sri Sidatharamaya" in Nawala and the Gangaramaya temple of Podi Hamuduruwo, in Colombo 02.

Lalitha’s Buddhist way of life endeared her to many who met her for the first time. A simple life guided by the Middle Path precepts made her compassionate towards others. She was a good example of a contented human being. Her younger sister Chandra and Doctor D. T. D. Bulugahapitiya her brother-in-law though resident in UK devoted their time and provided the best of services to Lalitha and Padmini.

May Lalitha attain the bliss of Nirvana. She will not be forgotten, she has left behind both name and fame, without seeking these.