IN MEMORY OF OLD XAVERIAN MAHINDA RANAWEERA ON HIS BIRTHDAY

We think our friend and member of the St Xavier’s OBA Mahinda Ranaweera deserves a few lines of appreciation from us on his BIRTHDAY. Born on the 18th July 1946 he commenced his primary education at Good Shepherd Convent and entered St Xavier’s College that was under the purview of the De La Salle Brothers. After leaving College he had his hands on Batik art while being engaged in music with the Rubicons beat band.

He has been a founder member of the Rubicons Beat band headed by Old Xaverian Paul Perera in 1963. Messrs. Cecil Palpola, Lionel, Sena Pathirana, Chrishanthus Nanayakkara, and Mahinda Ranaweera have been the pioneer members of the band that had been much popular since 1960’s.

On hearing the sudden demise of Mahinda Ranaweera, Paul Perera, one of the Senior Advisors of the SXCOBA mentioned that Mahinda Ranaweera who had been his classmate had been a very helpful member of the band and always held a pleasant disposition.

Another prominent member and the bassist of the band Cecil Palpola on hearing the sad news sent in the following lines “Mahinda was my classmate since we were in the kindergarten at Good Shepherd Convent. Then from 3rd standard onwards we were always together in the same class. He was very much talented from his young days. He was with our band Rubicons until he moved to Kandy. We were family friends. I last met him in Kandy when I visited him in 2019. I miss his smiling face”

Neil Wijeratne, another Old Xaverian presently residing in Canada sent the following lines on Mahinda Ranaweera “I Knew his family for a long time. Mahinda’s father was a great friend of my dad. Mahinda was a close friend, simple Gentleman unassuming very talented a great friend from my early School days in Nuwara Eliya. My deepest sympathies to his family! – May his soul rest in Peace!

Mary De Joodt who had been a past pupil at Good Shepherd added the following lines “Sad news. My condolences to his family. I remember him from his young days. His sister Malini was a student at Good Shepherd and joined the staff of the convent as a teacher. She was my class teacher one year. She married Oven De Mel. I can picture them, both good looking, a handsome couple. Mr Ranaweera Senior always wore a light colour suit and had a friendly smile on his face. Mr De Mel may have been a public servant because I think they moved to Trincomalee when they left Nuwara Eliya. My memories of Nuwara Eliya are still quite vivid in my mind. I am so sad about all that is happening in Sri Lanka. God bless all of you and keep you strong”

Mahinda Ranaweera hails from a respectable family in Nuwara Eliya. His father Don Edwin Ranaweera had been a well-respected gentleman who functioned as the Gamsabapathi of the area. Bro. Anselm Stanislaus, the Director of St Xavier’s College had never missed to have a chat with his father whenever he passed his residence ‘Greensthope’ on his bicycle. The benevolence of his maternal uncle Rev.Senanada Thero, the founder of the Bauddha Mandiraya in Nuwara Eliya is fondly remembered by the people of Nuwara Eliya.

Mahinda Ranaweera started his career as a designer, a painter, and a sculpture artist in 1970 and took a turn in 1980’s which made him a Batik Artist. A self-made artist with inborn talents, he practiced his own independent style in every creation from the very inception and discovered and managed an extraordinary ability in the field of batik and sculpturing varying figures in natural leather with vivid portrayals of character using new methods in waxing and dying with three dimensional effects in colour formations.

Revolutionizing the Batik industry in Sri Lanka he instituted his own gallery “Creations” in Kandy in 1985. With meagre resources he climbed up to the climax in the industry winning NINE PRESIDENTIAL awards and won over Seventy Gold medals Internationally and locally. In 1989 he was inspired by a Philippian and produced a leather belt and a purse. He did not stop there. He went on to creating 3D human figures out of leather. All his leather creations were enthralled with facial expressions and details. He is considered the first ever artist in the world to use goat skin to produce human figures. His creation of the Kandian Dancer (Figure of the Award-winning dancer, Peter Surasena) earned a Presidential Award.

Carol Aloysius reported the following in the Sunday Observer of 10th Nov 1991 under the caption ‘Mahinda’s Kandyan Dancer, cynosure of all visitors’ – “An elaborately dressed Kandyan dancer, standing in the centre of the hall at the SAARC exhibition of handicrafts now on at World Trade Centre has become the cynosure of all visitors to this unique exhibition.

This five-and-a-half-foot tall dancer cuts an impressive and unusual figure not merely because of his elaborate attire. His main attraction lies in the fact that he is all leather from head to toe including the costume he wears and the ornaments that adorn his dress.

It took Mahinda Ranaweera, (45), winner of several Vishwakarma awards, more than three months to create his newest exhibit, which judging from the praise it has received, from both local and foreign visitors at the exhibition, is his best creative effort so far.

A batik designer by profession, Mahinda began taking an interest in leather just three years ago, when he decided to follow a one-day course in leather craft ‘just for fun:’

A designer for the past three years, Mahinda hopes to display these models either along with his batiks at his gallery in Kandy, or else house them separately. ‘It should be a tourist attraction as well,” he says optimistically”

The Daily News reported the following on 18th July 1998.

“He took part in the National Art and handicrafts Exhibition in 1986 at which he won the highest award the Gold Medal along with two other prizes for his outstanding performances. Since then, he has won one or more of first three places at National Exhibitions held every year. Mahinda won the Presidential Award and became one of the leading Batik Artists in Sri Lanka.

His Artwork and leather sculptures have earned a renowned place in the industry. He has won seven Presidential awards. The following are some of the awards won by him: Gold Medal in 1986 – at the exhibition conducted by the Sri Lanka Handicrafts Exhibition first place at the Exhibition conducted by Laksala in 1990, the Presidential award at the Exhibition conducted by the National Handicrafts Institute in 1993; the presidential award for his all-round skill, the first place at the District Batik Exhibition, in 1999 and the Presidential award at the National Handicrafts Exhibition, the first place in 2000 and 2001.

Mahinda Ranaweera intends to produce artificial limbs for disabled soldiers out of leather which will be comfortable to use.”

He went onto represent Sri Lanka at the International Exhibition organized by the Nagoya international Centre in Japan on the 22nd to 26th July 1998.

It was mentioned that unfortunately the National Arts Council of Sri Lanka had to remove his name from the entry list of contestants as he was unbeatable consecutively several years.

His achievements speak volumes for themselves with sculptor varied figures in natural leather, with vivid portrayals of characters and movement. He also has to his name, a collection of highly valuable oil paintings that have been recognized amongst the best in the field. Old Xaverian Mahinda Ranaweera who is highly recognized in both the fields of Leather and Bathik has made an incomparable record in quality, blended with his own unique style of rhythm, which has not been and will not change in time to come.

His advice and contribution of information towards the compiling of the Xaverian 150th Anniversary book in 2009, and assistance as a judge of the Virtual Art competition of the Xaverian Stay Home Challenge during the lockdown in 2020 were his final engagement with the SXCOBA which are always remembered with gratitude.

Mahinda Ranaweera leaves his beloved wife, his loving daughter Ashani -Niranjan and his siblings Rohan, Malini, Lalith, Lilani, and Laxman.

Now he has joined his friends and bandsmen Jewel Gunathilake, Ananda Gunathilake, Chrishanthus Nanayakkara, Lionel, Sena Pathirana, Julian Packeer and Tony Packeer to sing along with angels in heaven.

May his soul rest in peace and rise in glory

Jt. Secretaries

St Xavier’s College -OBA

17th July 2022