A reservoir of legal knowledge, he shared it with all (Sunday Times – 25/03/07).
Ten years have passed so fast since Diyanesh passed away in March 1997.
After having attended Wesley College and Thurstan College , Diyanesh took to law in the family tradition and passed out as an Attorney-at-Law. He was one of the first to successfully complete the MBA programme at the University of Colombo.The mundane business of making money however attracted him little. This led him to join the Employers Federation of Ceylon and specialize in labour law.
Diyanesh was also a great sportsman and excelled in rugger and cricket. He was also a cricket commentator during the latter years of his short life that ended in 1997 when he was 44 years.
Those who knew Diyanesh will agree that there was something exceptional about him. He had a remarkable mind and he read and wrote widely. He was a gifted draftsman and an accomplished advocate. New or intricate legal points interested him. His uncanny and profound knowledge of the law coupled with his ability to direct one to an authority from memory was unusual.
He did not parade his knowledge but humbly shared it with all who sought his advice. He was known for his humanity and particularly helping little people who needed help. Diyanesh’s achievements speak for themselves and he brought an unparalleled degree of dignity, courtesy, fairness, candour and complete integrity to everything he did. His knowledge of the law was one matter. He could talk with authority on the classics, science, poetry, sports or whatever.
There is so much respect for Diyanesh’s pursuit of perfection. He demanded so much from himself and instilled into all who surrounded him that great yearning for perfection.
I write about Diyanesh now as he deserves to be remembered. Diyanesh was a great man and was a role model par excellence. “They who think that you are gone, Because no more your face they see,
Are wrong, for in our hearts you live And always will in memory”.
Our thoughts are with his beloved wife Devarani and his two wonderful daughters Dashanya and Dhanushka.
By Suresh Muthulingam
Sunil Karunanayake – Undoubtedly Diyanesh was a great Character and easily the most outstanding sportsman Thurstan produced.
Bathiya Seebert – Diyanesh, was a genius no doubt in all these fields, but what I personally felt as a senior of his at Thurstan, was his unlimited capacity for human interaction at all levels and the down to earth approach towards life itself. He, always, loved and lived his life up to his simple aspirations. I personally, along with many past Thurstanites who are regular visitors to my place after our Big Match for fellowship, have been missing him for the last ten years, with his very vibrant and melodically singing for which he himself gave the lead and enjoyed the music and the singing to the hilt very much. He, definitely will live in all our hearts for ever and our thoughts will always be with his family too.