She was Cynthia to some and Jayatri to others, and was an individual with many talents, accomplishing what she set out to do to perfection. Born in India to Francis and Beatrice Tampoe Philips, she was one of six children. The family was in India at the time when the father was a member of the Indian Civil Service. Without adequate medical attention when required, it was a time when sickness took its toll and she lost three siblings within a very short period of one month, through Diphtheria and Pneumonia.

Cynthia was the youngest of the three remaining, Irma, the wife of late Prof. Milroy Paul, Bala Tampoe, having completed 60 long years and still the General Secretary of the Ceylon Mercantile Union.

The family, on their return to then Ceylon in 1934, lived in Colombo and CJ attended Ladies College. During the war years she went to Newstead College in Negombo and completed her schooling at Methodist College, Colombo. At Ladies College, she was also referred to by close friends as ‘Butta’, considering her stature. Her interest in sports was seen at an early age, that her male cousins gladly accommodated her in their cricket matches speaks well for her abilities and this love for sports continued to flourish for many years after she left school.

It was still war time and when she was 18 years old, CJ joined the Royal Air Force. This would account for her interest in matters aviation for many years to come. Leaving the RAF, after the war, she became the secretary to the Revd. James Cartman, Principal of Wesley College, where she was also in charge of the junior scouts, the‘Cub’ pack.

Cynthia, who was not averse to excelling in a man’s world, then joined the national carrier, Air Ceylon, operated by the Department of Civil Aviation, as one of the first, if not the first, to be hired as a stewardess. It was here that she met her future partner, Captain Peter Fernando, referred to at the time as the ‘Ace Pilot’ of Asia, who was then the Chief Pilot and Operations Manager of Air Ceylon, having at its inception taken charge to establish the National Carrier, having returned home from India, on the invitation of the state, at a time when his career in India had blossomed. He was pilot to the Viceroy of India and other Indian dignitaries, and had also been offered the same post on Indian National Airways, as that offered to him on Air Ceylon. This was also the time when a Captain was considered the king in the air and Cynthia and Captain Peter, as he was known by aviators during his life time and thereafter, made their home together.

Two daughters, Nivanka and Yoshida were born to the Fernandos. Motherhood did not stop Cynthia from excelling in other fields of activity.

The aviation experience helped her to manage Zarook’s Travel Service. It was during her Travel Trade days that she attended a Women’s conference in Europe and while in Germany, the group had been invited to an evening social. She was invited to dance and there had been flash bulbs popping and it was after the dance and only after the question was asked of Cynthia " how was it to dance with him", that she knew her partner was the then Mayor of Berlin, Willie Brandt, a future Chancellor of Germany.

In sports, Cynthia Fernando was the National Badminton Champion in 1953, 1955 and in 1957. In 1959 she was a member of the National Cricket Team; having opened bowling for Ceylon she took two wickets and scored 38 runs out of a total of 63, against a British team. She was also a member of the Ceylonese Ladies Hockey Team, the club being where the Rupavahini Corporation is currently located. In 1960 she was a member of the National Hockey Team and toured India as a Player cum Manager. It is not often that one sees the mother and two daughters in the same team. In hockey, with Cynthia, Nivanka and Yoshida, this was so. While a match was in progress she was asked, "What happened mummy," her response was "my legs gave way".

She learnt her French and the involvement with the Alliance de Francaise saw her as its Honorary Vice President. She taught French in Sri Lanka and for a period, English in Paris.

Her life was spent in cultivating excellence and the search for truth and meaning for Life. Her reading of the scriptures and questioning mind was seldom at ease. This search continued till she joined the Divine Light Mission, later to be known as Jeeva Shakthi Society. She devoted her life fully to the work of the mission both in Sri Lanka and for a period in Delhi. Her work took her to many countries for programmes and meetings. As she stated, "this association helped me in my spiritual understanding". Until her recent illness, about a year ago, she regularly attended the programmes of the Society.

She mastered the computer and maintained contact with her overseas friends through email. She was a gardener, a painter, a decorator and a poet. Among several of her poems

is the following which was read at her funeral.

As she wished, she concluded her life privately with family and friends and was cremated on July 27 evening.

Cynthia Jayatri, Ma, Mummy, Grandma, leaves her sister Irma and brother Bala, daughters Nivanka and Yoshida and four grand children, Vyjanthri & Dhiren and Chrishanth & Chamarie.

Farewell Mummy! Your Peaceful rest, is well deserved.