Esteem Magazine – Page 29 – Esteem Magazine

Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala: First Lankan to surmount Everest

A young woman with a passion for adventure sports, Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala broke barriers and put women in the forefront of this country’s sports by her historic ascent of Mount Everest on 21 May 2016. A Bishopian, she gained a Journalism and Communication Diploma from the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and a Bachelor’s degree in English from Delhi University. Committed to women’s rights, with a Graduate diploma in Women’s studies from Colombo University, and winning a Gender Studies MA scholarship at Sussex University, she worked with the Women and Media Collective; and as a Gender Specialist with CARE International Sri Lanka.

“It’s all about the power of the mind, which can go beyond the physical pain and that’s what endurance is about.”

In your opinion, what is the significance of Everest?

It’s been legendary, with Tenzing and Hilary’s climb. For me an almost mythical place, being the highest place on earth. Everest for some reason had inspired me since childhood. My school friends remember that even as a child I said that I would climb Everest. I never thought I would get there. It’s been a dream and for me was almost like going to the moon.

I met my team mate Johann Peries in 2011 on an expedition climbing ‘Island Peak’ (6,200m) in Nepal— an opportunity to try out our bodies at high altitude. I mentioned to him I’d seen Everest, a dream ascent for me so far, and invited him to join me to climb it and he agreed. I realised then there was someone as crazy as me to think about it and consider this climb.

What were the challenges you faced achieving this feat?

The biggest hurdle was sponsorship. We needed Rs 10 Million each. Sri Lankans seemed unaware of what an Everest climb meant —requiring days of climbing and the need to climb up, then come down to each camp and go up again – expecting we’d climb up and down in a day, like Pidurutalagala! Companies which usually sponsor sports events and others, who knew about mountaineering, didn’t step forward, which was disheartening. We did get sponsors, but not immediately or spontaneously.

Johann and I trained together. I had been training over the years, including basic and advanced courses in mountaineering, gaining the required technical skills: rock climbing, ice climbing, crevice rescue, identifying mountain sicknesses –including Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).

A close friend, Katherine Davis’ attempts to find a Sports psychologist, for mountaineering and mental strategising, failed and academic writers overseas didn’t respond; but, during those two months, I read chunks of academic articles on endurance Katherine sent me, helping prepare me mentally for such a big challenge – and for the high possibility of failure.

I understood about thinking positive: when the body says ‘no’, the mind can continue. It’s all about the power of the mind, which can go beyond physical pain and that’s what endurance is about. Every day my boots would cut me and every step was painful, but I realised you just think beyond the pain – I have come to do this, I have to do this – talking to myself, saying I’m not going to stop. There were days when back at Base Camp, you’d be completely depressed about the environment, difficulties, challenges; would we be able to make it, the summit was so far away. There were challenges daily, and every day was an exam.

Was it difficult to deal with ordinary, human, daily activities on the highest mountain?

It was really hard. The first two weeks were ok, as we walked to get to Everest Base Camp, staying at guest houses with a bed for your sleeping bag, toilets and a shower. There was no heating but you could stand up in your room. But after Base Camp your room becomes your tent. I am 5’ 1.5” so I could kneel. Tall people can’t kneel and we would all have to crawl into the tent. Inside you’d be pretty much sitting down or lying down whatever you did.

Eating was difficult. You lose your appetite the higher you go. Above 7,500 metres (the “Death Zone”), the body does not consume food, it doesn’t digest food ; instead it just consumes itself and starts shutting down.

We had to drink at least 3-4 litres a day to avoid altitude sickness, but this was a challenge: when you take two gulps of water you just pant because there’s less oxygen in the atmosphere from Base Camp onwards. I couldn’t sleep, and often woke up out of breath. Some nights, I’d sit up all night. It’s uncomfortable, you can’t roll too much or you slide off your sleeping mat onto a floor of ice.

At Camp 1, I took my gloves off to brush teeth touching water for a few minutes, and my hands started freezing: it was painful, like a burn. I warmed my fingers on my water bottle into which I’d put hot water. After that I didn’t dare try to brush teeth.

The Camp 1 toilet was just a 1 ft-high ice wall, a semi-circle, which just about covers the basics. But “wetwipes” freeze and you must ensure toilet paper doesn’t fly in the wind. Your clothes being layered, you must make sure they don’t fall into the poo bucket. You have to pee in your bottle as only poo-ing is permitted in the toilets. We had a water bottle and another similar bottle with a wide mouth for pee which had with a band around so you don’t drink it accidentally in the middle of the night. You needed to focus on the pee bottle, where you keep it, how you keep it, always be sure to empty it and not leave it outside, as it freezes and can’t be opened.

My period was a problem, I took a pill to stop it, but it didn’t, perhaps it was the altitude. Blood is thicker the higher you go and blood loss makes you weaker. This was a disaster because there is a window of time to complete each climb and descent. One day I took 12 hours for a 7-hour climb and the following day, too, I failed my timing and had to turn back. I tried telling my Sherpa I had my period, but he said “No! Too slow, too slow. You won’t make the summit”. I was saying, ‘bleeding bleeding’, but it didn’t work. The guide said the mountain takes no excuses, you have to do it or you don’t do it – It is unforgiving, you have only one chance.

What life lessons can you learn from this experience?

Many, but the most important is mental strength. It’s all about telling yourself you can do it, that really changes how your body will work, how your body follows the mind, if your mind is strong enough. People would tell me, ‘you’re so tiny, how are you going to climb Everest?’ Although no one said so to my face I think my gender was an issue for some. My motivation was that if I didn’t do it, what would people say about girls and adventure sports. Women and girls can really do anything; gender is not a barrier, nor is size.

Teamwork was also such a huge factor. Although , only I went to the top, Johann and I made it as a team for almost two months. Johann was really strong, mentally stronger than I. We also had a team back home, friends supporting us, volunteering their time. They maintained our facebook page and we would see comments from people we did or didn’t know. When we were low and depressed, seeing these comments and people cheering us, realising there were so many people behind us, was encouraging: they were part of the bigger team that came up with us.

Facing fear, which is an underlying factor through the journey. The day I woke up to go to the airport I felt it. Before, the planning was so manic and when the day came to leave, I had cold feet, as I realised ”God I’m actually going to Kathmandu to climb Mount Everest”. I even wrote my last will, although I did not tell my mother at the time, knowing there was a chance of a fatality. My family was supportive. I knew my mother who encouraged me would have been praying for my safety. My sister in law commented I could have bought a house and a car with the money we needed for this expedition. Mind you, I have neither a car nor a house!

The other time I felt fear was when they said the weather had cleared up and that the ‘Summit window was open: ‘Tomorrow morning pack your bags, you’re climbing tomorrow’. This was the first time going up to that height. The fear you will have no contact, the fear of ‘Will I come back’, yet wanting to do it. You mitigate the risks. I did it and realised you can overcome fear. But there is luck in it too.

I also experienced spirituality. I am not religious but the mountains are so powerful and you feel so tiny there as you see other climbers going up the mountain like ants. You have to keep going up and you know you can be in the wrong place at the wrong time and you can have an avalanche and your life could just go.

Making it to the Summit of Everest entailed determination, a hard slog, sacrifices, serious risk taking and central to my goal, mental strength to overcome fear and uncertainty.

A Welcome to Wellness

By: Michelle Alles

‘The Physio’ opened in January 2014 and over 2 years later is a sought after state-of-the-art centre, with physiotherapist Theruni Wijewardene and her team consisting of four other physiotherapists, a fitness instructor, a GP and an amazingly supportive husband who works tirelessly behind the scenes as her business partner. As we seat ourselves in Theruni’s office, the first thing I notice is that she sits on a silver gym ball instead of a chair and I ask her why. The Australian qualified expert replies with a smile that she’s a very active person and since she moves around the clinic so much, she doesn’t sit still for long periods of time, so this suffices.

Theruni has lived in Australia most of her life and was interested in sports from an early age. Since she also had a fascination with the science behind sports and the effects of it on the human body, physiotherapy seemed like a logical move toward her career choice, which lead her to read for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Science and a Master’s in Physiotherapy. She returned to Sri Lanka six years ago and she started off her career in physiotherapy at Nawaloka and then decided to venture on her own. It’s been 2 ½ years since she opened the practice located at 30/63A, Longdon Place, Colombo 7 and Theruni helps patients with physical difficulties resulting from sports, injury, disability, strokes or ageing. She tells us that back and neck pains are quite common, as are knee and shoulder injuries. We agree that the main cause of this is definitely due to being seated at a desk in front of a computer for long periods of time. The ergonomics of most of the offices in the country are not optimal and Occupational Health and Safety measures are also overlooked, unlike in most of the other countries.

During the school sports meet season, Theruni also sees quite a few young athletes with injuries caused by sports. She notes that rugby players in particular come in with the most amount of injuries. “That is mostly because it is a sport where a lot of contact is involved, but every sport has its hazards in some way. My job is to help people with disabilities or injuries to overcome such physical barriers and improve their movement and function using exercises, manual therapy and electrotherapy in addition to giving advice and making them more aware of their condition and the basic measures that can be taken to prevent a recurrence of their pain.” Theruni explains that the treatment and methods at ‘The Physio’ place heavy emphasis on manual therapy which includes exercise, mobilisation techniques and other modalities to improve functions.

Moving on to the next phase of their practice, Theruni informs us that they will be introducing a Wellness Studio along with a gym which will help athletes work out under supervision when they are ready to get back to physical activity after an injury. Expecting most of her clients to be sports men/women, I ask the question and I learn that they range from 5 year olds with neck pain, 10 year old tennis players to the elderly. “Pain can be caused by many factors such as sports or incorrect posture while working, falling, how much stress one has at home or work, etc. there are many causative reasons. At the Wellness Centre, we are including a Pilates studio for clients because after an injury, it’s important to ease oneself back into their workout. We also will be providing our clients with relaxation technique options,” she informed us. “It’s all about making people understand what causes their pain, holistically addressing the issues. We see a lot of pain that’s related to stress and our next step is to help clients figure out what is the cause behind it and help them correct it; it’s giving people ways to understand how their mind affects their body. Lack of exercise is also a large reason; also different factors contribute to pain and no two cases are the same,” she stated.

At ‘The Physio’, what they are passionate about is educating their clients/patients as to what causes their pain, how to address the root cause and manage it and the best way to prevent the pain recurring. “We take a lot of time with our patients, get their history and background and do the assessments thoroughly. There are times we can’t cure pain 100%, but we can help them manage it in the future and prevent the use of pain killers – if we can’t handle the case with physiotherapy, we refer onwards to a physician,” Theruni said.

A mum to really cute and active 3 year old daughter, Theruni credits her husband as the driving force behind her success. “It really truly is Ishara’s support that allows me to work so freely because I know he has everything else covered (and I mean everything!) From Ahaana’s schedule to the dinner menu, to ensuring that all the staff are looked after, to making sure there’s enough toilet paper in the clinic! He really is amazing and it was his vision and his confidence in me that gave me the courage to open the practice in the first place. Every bit of success ‘The Physio’ has had in the last 2 ½ years, I can attribute directly to him.” Theruni concluded.

The Story Of ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy

Nestled at 32/8 A Flower Road, you may find the innovative and inimitable ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy establishment, which is the only establishment offering Genuine Ayurveda in Colombo. I happened upon the place while scouring Tripadvisor, and I was fortunate enough to experience the healing virtues of one of their treatments — known as Shareera Abyanga — that lasted 60 minutes.

Unlike other Ayurveda establishments in Colombo, the ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy offers not only just a treatment but an analysis of your body type and advice on self care and diet; a certificate detailing your dosha, a list of dos and don’ts, and a food list applicable to your body type is provided. This was certainly something novel, and is not something I’ve come across in Sri Lanka.

The half-, full- and multi-day Ayurvedic programs begin with a consultation and dosha diagnosis by an Ayurvedic doctor who has undergone rigorous training in the discipline. Clients are assured of privacy and confidentiality as far as their medical history is concerned, while the ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy have the facility of offering you a prescription along with medication for whatever ills that you may have.

The establishment is certainly very professional and genuine, and uses proper Ayurveda oils that are mixed specifically for your body type and addresses whatever ailments that you may have. It is also a very clean, and is an oasis of peace and quiet. Having being registered by the Department of Ayurveda under the Ministry of Health, the CEO of ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy, Mr. Wantanabe Yasuma, passionately spoke of the 5Cs that form the pillars of this establishment.

The 5Cs are as follows:

Consultation: Provide a doctor’s consultation to all

Certificate: Issue the medical certificate, describes Dosha and a treatment record to all

Combination: Body massage is done by two person, it is ‘Genuine Ayurveda’ based on medical evidence

Clinical record (Karte): Save a clinical record (Karte), for supporting a continued treatment

Cleanliness: Provide a service in the always clean environment.

Walking around the place, you will be pleasantly surprised at how courteous and polite the therapists and doctors are. Moreover, I have not come across a more cleaner, genuine, and hygienic establishment in Colombo. The ambience is calm with rustic overtones, and the decor is visually quite pleasing with facilities such as hot water showers being present.

While the majority of spa venues in Sri Lanka are locally-owned, this particular establishment is Japanese-owned; Mr. Yasuma has lived in Sri Lanka for over 5 years, and speaks of how enticing Sri Lanka is, and he firmly believes that Ayurveda is a national treasure and can be showcased to the rest of world in a better way.

While many locals do visit, it must be said that at present, most of the clientele who visit ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy are foreigners at the moment, but the majority are impressed enough to keep coming back. With professionalism being an important component when it comes to the ethos of the place, which focuses on being very genuine, it needs to be mentioned that therapy sessions are done male-to-male and female-to-female.

The treatment packages are extensive and feature a la carte spa treatments including abhyanga, which is a four-hand massage with lots of herbal oil. While you certainly can choose your own treatment as per your preference, the Ayurvedic doctor may propose a different treatment based on your dosha type.

Speaking of my own experience at the ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy establishment, I’ve learned more about Ayurveda and my body type than ever before. I found out that my dosha type is Pitta, and that I should avoid foods such as tomato and mustard while favoring foods such as apple, snake gourd, lotus root and ghee. Additionally I should avoid loud noises, long trips and overthinking; whereas, meditation and swimming are things that I should consider doing.

Suffice to say, there aren’t other places in Colombo that offer such an extensive list of treatments and health-changing advice. In this day and age when modern life comes with a too many stressors that affect both mental and physical health, it needs to be stated that one needs to be prepared to take on life with a sense of vitality. It is certainly advisable to check out ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy and find your sense of balance mentally and physically so that you’ll find yourself in excellent health.

For reservations: 077-8929-111/ 011-7446-111.

Website: www.exserendib-ayurveda.com.

Colombo’s Newest Dessert Sensation “Love Bites” Opens at Urban Kitchen

Primarily a family concern, Love Bites, has been gaining popularity via social media since the commencement of their operations early this year. Due to the multitude of requests from their patrons they have taken a leap of faith to open their first outlet at Urban Kitchen.

The brand itself captures the highs and lows of love and caters to the varying emotions that come with it. The petite store sits nestled in a cozy corner of Urban Kitchen, which is one of Colombo’s largest F&B hubs. In today’s fast paced world of instant gratification, Love Bites holds steadfastly to old-fashioned concepts with values that are just as important. Their overarching rational is that if you use wonderful ingredients you get wonderful food. For that they go the extra mile.

“We are very much a family run operation and were initially nervous to set up a store. However we find that our customers are patient with us and never demand the niceties of a large commercial enterprise. Because at the end of the day what matters is the quality of the treats we offer on which we strive never to falter”. These were the sentiments of Tanya Goonewardene, one of the co-founders of Love Bites who spends time and effort coming up with different types of no frill desserts that allow the taste buds to issue their verdict. Echoing similar sentiments Buddhike Payoe, who along with Tanya formed Love Bites said, “While we do have ambitious plans of expanding our reach and product range we are not in a real hurry. We want to keep our identity as a home baking outfit concentrating more on delivering high quality products to our clients.”

Love Bites offer an assortment of comfort flavors that are neutral in their sweetness, from the Dark Chocolate Suicide to the delectable After Eight Cupcakes. The coffee lover will be delighted at the thought of the Snow Tip Love Boat and the Tiramisu Cupcake which turns the traditional Italian dessert on its head. The star among others in the troupe is the Strawberry Milky Way which is their twist on the American favourite- TresLeches.

Director of Urban Kitchen, Nihal Hoole, expressed his sentiments adding that Love Bites is a great fit at UK which is the favorite F&B hub in the heart of the city.

Their modus operandi remains primarily on social media and customers are urged to contact them online and pre-order their treats to avoid disappointment. For more information you can call 0776909815/0712737956 or visit them at https://www.facebook.com/LoveBitesTreats

(Photo Credits – Valentine Gnanakan)

Tastes of the World at The Hamilton Deck

Reef’s Edge Resort in Uswetakeiyawa recently presented “Around the Edge of the World” International Food Festival that was held on the 10th of July from 1pm – 11pm at Hamilton Deck. The international food festival combined the best fusion cuisines of ten carefully selected countries with many activities for the young and young at heart!

The day also featured some of Hamilton Deck’s famous attractions like the 200 foot Zip Line, Mega Water Slide, Slip n Slide and a Zorb Ball for those seeking a little adrenaline as well as a unique selection of Colombo’s up and coming live bands and DJs.

The stalls of the ten countries were laid out across the beautifully manicured lawn of the Hamilton Deck, where guests could purchase food and beverage tokens to eat at as many stalls as they choose. Countries featured included Scotland, USA, Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Japan, Italy, UK and our very own Sri Lanka.

Food lovers were issued a “passport” at the entrance to use at the stalls. Guests who were able to conquer all ten countries received prizes courtesy of Reefs Edge Resort.

The carnival atmosphere was set with performances by Magic Box Mix-Up, The Rebels, Manic, The Fix and Natalya & Friends. DJ Hitch was also on board to spin groovy, tunes throughout the day and night to ensure that guests lost some of the pounds put on simply by looking at the extensive array of mouthwatering delicacies from around the world.

Bubblicious Comfort

I’ve never been to Europe let alone a café there but being too much of a movie buff has given me a pretty good idea of what it would look like. Although many establishments that have sprung up in Colombo have made considerable attempts to recreate the ambiance, atmosphere and adventure of the continent, few come close to my imagination. That is until I discovered Bubblelement, which was quite by accident.

First spotting the opening on a friend’s Facebook timeline, the whole “Bubble Tea” thing got me curious. Again in my head (where quite a bit goes on every second), I imagined regular tea mixed up and shaken vigorously so that a snowy foam would appear when poured out and that was what everyone referred to as the “bubbles”. So wrong!

Having also heard quite a bit about the new place in town we decided to make a visit to Bubblelement down Queen’s Road (opposite the Cricket Club Café).

From the moment you enter the chic little café there is so much to take in. The pastel and white furniture, the little trinkets that adorn the tables and hang from the ceiling, and the tongue-in-cheek sayings and quotations strategically placed to catch one’s eye all reminds you of something out of the classic storybook. The only thing that makes the place so-Sri Lankan is probably the constant chatter of families and groups of friends that have thronged the place since its opening.

Bubblelement initially set up shop in a converted garage in Galle and were an instant success with the tourists visiting the Fort and other attractions in the area. They decided to move to Colombo based on recommendations from locals who has visited (and loved) their very different offerings. The establishment has been open for only about 2 months now and they are already running out of space and happen to be looking out for larger spaces in the city.

The staff at the café is just something else as well and come with an attitude that most other establishments lack; friendliness. These guys come across as people who truly love what they do having been trained by the owner himself in preparing signature Bubble Tea.

So what really is Bubble Tea? Look to the wall on the right side of the main entrance and it will tell you the whole story. In short Bubble Tea is a tea-based drink first concocted in Taiwan in the 1980s. The tea is mixed/shaken (at least I was right about that part) with fruit or milk, to which chewy tapioca (manioc to us) balls or fruit jellies are added.

Bubblelement serves both varieties and we tried the Faluda, Oreo, and Honey Dew from the milk-based varieties and the Peach and Pear as well. All drinks are served with fat straws to ensure that every bubble makes its way to your mouth. The Peach and Pear has the fruit jelly clear bubbles which kinda pop in your mouth and has a strong flavour but the Honey Dew was certainly our favourite with the brown tapioca bubbles adding a unique flavour. It is also lots of fun!

The café also serves lots of comfort food. We tried the Chicken Alfredo Panini’s which come packed with lots of shredded chicken salad. Although the pol sambol and Sri Lankan beef curry with cheese we hear is the clear winner we were unfortunate not to try it as they had run out of the filling. There are also profiteroles, cream buns and cakes of the day to complete a meal that is not just affordable but satisfying. And when we say satisfying we don’t just mean the taste buds, we mean the soul.

So here’s our rating…

Location ** (Can do with a lot more parking and seating space)

Ambiance **** (We love the cosy, chic atmosphere and décor but it is a bit loud inside)

Service ***** (One of the friendliest staff in Colombo. Hope they keep it that way)

Food ***** (Feels good to be a kid again)

Overall ****

Ratings

***** We Love It!

**** Got It Right!

*** Getting There!

** Not So Great!

* Needs Serious Re-Thinking!

Written by #FoodiesColumn

Tiesh presents ‘For Him’, the daring men’s range

Tiesh, one of Sri Lanka’s leading contemporary jewellers has entered the men’s market to meet a new growing demand. The new range, ‘For Him’, is part of the 2016 collection which celebrates the timeless elegance of sterling silver and gold jewellery, and, the beauty of natural gemstones for the sartorial man.

The men’s collection, ‘For Him’, continues with the brand’s classic sophistication mixed with contemporary designs, making the range of sterling silver cufflinks, rings, tie and lapel pins visually enthralling.

Among the new collection are also 18 Karat and 14 Karat of yellow, white and rose gold. The new range includes cufflinks, rings, earrings, chains, collar bars, tie-pins, lapel pins, bracelets and leather bracelets studded with precious and semi-precious gemstones. All items are one-off and Tiesh encourages customers to sit with their designers to create the bespoke items they desire.

Located at Duplication Road in Kollupitiya, opposite the Liberty Arcade, Tiesh is not only a jewellery store with a reputation to match. It is also an engaging and hands-on learning experience.

SAVITHRI RODRIGO: THE FACE OF INSPIRATION TO THE SRI LANKAN WOMAN

…by Gopitha Kiribandara

As Helen Keller once said, “When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” Renowned journalist, reading enthusiast, entrepreneur and aesthete Savithri Rodrigo is one such source of inspiration to all women that want to grab life by its lapels. Speaking to Esteem Prime, Savithri shares her innermost thoughts on what it means to live life to its fullest.

The clock turns all the way back to 1987, as she deliberates her humble beginnings; asserting that she started ‘quite by accident’ at the age of 21, Savithri recalls that her initial response to the bundle of joy in her arms was to be a stay-at-home mum. However as the best laid plans of mice and men rarely ever work out, she too realised that she wasn’t cut out to be just at home. “I preferred juggling domesticity with a career!” Opting for the more challenging role of working-mother, Savithri applied for an advertisement in the Daily News which asked for English News Readers for Rupavahini in 1987. “I jumped at the idea as did my husband, who poor man, was faced with a ratty wife every evening!” she jokes.

This ability to laugh at herself is perhaps one the most disarming features of Savithri’s personality. Like a poet she encompasses a holistic view of her life and doesn’t allow the appearance of things to affect her reality. Being recruited as a News reader with some of the best known names in the business such as Ravi John and Jerome de Silva, Savithri recalls, “My first foray into journalism was in television which was unusual in those days… and there was no turning back.” Whereas most women would have backed away fearing the workload and the bloody repercussions of the period of unrest of the 80s and early 90s, Savithri held her ground amidst a collapsing world. “I worked through some harrowing times during the 88/89 JVP insurrection despite numerous threats… I was the only civilian working with the members of the forces who were brought in at the time to read the news.” Her words mirror the courage and boldness that lies beneath her quirky sense of humour. Rising quickly through the ranks of her profession, Savithri’s success was ensured as she wrote and produced TV news, documentaries and aired several radio programmes for SLBC. Speaking of her entry into print media, she says, “I started with profiles and reports for corporates… the Managing Editor of LMD asked me if I would like to write a story or two for LMD and that’s how that part of it began.”

Spreading her influence further, Savithri began working at the Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce in addition to her stints at the SLRC and SLBC, and was part of the organization as it planned the first ever Women in Business Trade Fair. The rush of a busy schedule, instead of zapping her strength, fuelled Savithri to work harder. Never the woman to shy away from her lot in life, Savithri’s innate desire to remain occupied is evident in the words, “I can’t sit in one place for too long. When our daughter Saashya was born in 1990, I was into a thousand things including sitting for my UK exam finals five days after her birth. In fact I was due as the talk show host on Good Morning Sri Lanka with my co-host Premakeerthi for Sinhala and Kamalini Selvarjaha the Tamil co-host, the morning she was born.”

A doting mother and a caring wife, Savithri carries a great sense of duty to always do her best for her family. Despite an increasingly busy schedule, she stands as the ideal role model for all women who wish to balance their careers and their home life. Speaking further she adds that she loves to prepare the family meals, because it helps to ‘ground her’ in reality. “The children always had me around as my work times were quite flexible or even if I had to go to SLRC or SLBC, I would take them with me,” she expresses quietly, adding that she is lucky to have a husband who was supportive of her career moves. “My husband is surely my rock…not forgetting the numerous times he has dropped and picked me up from assignments, including hiding in the car with our son, who was just three during the insurgency, waiting to pick me up after reading a news bulletin, as the whole newsroom was under threat at the time,” she voices with gratitude.

The conversation turns towards Stratyx Promotions & Media Concepts and it is with a rare sense of satisfaction that she speaks of how it all came to pass. Wishing to create a business of her own so that she could spend more time with her children without compromising on the excitement of a career, Savithri claims that Stratyx Promotions & Media Concepts (Pvt) Limited and Stratyx Write (Pvt) Limited was the brainchild of her husband. The companies, which were launched 24 years since, aim to maximizes a client’s exposure in financial, administrative and corporate social responsibility spheres; their services include Integrated Public Relations and Media Services in mass and social media, Management, supervision and coordination of events which include total logistics, entertainment and networking, Internal Communications, Community relations, Corporate Training and the conceptualisation, formulation and writing of annual, sustainability and integrated reports and other corporate image building electronic and print avenues. The company collates the experience of two decades since its establishment, and is Savithri’s proud legacy to the world.

Her words carry the power to make a person think, to sit back and take stock of life, and ponder the worth of human existence. Her success, which she credits to hard work and determination, is grounded on a never-say-die attitude that strengthens Savithri to strive for the best; winning numerous awards acclaims for her achievements, she attributes it thus; “Each award I’ve won has been exciting but it has also driven me to look inward and see what I need to do to improve. I don’t compromise on the quality parameters I have set for myself so no matter how luring a project is, if it means compromising my values or the quality of my work, I would rather stay at home and read a book.”

Reading has indeed played a pivotal role in shaping Savithri’s views as an individual. While her passion lies with people and work, the introvert in her loves to dwell in the world of arts and literature. A self-professed fan of the theatre, Savithri spares no expense in her appreciation of a good stage play. In her own words, “An unforgettable moment has been Shakespeare in the Park at a performance of The Tempest last year at Central Park with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sam Waterston and Charles Parnell.” The witticisms never cease as she affirms that Broadway and The West End shows have left her ‘as poor as a church mouse sometimes, but well worth it!’ A travel enthusiast, she also loves to hop on a plane and wander where her heart takes her. “I enjoy walking around places, imbibing ways of life, the architecture, art, culture and the music. Nothing like it!”

Regarding the twists and turns that life has had to offer, she is eloquent and forthright in her revelation that even though the road has rarely been a smooth one, the speed bumps have nonetheless allowed her to grow as a person. She recalls a harrowing experience regarding her son who was suffering from a neuro problem at the age of 12; “His survival in the next few days was a 50:50 chance. The day our son was getting a lumber puncture, which was traumatic enough given that we didn’t know what was wrong with him, my father in law, who had been paralysed for about two years with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, passed away. We had to organise a funeral and contend with a sick child who was at death’s door.” This chilling tale has a happy ending however, as Savithri learnt the value of keeping her faith in dire circumstances. A month of trauma suffered only strengthened her faith in God; she believes that a miracle ensued as her son was cured of all symptoms. “To this day as Sashan shows no sign of any of what he experienced and has made us proud with a degree in engineering and a double Masters,” she gushes, adding her heartfelt gratitude to the people that made it possible, Professor Stella De Silva and Dr Colvin Samarasinghe. The realization that materialistic values can wither away in a second, leaving nothing except faith in one’s heart has strengthened Savithri as an individual.

As a career woman and journalist, her mantra in life is to “Work hard and enjoy what I do. If you don’t like what you’re doing give it up and start something that makes you passionate and joyous. Most of all, be happy and don’t try to change what you cannot change, instead, adapt and make the most of it.” Ever the optimist who believes that the glass is always full, Savithri regards each day as a learning experience. “Never think you know everything. Hard work, doing your homework and not making a mistake twice is the trick. Learn everything you can about the subject you are dealing with.”

She also considers gender equality as a concept that needs to be used for the benefit of women; addressing the issue from her clear perspective she states, “On being a woman, I always believe there’s a ying and yang and we need men in our lives too. Women and men together make a whole. Work with the men to get what we want would be my ethos.” Her views thus expressed, Savithri continues to make the world a better place. Her story is one of a kind, her words weave magic and her personality creates confidence in others… with a zeal for life that can be envied by women half her age, Savithri Rodrigo is truly the face of inspiration to the modern Sri Lankan woman.

Mahika Chandrasena reflects

By Uditha Devapriya

We all have our passions. They define us. We live with them so closely that despite those mundane choices life throws at us, they determine what we do and what we commit ourselves to. True, along the way we have to make decisions which don’t always conform to what we like, but those passions of ours survive even through them. Mahika Chandrasena, Director of Marketing Communications at Galle Face Hotel, clearly has understood the importance of all this. She talked to ESTEEM. She reflected. We listened.

To start things off, how would you describe a typical day at work?

Sure. First of all, I follow a critical path embracing and integrating a wide range of activities. I plan, schedule, and document. Given the nature of this industry we are in, however, there can be one-off ad hoc requests which crop up. We have to deal with them as and when we encounter them. So yes, all in all a typical day is routine for me. It’s also fun.

What do you think is the biggest challenge for someone in your line of work?

To be honest, there are five big challenges and it’s hard to list them in any order. They are

The global financial crisis, which basically hits our customers in a way that makes over the top expenditure a waste sometimes,
Competition, which compels us to slash our rates to attract customers sustaining a minimum base,
Differentiating this hotel from the rest by creating new product offerings,
Widening the range of activities our customers can look out for, and
Keeping a tab on social media to ensure that our image isn’t affected and to update ourselves on the latest trends in the industry.

How do you engage with all these?

By being resilient. By facing the drastic changes this world is facing. By focusing on technology and innovation. And by finding the right talent to fit the right role.

In this industry you have to meet a lot of people and meet a lot of deadlines. How do you manage all that?

Simple. I consider everything I’ve encountered in my career so far as a choice, a decision, or an opportunity. On the other hand I always choose in favour of my passions. How does that work out? Well, when I do that, my interests become an integral part of the choices and decisions I make and the opportunities I see in everything. Not that I have the same interests all the time, but while interests may change passions don’t. That is how I look at life and how I look at others, so much so that I delegate work to my team members knowing what each of their passions are.

How did you get into this industry?

I chose travel and tourism because I felt that it ran in my veins. So from the beginning, I placed value on my education and learnt about hospitality, travel, and tourism as much as I could. In fact both my Bachelors and Masters Degrees are from these areas. I came into the hospitality sector later, after much soul-seeking.

How do you manage to balance your career and your life?

That’s tough. I admit I haven’t been able to strike out a perfect balance. I think we focus our energy on balance too much, besides. We should be more concerned about prioritising, on inculcating patience, on being perseverant, and on inculcating faith in what we do. It’s then that we realise that life is more than just being a workaholic. It’s about being passionate, about discovering self and exploring the many facets life opens to you. I sport a motto wherever I am: Love what you do and do what you love. I follow it to the best of my abilities. I haven’t failed.

Time for some out of the blue questions. Who are your top three role models?

Firstly, Erin Brockovich. I consider her to be a modern-day David who loves a good fight with today’s Goliaths. She thrives on being a voice for those who can’t yell. She is a rebel. A fighter. A mother. A woman. In short, me.

Secondly, Leigh Anne Tuohoy. She reminds me of my mother: she inspires you but then she can be a firecracker too. She had a career but focused her energies on finding Michael Oher a home. Strong-willed she was, wore different hats, and didn’t limit herself to being only a mother and nurturer but also a wife and housekeeper who went out there and worked. Her words of wisdom are: I’m not a big women’s liberation person, but I do think that women have to contribute to all aspects in society.

Thirdly, Chris Gardner, the Founder and CEO of Gardner Rich and Co. He represents to me a true rags-to-riches saga. A person who journeyed through sadness, tragedy, grief, and happiness, who obtained strength to continue what he did and went on to be the success he is today.

If you could go back in time, what period would you go to?

Not that far. I’d say 2013 and 2014, because back then I was more spiritual and wiser.

You have three wishes. What are they?

Firstly, that I had another child in 2005, since that would have changed my life today. Secondly, that I see my son through College so that he has a career he can be passionate about to look forward to and so that he can be a happy and spiritual father. And thirdly, that I become more spiritual and that I inculcate more patience.

What are your current plans and what are your (not so distant) future plans?

I plan to enjoy life to the fullest and do good deeds unto God and then see my son derive happiness from whatever he does.

Any words of wisdom or points to ponder, looking back?

Yes. Respect yourself enough to walk away from ANYTHING that no longer makes you joyful. Happiness isn’t a destination you reach at the end, but a way of life that colours the moment. Remember that.

Creating Spaces with Lalin

The art of creating something out of nothing, organizing interior spaces to look and feel above and beyond, and matching colours with moods and moments is not something for the fainthearted. In fact many of the greatest names in the architectural and interior design spectrum spend countless hours and months if not years creating just one room. Perfectionism is commonplace amongst these master craftsmen and Sri Lanka as a nation has been blessed and recognized for some of the world’s best. From the Bawa’s to the Balmond’s this little paradise island is dotted with spectacular works that tell many tales of their creators.

Among the modern generation of these artisans is Lalin Jinasena. Known at first as a hotelier, Lalin began his career in hospitality by managing two hotels belonging to his father’s company, the Jinasena Group. However, his passion for design was prominent from an early age. Lalin’s keen eye for everything design has been sought after for many years. Since 2004 he has been handling private clients, and with the growing demand for his work both locally and globally decided to launch his own design company/studio “Lalin Design” in 2015.

However his latest venture is an extension of design itself in the form of a stylish yet affordable furniture store. SPACE caters to home, offices, retail venues or hotels. Located at No. 221, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 07 the latest store stocks modern furniture that has been handpicked and sourced by Lalin himself from around the world. Each piece is unique and suits the modern metropolitan lifestyle that Colombo is soon evolving into.

The statement piece furniture at SPACE is made up of leather, fiberglass and other sustainable yet strong materials. They also embody a sense of elegance which can be matched with the personal style of the purchaser. One can also find plush rugs, ornamental pieces not found elsewhere in Sri Lanka, signature mirrors, designer light fittings from around the world and a distinct collection of Lalin’s own photography to complement and complete the perfect home.

Office furniture is also among the extensive range of products available for SPACE for all those new age entrepreneurs who wish to reach Google and Facebook standards of office interiors. Thus Lalin’s clientele is not limited to individuals but also extends to property developers, hoteliers, restaurant and café owners who want their establishments to look and feel different to the plethora in Colombo.

A budding young entrepreneur, perhaps the best known landmark in Lalin’s career is his own multi awarded Casa Colombo, a private boutique hotel with 12 designer suites, restaurants and bar housed within a grand 200-year-old mansion in Colombo. Lalin acquired the historical building in 2006 and restored it in only 8 months. He also designed every piece of furniture and decor himself, solely using craftsmen and materials from Sri Lanka. Among some of the other great undertakings that are benchmarks around the country are the Casa Colombo Collection Mirissa, the Mahout Adventure Club, Michelle Therese Atelier Store, Oceana Apartments and Villas, the Odel Boulevard and Ladies Dressing Rooms, Park West Apartments, Juce Hotels and the Royal Lotus Hotel. Lalin has also designed homes, villas and apartments for some of the best known names in Colombo.

Casa Colombo was voted “The Best Design Boutique Hotel in the World” in 2012 by the Boutique Hotel Awards, and also “Sri Lanka’s Leading Hotel” in 2011 at the World Travel Awards, and won the 2011 Asia Pacific Hotel Award Prize for Best Interior Design. It was also awarded the Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor for 2011. Casa Colombo is a Conde Nast Hotlist Hotel and has been praised for its interior in publications such as Wallpaper, AD, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and In Style.

Meanwhile Lalin’s Casa Colombo Collection was awarded the Country Winner for Luxury Design Hotel at the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2015 2. It was also named Asia’s Best Classic Boutique Hotel at the Boutique Hotel Awards 2014, Asia’s Leading Business Hotel at the World Travel Awards 2013, Best Small Hotel and Highly Commended Hotel Interior at the Asia Pacific Hotel Awards 2013. Casa Colombo Collection in Mirissa was also named Asia’s Best Beach or Coastal Boutique Hotel and Asia’s Leading Boutique Resort at the Boutique Hotel Awards 2015 and World Travel Awards 2015 respectively.

Under his group – LM Jinasena & Co. are a host of other businesses which include Gonuts with Donuts, Chop Chop Kottu, Lalin Design, Lalin Gallery, and the newly opened Juce Hotels.