LW

Colombo, 24th November 2009: With typical creative flair the annual hair show by graduates of the Ramani Fernando Sunsilk Hair Academy was magnificent and had the audience awe inspired. The power of Sunsilk, Unilever’s flagship hair care brand was evident in the complete collection of colour, cut and styling looks as the graduating students toiled to create masterpieces out of hair. Hair Art 2009 expertly produced by creative show produces Senaka De Silva, concluded by setting trends in cuts and textures for the coming year.

Strongly supported by Sunsilk, the graduation hair show, an annual event was intended to show the public the mettle of the students at the end of their course year. Graduating students who are trained stylists transformed the tresses of over 100 hand picked models, creating a stunning show while gaining the necessary exposure to venture into a career in hairdressing.

“This is the Sunsilk philosophy”, articulated Dilini Dahanayake, Unilever’s brand manager for Sunsilk. “The brand is all about empowering young people to take control of their lives and make things happen through opportunities afforded to them”, she explained. Sunsilk through its ‘Life can’t wait’ proposition is fully involved with the academy which has provided us an ideal platform from which to gear many young entrepreneurs with the required skills.

Of the 104 graduating students, 32 are Sunsilk scholarship students, picked from the many Sunsilk workshops held in various parts of Sri Lanka. Students trained in skills are equipped with the knowledge that hair is not just an accessory but embodies its own trends.

If your doctor finds out that your baby is small due to improper blood supply through the placenta, the doctor takes necessary steps to monitor the growth and well-being. Only way to monitor growth and well-being of the foetus is by performing an ultrasound scan. At the time of the initial scan, the basic measurements of the foetus are taken and estimated weight of the baby is calculated. Starving small babies have a smaller abdominal circumference compared to the head measurements.

The size of the liver contributes to the measurement around the abdomen and when the foetus is starving the fetus has less stored energy in the form of glycogen and therefore the liver becomes small reducing the size of abdominal circumference. When the blood supply through the umbilical cord is less than normal, the foetus reacts by maintaining the normal blood supply to the vital organs like brain ( head sparing effect) whilst curtailing the blood supply to less important organs(kidneys, intestines etc) for survival inside the womb. The blood flow of the umbilical cord can be assessed by performing a Doppler Ultrasound scan. When the blood supply to the kidneys is reduced, the foetus would produce less urine and the amount of water around the baby becomes less. This can be measured by an ultrasound scan.

Starving small babies have a smaller abdominal measurement compared to head measurements. Next step is to find out if the blood supply is acceptable at the time of examination. If the blood supply is normal (normal Doppler flow Ultrasound scan) with normal amount of water around the baby (normal Amniotic fluid), serial scans are done once in two to three weeks to check if growth is parallel. This is done by performing an ultrasound scan to take the measurements of head, abdomen and thigh bone and plotting the measurements on a standard growth chart. Parallel growth shows that the baby is growing inside the womb and the nutrients are adequate for growth. When there is flattening of growth implying that there is a slower growth rate, the blood flows and amniotic fluid levels are checked. If the blood flow or amniotic fluid level is below normal or not acceptable, a decision has to be taken to consider delivery.

Timing and mode of delivery is done depending upon the period of gestation, the estimated weight of the baby, amount of water around the baby and blood supply etc. A steroid injection is given to the mothers of premature babies before the delivery to enable baby’s lung maturation to minimize problems associated with breathing.

[Lakmini Wijemanne]

How many times have you spent valuable minutes looking for an elusive book, a document, the measuring tape, the needle, a single sock or various other things that is not where its supposed to be? Especially, in the morning, you may be busy trying to get your kids to school on time, when someone suddenly ask “did you see my… anywhere?” Sometimes it could very well be your own car keys or the pair of glasses or the house key that you spend time looking for, which would not be an auspicious start to the day. But, if everything is where they are supposed to be?? How easy your life would be!

It is a good habit to learn to be organized from the young days. Start from your toddler’s toys. Make her learn to be methodical and organized so that you will not find her toys underfoot all the time. Give her a big cardboard or plastic box and teach her to put all her Toys into it after playing. Putting the toys into the box itself could be a game, to get her interested in. When your child grows up, appoint places for various items in her room or the table. In the same way, the rest of the household members should also comply with being organized. A rack to keep the shoes, a clothes-rack to hang the clothes in, a basket for the dirty clothes, book racks for books, a table and a chair to do school work at are a few items that could be kept in a room to keep things organized.

In your kitchen, have your cupboards and drawers designated to different items so that it is easy for you to work in your kitchen. Your cutlery, crockery, spice jars, dry rations, tinned/canned food items, serviettes and various other items belonging in the kitchen should each have a designated area, making everything easily accessible too.

To keep track of an event taking place, you could have a notice board in the kitchen or the pantry so that at a glance your appointments, special events, days and times of various classes are visible to you or anyone in the family as a daily reminder. You can also have a “To Do” list either on your fridge or on the notice board to refresh your memory.

A key area prone to disarray is a closet/Almirah. It would be a good idea to neatly arrange stocks of all item of clothing in a manner that works for you. Do not just push your clothes in. It will save you precious minutes in the morning looking for the elusive items that you really need.

Being organized in our home, workplace, or anywhere also helps us tremendously to ‘keep ourselves sane in this busy lifestyle especially. If you have been foreseeing enough to have your kids being trained to be organized, you will have less stress in your life. Besides, being organized helps one to better manage the time during the day. One doesn’t have to be of a certain age to learn this, and earlier you start, your life would be that much peaceful. A well organized day can leave time aside to engage in relaxing exercises to wind-up the day in a happier frame of mind.

[by Shabnam Farook]

Have you ever wondered what Feng Shui really is? Feng Shui is an ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure the health and good fortune for people inhabiting it.

Feng means wind and shui means water. In Chinese culture wind and water are associated with good health, thus good Feng Shui came to mean good fortune, while bad Feng Shui means bad luck, or misfortune.

In today’s social context where life is riddled with trials and tribulations Feng Shui has gained unprecedented popularity as a medium that people have begun to explore in order to enhance the quality of one’s life.

With Feng Shui becoming commercialized it is important that one does not get hoodwinked by imposters who claim to be Feng Shui consultants or so called experts, therefore it’s wise that you seek the support of a qualified Feng Shui expert and learn the correct methodology of Feng Shui to reap maximum benefits.

For those interested in learning the true art of Feng Shui, Thilangani Herath, a master practitioner and consultant certified by world famous Feng Shui experts, Lillian Too, Joey Yap and grand master Yap Cheng Hai will share her expertise by conducting classes from January onwards.

“Feng Shui is not a religion, it’s not a belief and it’s not magic. It’s the study of cosmic powers that surround us. Feng Shui is a combination of science and art and Feng shui symbols are a just one strand of it. Knowing about the symbols alone won’t bring you productive results. There needs to be a clear understanding of both the symbols and science in order to achieve good results. One needs to learn the correct theory behind Feng Shui in order to understand how to use it to enhance one’s life and suppress your problems,” explained Thilangani Herath.

Thilangani’s classes are meant for anyone and everyone with an affinity towards Feng Shui. She offers these classes based on seven different modules. One has to master all seven modules to become a Feng Shui consultant however, with the completion of the first module you can become a Feng Shui master of your own home, she noted.

“When you complete the first module you learn the basic essence of Feng Shui which will help you identify important aspects like the bad areas of your home, which bed room you should sleep in to enhance your health and relationships, if the position of the door suits your home, if it doest not how to change the position of the door without breaking it. You can also learn about the money points of your home, how to develop a healthy relationship with your spouse and how to reduce unwarranted arguments in the house” pointed out Thilangani.

Thilangani will conduct Feng Shui classes for seven weekends, on Saturdays starting from the 30th of January while an introductory class will get underway on the 25th of January. Classes will be conducted at ICTAD – Institute for Construction Training and development, Sawsirupaya.

In the latest Feng Shui news, Thilangani states that Feng Shui followers and enthusiasts have formed ‘The Association of Feng Shui Sri Lanka’. Members are provided with many privileges and special offerings which include an exclusive CD that contains how to effectively use Feng Shui in the year 2010 to enrich the quality of your life and discounts on classes conducted by Thilangani.

She added “members get an opportunity to find out information about auspicious days and months from the association while they are also entitled to a free session of ba–zi reading (Chinese horoscope) from the experts.

Meanwhile, if you wish to learn more about Feng Shui do grab a copy of Feng Shui Sri Lanka published by Thilangani herself. Feng Shui Sri Lanka which is available in both magazine and paper format is a monthly issue that provides informative tips on how to effectively use Feng Shui to develop one’s life.

[by Lakmini Wijemanne]

They had been living abroad for many years, and a couple of years back, felt the need and the pull of the homeland-living, and decided to come back and live here. So they cleared their home there, and shipped everything here. They already had, by then, purchased a half-built house down Baddgana and set about making the house a home.

The home undoubtedly is a gem. For, it offers anyone who steps in through its doors, an open invitation to relax, and enjoy the flow of the cool breezes. The open Plan on which the house is built in allows it to have a lot of breeze flowing through the house, making it quite cool inside. The house has two gardens in the back and the front the entranceway borders the garage and the little courtyard in the front and leads up to the main door. A set of tall French windows opens on to the front courtyard with its long fish pond and the frangipani tree.

The downstairs area comprises of a long wide hall, which ends with another set of tall French windows opening on to a sit-out area at the back and the back-garden tastefully planted. With various foliage which adds delightful splashes of colour. The interior is cleverly sectioned into two differently arranged sitting areas and the dining area. With the floor done in polished black tiles and the white walls, the owners had settled into a theme of beige, cream, grey and white colours, to decorate their spaces. The dining room flows into the well-appointed pantry which is totally in black and silver.

The worktops are in stainless steel, and to match this, the black wall tiles interspersed with small silver tiles which adds a certain “attitude” to the pantry. Again, long French windows opens on to the back garden and the sit-out area. Near the staircase onto a side is the visitors’ room. The stairs are all done in teak-wood and this continues on to the upstairs landing as well. In the upper floor, there are 02 bedrooms with one room - the master bedroom - enjoying vast spaces of a spacious dressing room and two attached bathrooms with a balcony running along the full length of the room. Another room is set apart as a music and TV room which is appointed with state-of-the-art music and movie viewing equipment, as befits the requirement of the owners. Since both of them loves to enjoy good music and movies.

Although the architectural floor-plan is quite simple, the house exudes its own brand of charm in its simple lines on which it is built. The extra tall doors (nearly 8 inches tall!!) adds to the feeling of spaciousness, and the absence of any unnecessary walls or pillars allows unhindered vision, and this makes one feel quite relaxed and calm in its spaces. It also facilitates the free flow of the breeze within the house therefore, keeping the interiors quite cool. All the draperies and furniture also have been chosen to further compliment this spacious feeling in the house. The few art pieces and the tastefully chosen ornaments arranged around the house adorn the spaces they are in, since they all compliment the basic house design.

Still, the lady of the house informed me, the sit-out area in the back garden is theirs as well as their visitors favourite place in the home!!

It’s hard to miss the hot-pink lettering on the black boutique-signboard which reads ANMOL on a drive down Staple Street, Colombo. Moreover, it becomes more prominent when an onlooker catches a glimpse of the stunning window displays that always feature one-of-a-kind outfits. It has been only one and half years since this elite boutique opened the doors to its customers. The store which solely featured apparel collections of some of the most sought after designers in the global fashion arena is now geared to launch the next high fashion trend with an exclusive line of shoes which will be available in-store.

“Whatever additions we have made to the store, we have done so only after understanding the needs and preferences of our clients. One such gap that we identified was the necessity to obtain the right footwear to enhance every outfit,” explained proprietor of Anmol Sabeena Patni.

Sabeena Patni says with certainty, “I am launching the sexiest shoes in town.” The collection will be diverse ranging from the branded shoe collections made in Italy, Malaysia and India to labels such as Tresmode, which has Italian and Asian roots. Tresmode inspired by the high streets of Milan, Paris and Tokyo offers a wide range of choices. They vary from trendy slip-ons to stylish office wear, sleek and sexy stilettos to chic gladiator slippers etc. These shoes will definitely help modern fusionists to achieve the ultimate fashion statement they all crave. Moreover, the shoe collection will also include the label Varushka, the trendiest designer patronized by all high end designers and celebrities in India, as well as many other exclusive brands for the craziest shoe fans in Sri Lanka.

“Currently we are featuring only Western-styled shoes but we do have plans to bring in designer bags next season,” added Co-proprietor Husain Patni. Speaking further about the new additions to the store, he said, Anmol has always strived to offer the most exclusive apparel to their clientele and added the shoes “will be a special extension of what we offer.”

The store offers sublime collections of some of the most celebrated designers. Ranging from the striking, funky collection of Neelanjan Ghosh to the lustrous and sexy glamour wear collection of Renu Tandon, the haut couture extent over to the unic attire arrays by Indian fashion empress, Retu Kumar. The latest label in the boutique is Pizzuto by Suzie Vella, a hugely popular contemporary designer featured at the Australian Fashion week recently.

The shop also comprises its own private label, Anmol, designed by Krishna Mehta. Anmol speaks of an extensive range of simple formal wear for the working woman. The dazzling sari and shalwar collection is also one of the most unique elements of this store.

Anmol serves an exclusive customer base and the boutique’s proprietors take pride in having understood their clients’ individual preferences when it comes to high fashion dressing.

Speaking of their future plans Hussain Patni explained that they were aspiring to create a complete fashion experience at Anmol gradually. ‘Our aim is to transform Anmol into the ultimate high-end fashion store where our customers’ every fashion need can be met under our roof. There are more surprises in store and we welcome all those who wish to make a unique fashion statement to come in and discover what’s on offer at Anmol and feel the difference,” they added.

Facebook fan cuts ribbon with founder Otara to open four-storied new store… Fashion retail phenomenon ODEL treated the cosmopolitan community of Mount Lavinia to a spectacular evening of glitz recently, when Sri Lanka’s definitive department store opened its doors to this coastal suburb. A dramatic opening event saw a red-carpet, flash-popping premiere –style event at which the celebrities were the first wave of shoppers who crossed the threshold into this latest outlet of the iconic ODEL chain, at the top of Hotel Road. “Mount Lavinia is a milestone for ODEL”, said its founder and CEO Otara Gunewardene. “It is the start of a new phase of expansion and the first of several new stores planned for the immediate future.”

On opening night, the outlet resembled a small Hollywood premiere with criss crossing beam lights, a red carpet, giant scissors, velvet stanchions and fireworks. As guests entered, waiting ‘paparazzi’ clamoured to take their photographs. Involving a member of the public in the opening, Ms. Gunewardene cut the traditional ribbon jointly with Mr. Supun Fernando, one of her Facebook fans living in the Mount Lavinia area.

A few days prior to the opening, ODEL had distributed invitations in the neighbourhood through supermarkets and schools in the area. These invitations carried a tear off portion through which customers would win five prizes of Rs 5, 000 each. Early bird customers to the new outlet also have an opportunity to participate in this draw by picking up these coupons at the cashiers’ counters and filling them in.

Comprising of more than 6,000 square feet on four floors, the new store is sleek and stylish and provides the much-loved ambience that is unique to ODEL. It is packed with trendy, affordable fast fashion for men women and children. Located at No. 04, Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia, the store contains all the key departments of ODEL including ‘Ladies’, ‘Mens,’ ‘Kids,’ and ‘Souvenir’ sections and ‘Backstage,’ for glamour accessories. It also includes the ‘Embark’ collection of apparel, jewellery, accessories and pet products, as well as the ‘Six Runs’ section for sports and casual wear and fun accessories.

The new outlet also hosts tenant outlets such as ‘Roots’ and ‘Sugar Burger’ that add extra value to the shopping experience. Sri Lanka’s best known retailer of fashionable, affordable clothing and accessories, the ODEL chain comprises of a flagship outlet at Alexandra Place and outlets at Kohuwala, Nugegoda (Warehouse) Dickman’s Road, Ja-ela, Majestic City, Crescat (Backstage) and at the Bandaranaike International Airport. The ODEL website www.odel.lk offers online shoppers the same Odel experience from the comfort of their own homes or offices, with sophisticated, seamless e-commerce functionality.

From the teardrop isle of Ceylon, an exotic paradise nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, comes natural well-being rituals and practices drawn from age-old Ayurveda wisdom, deep rooted in the culture of the island. Derived from these ancient relaxations, rejuvenation and healing practices of Ayurveda, comes the range of treasured formulae from Spa Ceylon, to hydrate, treat, purify and soothe your body, mind and soul.

Ayurveda is a holistic approach to healthier living and longer life. The science of Ayurveda is based on each person’s distinct patterns of energy-a blend of physical, mental and emotional characteristics referred to as Dosha –two or more of these energy types are present in all individuals. The Spa Ceylon range has been formulated to work in harmony with the Dosha type of its user combining Ayurveda wisdom, fine natural ingredients & contemporary design to bring you the ultimate in Ayurveda luxury - for health, well-being & relaxation.

The range includes treatment oils, massage balms , massage and bath oils , essential oils, cleansing bars, exfoliating bars, shower gels , body scrubs , body pacs , milk baths , body lotions , moisturizing balms , body mists, soothing balms , foot care and herbal compresses.

Spa Ceylon products are formulated only with the finest natural ingredients, including organic essential oils from our tropical island home, organically grown sun kissed fresh aloe vera, therapeutically proven pure extra virgin coconut oil, mineral rich Indian ocean salts & fabled Ceylon spices.

With half a century of experience in herbal formulation, our precise production & quality assurance procedures incorporate traditional herbal prescriptive with modern dermatological science, to protect & deliver the God-given herbal benefits of our all-natural ingredients in our high performance formulae.

Spa Ceylon supports sustainable community trade, promotes environmentally-friendly products, safeguards human rights and is against the use of child labour and animal testing. All products are alcohol free & contain no ingredients of animal origin.

Offering their share of the seasonal celebrations and joy, popular North Indian restaurant Agra kicked-off their seasonal celebration with the special Christmas promotion - ‘Seasonal Celebrations’.

The promotion which commenced from 25th December until 31st December, right until the dawn of the New Year. Over their two and half years operating period, this is the first time that Agra celebrated Christmas and will continue to have the celebration as an annual event in the future.

During the promotional period, apart from their popular signature dishes such as the kebabs, biriyanis, naans and the tandooris, Agra will offer a wide variety of choices to suit anyone’s taste-buds, blending the seasonal delights with North Indian cuisine. The spread consisted of a wide range of dishes such as turkey biriyani, turkey tikkas, turkey kebabs etc. They also offered the customers their specialties such as the mutton biriyani, chicken tikka masala, tandoori prawns and their very special cheesy kebabs for the vegetarian foodies.

Not forgetting to satisfy the sweet-tooth, Agra offered the range of desserts all in Indian style with halwas, rasamalais, gulab jamun and kulfi. As for beverages, there was a wide range of seasonal cocktails as well as an extensive range of wines. The lunch and dinner duration hours will be as follows: 11.30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. – 11.30 p.m. “We hope to delight our customers through more of such festival related celebrations during the festive seasons,” said Chairman of Agra Shanker Somadunderam. Adding more mirth into the seasonal festivities, Agra will be featuring popular songstress Dalreen. “We wish to create the perfect mood for the season covering every aspect of the restaurant ranging from the ambience, authentic food, as well as entertainment coupled with the right people in the right atmosphere,” he added.

He further pointed out that the Sri Lankans are celebrating the season together this Christmas more than ever before. Also, since this is a time of the year when the families and friends come together to celebrate the season, Agra also wishes to contribute their share of the celebrations to add warmth to the festive mood. “Agra has proven itself to be the finest North Indian restaurant in town. Our clients have always chosen Agra to be the perfect location to enjoy their food.”

Emphasizing their need of offering their customers complete relaxation, Agra will soon be opening their ‘Lounge Bar’. Complete with full air-conditioning and luxurious sofas, palanquin seating and a full-view of the adjoining lush green lawn, this will have an elegant lounge-bar ambience which will be quite contrasting to their restaurant interiors which feature traditional North Indian architectural styles.

“This will definitely be one of the best lounge-bars in Colombo and for sure will be one of the most hip locations of hang-out in town. We will be offering finger-food and beverages from our well-stocked bar with an extensive range of the best wines as well as cocktails,” added Somasunderam. The ‘Lounge bar’ will be operating from 11.00 a.m. – 2 pm. And in the evenings from 6.30 p.m. – 11 p.m. The operating hours will be extended with due course.

A personality that was comfortable being behind the scene - heard but not seen
[by Shehara Rajapakshe]

We begin a new year with a very versatile and vibrant television personality, Sonaali Perera, mother of two children and wife of Nushad Perera. As the saying goes behind every successful man is a woman, Sonaali proves way much more than that, as we got to know her. A personality that was comfortable being behind the scene – heard but not seen, stood in a queue to have a bit of fun but ended up as an ‘elegant news’ presenter. I’m sure that most of you may have seen over the national television, reading the English news, but this month, we put the spot light on her life as she shares her story with us.

I would say that every woman should be rewarded for multi tasking, as that comes so naturally. However, you do find the exceptional multi taskers from the regulars and I must add that Sonaali definitely tops the list. Sonaali is an example of a person that has exceptional skills with exceptional qualities. Women too need a career in life apart from the duties of cooking, cleaning, driving etc, but still we see that more women give up their careers after children. In her case, it was totally the opposite of a regular career woman. Sonaali started her career when she had already become a mother. When you get married, you will hear that the husband would discourage the wife working (most of the time) this could actually hamper ones’ individuality. In her case, it has fortunately been the opposite, which has led her to spend a more meaningful and wholesome life with her family as she is able to cater to their needs, whilst working at her career.

My impression of a very serious straight-faced person was shattered when I met her in person! I found myself speaking to someone who was always joking and laughing and ever ready with a smile….

Sonaali relates…School life and young days:

We were two sisters, myself (known as Shahnaz in school) and Nishruk my younger sister. My parents, Alban and Barbara Perera, were like best friends to us and we were brought up in a very happy home environment, which I think also played, a vital role in my bringing up my elder child, Kiyoshi. My little son is only a month old therefore, there is so much that needs to be taught over the next few years as I believe that rearing a child is a 20yr project to which parents must put in time and energy both in quality and quantity.

Growing up was really fun and my parents were very broadminded and understanding in that they provided the needed guidance and discipline but did not impose unfair rules as I have always been able to end up with good grades. I used to read quite a lot, but was not the ‘studious’ sort who studied everyday as I was able to grasp and learn whatever I was taught, and managed to get very good results at the O/Level and A/Level. Travelling overseas was one of my main hobbies, when I was young and was out of the country during every school vacation. I did have an ambition to work for an airline, but as I did not receive permission from home, I didn’t pursue it. I learnt to drive from the young age of 9, with my dad’s and uncle’s help, and would have liked to race, but never really got into it as that would have really caused my parents anxiety and it also requires quite a commitment.. At school, I participated in many activities, such as athletics, swimming, tennis, debating, singing in the choir etc, but never really went to extremes in anything. I was also very much involved with the Alliance Francaise as a student and secretary of its Student’s Committee.

When we were growing up there weren’t many walls separating properties where we lived (presently living) and as my mother came from a large family, the whole compound was full of relatives and we interacted very well with them. I was considered a “tom boy” during adolescence as my cousin brother and I used to climb trees, from the mere papaw tree to the mango/coconut tree and even walk on a very long 6 foot high 5 inch thick wall!. I used to even ride motor bikes, even though I was under age and did not have a license…..

I’m thankful to my parents for providing me the support I needed when growing up. They knew that I was a rioter but a responsible one at that, as they knew exactly where I went, with whom I went and had a lot of confidence in me. I was quite fun-loving right throughout my childhood. I don’t believe in taking any unnecessary risks, although I love the adrenaline rush.

Sense of style and individuality:

Many ladies tend to copy or would like to be seen with the latest or ‘in vogue’ when it comes to style, but in Sonaali’s case, she would dress to please herself and not go out for the ‘latest in vogue’ simply because it is the ‘in’ thing. She says that she chooses her clothes according to comfort as well as being able to carry it on herself well. Music plays a very important role in her life as well as her children. She herself enjoyed playing the organ, like her daughter does now, and loves to dance.

While we were taking the photographs, the little son fell asleep to the music played in the background and Kiyoshi (elder daughter) too had her ipod on with the music that she liked to listen to. Sonaali has no maids to help in the house, but it is kept meticulously clean and neat. Her daughter Kiyoshi, who is thirteen also, helps her with all the work and I would say that between the two of them they do a fantastic job!

Family based career

As I mentioned earlier, this is an exceptional career woman, as she works her career around the family, by putting them first and getting the career to set in at the background without jeopardising either.. She believes that a practical schedule is the key to success. As Sonaali had a good upbringing and an enjoyable childhood, she is in turn able to provide the same for her children. She says that when Kiyoshi is on vacation, it is most enjoyable for her and especially since school would begin in a couple of days, she mentioned how she will miss having her best friend by her side.

Sonaali and Nushad were good friends who embarked into a more serious and intimate relationship that led to marriage while quite young in life, which in turn strengthened their relationship. She relates, “I am very spontaneous but take a very long time to make a decision, (especially the serious ones) and a people’s person – I love being with people of all calibres. There is no discrimination where I am concerned.. Compatibility,

Common religious beliefs and finding the right person play a big role in marriage as well. If you marry when you are ready to take on the responsibilities that come with it and if you have common religious convictions and interests as well, then it is easier to look at life together with common standards and goals. We didn’t want to have kids too soon, so we waited till we were first used to each other and I always wanted to be there for my child 24/7 and didn’t want to palm it off to someone else.”

When their first kid was born, as all young mothers, Sonaali too read up everything about parenting and caring for the little one and then when she had time idling with nothing much to do, she would find herself engrossed in embroidery, cross stitching as well as gardening…..

Subsequently she joined the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) as a presenter and news reader and was successful and happy to take a few hours off to do something out of home which also catered to her love of music.

One day, when she was walking in to SLBC to do her compilation for her next radio program, she had seen quite a queue for prospective news readers at the next gate, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) and then one of her colleagues had mentioned that she should just give it a chance. She was not really intent on going ahead as she preferred to have her privacy and was content being heard and not seen, so she jokingly replied that if the queue was shorter when she returned then she will just give it a try.

It certainly was her day, as by then there were just a few applying for the post of “English” news reader in line and her colleague pushed her to join in just for fun! Before she knew it, they decided that she should come in for a screen test and get on with the bulletin. She passed on and it was quite an experience! She says that just after 2 weeks of standing in that queue she found herself reading her first news bulletin live on national television! On the first day, she didn’t even know where to look as there were three to four cameras, but she managed to get past that ordeal…..

Sonaali has a second commitment towards Lankapuvath. At Lankapuvath (could be considered as local Reuters) the script is given but editing and presenting is carried on from Monday to Friday and the recordings are completed daily and available on the web. It is the only exclusive web news, the first in Sri Lanka, to present only via website, as most others feature TV channels etc that carry the same bulletin. Sonaali was there from day one and enjoys the work tremendously.

In addition to all this, she also finds herself regularly allocating time for comparing at various events and functions in town.

Criticism, improvement and way forward:

Sonaali believes that the best person to criticize should definitely be yourself as then you will be able to judge your mistakes and improve yourself based on honest self scrutiny and feedback. But one has to be honest with oneself and be always willing to change for the better. When she first started reading news, she did get her mother to watch and give her comments but she always recorded her bulletins so that she could also personally see what she had read earlier on. This she says helped her a lot in improving her presentation skills.

She firmly believes that one must always give 100% to whatever one does, in whatever capacity one serves, at home or at work, and continuously strive to attain perfection.

We wish Sonaali and her family all the very best for a great New Year 2010 and the future ahead!