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When we visited the Dwellings outlet at Green path last year, there were some amazing bean bags and children’s bedroom sets available and these had a very familiar name, Ecsat, Galle. At that time, they mentioned that they were selling these items in order to support a very worthy segment in society. Recently, Mr.Rizly Hussain informed that the lady behind these products was visiting the head office and wanted us to have a meeting with her to discuss the work that she carries out.

ECSAT was established in March 2005 by Catherine Liyanage with the aim of working with most marginalised members of communities in Galle to enable them to live the most fulfilled and productive lives they can alongside their families and peers. The programme specially focuses on women and children in difficult situation and people with disabilities. They run activities in partner communities or at their community support centre and to date they have supported over 3000 people directly. All of their work is based on the principles of inclusion, independence, accessing rights and building community capacities.

ECSAT has twelve full time staff who are involved with five main areas of work which are Community Inclusion, Livelihood Development, Education, Training and Community Volunteering. As part of their community inclusion programme, they have an out reach programme funded by Kiwani`s Club in Colombo and Friends of ECSAT in UK. Three members of staff regularly visit disabled children in their own homes and carry out sensory and life skills activities and provide support for other family members, building up network between families with similar problems and referring them to appropriate services. The livelihood development includes a project funded by United Way International (UWI) with the aim of generating income for families who have been resettled after the tsunami.

Education programme includes a two year project with Deaf Child Worldwide (DCW) to teach sign language for deaf children and their family members in the Galle communities. Their training programmes involve teachers of preschool children, community leaders, parent and staff of other organisations. Community volunteering is one of their new initiatives which is sponsored by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and was highlighted at a volunteer fair at the Lighthouse hotel in January 2010.

What is the presentation of the baby?

This refers to the part of the baby which is in close proximity to the upper end of the birth canal or neck of the womb. Doctors are concerned about the presentation in the third trimester and each time you see your doctor in the third trimester the doctor checks for the presentation.

What is the commonest presentation?

The commonest presentation is head down presentation where baby’s head is in close proximity to the neck of the womb. This is called ‘cephalic presentation’ about ninety seven out of hundred babies lie in this position after 37 weeks in the pregnancy.

What are the abnormal presentations?

Any presentation other than head down presentation is called an abnormal presentation. The commonest abnormal presentation is when the baby is lying in bottom down position. This is called ‘Breech presentation’. About two to three out of hundred babies lie in this position after 37 weeks. In this presentation, the buttocks, the feet, or both may be in place to come out first during birth.

How do I know if my baby is in Breech presentation?

Usually your doctor would suspect if your baby is in breech presentation while examining your abdomen. By placing the hands at certain points on your tummy, the doctor feels the shape of the baby. By feeling where the baby’s head, back, and buttocks are, your doctor can diagnose the breech presentation of your baby. Once clinical diagnosis of breech presentation is made, you would be referred for an Ultrasound scan. An Ultrasound scan is done to confirm breech presentation and to look for a cause for this presentation to occur.

Is there a reason for my baby to lie in breech presentation?

For majority of babies there is no particular reason for these babies to lie in this position and it happens by chance. It is perfectly normal for some babies to lie in bottom down position frequently during pregnancy. As the child grows, the womb gets more crowded and it is most common for the baby to assume the head down presentation. The womb is shaped rather like an upside-down pear, so the baby’s head fits in the lower part, with more room at the top for movement of the extremities. Generally, the placenta is attached at the side of the uterus, which seems to encourage the head-down presentation, too.

However there may be a reason for some babies to lie in this position and therefore a detailed Ultrasound scan is done to look for a cause.

What are the causes for breech presentation?

When there are fibroids (Harmless, non-cancerous growths of the muscle of the womb) in the lower part of the womb, closer to the neck of the womb, it alters the normal shape of the womb preventing normal turning of the baby,favouring breech presentation. Same happens when the placenta is situated closer to the neck of the womb. A low lying placenta is called ‘Placenta praevia.’. A narrow birth canal is another cause for breech presentation. Abnormal shapes of the womb as a result of congenital birth defects of the womb such as bicornuate or unicornuate uterus also fovour breech presentation.All above conditions alter the normal shape of the womb resulting in breech presentation.

The Central Province Women’s Chamber of Small Industries and Commerce in association with the Ministry of Industries Central Province successfully completed the inaugural “Fashion Designer of the year 2010” contest last month amidst a large gathering at Hotel Suisse in Kandy. The Governor of the Central Province Hon.Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and Minister of Tourism Promotion Hon.Faizser Mustapha graced the occasion.

Ramyani Ratnayake emerged overall Winner, whilst Sheromika Malki Rajapakse and Vinoda Godamunne were first and second runner up. The winner received an air ticket to Singapore plus many other valuable prizes. The categories were segmented as Handloom and general, altogether amounting to seven whilst 32 young designers vied for the title.

The special guest appearance of Roshan Ranawana, Dushanth Weeraman and Suraj Mapa was well received by the audience.

Are you worried about your hair and how much of it you keep loosing day by day? As a female I know I can answer that question on your behalf as ‘yes!’. Each time you brush your hair and then take a look at the brush or floor, you can’t help but worry and think to yourself ‘How in the world am I going to put an end to this?’ Let me tell you that you are not the only one! It’s a problem all of us females face; with falling hair, split ends, dandruff etc. and most often we really feel helpless and can’t seem to find a proper solution to put an end to it!

You maybe wondering how and why you have this problem with hair. The main reason is due to the insufficient nutrition we get in our diet. I don’t know if you are aware of it but Biotin is a necessary nutrient to promote strong and healthy hair. Therefore supplementing our diet with an extra Biotin food supplementation would be the only way we could overcome our problems faced with hair.

Your hair deserves the best and nothing less! However, with an endless range of products on offer for promoting hair growth, it’s not always easy knowing which one to choose. I am sure you though when choosing, you would defineatly want the best for your hair, and so you would want a product that is very safe, of high quality and one that has been used by many, giving much results. Keeping all these and your best interests in mind, let me introduce you to an amazing solution that would offer you the very best and put an end to your worries and cares about the problems you face with your hair!

I am certain you have heard about BIOTIN 250, which is recommended by many health experts for hair related problems. BIOTIN 250 is a member of the B group of vitamins and is a water-soluble natural food supplement containing the required daily allowance of the vitamin Biotin as recommended by the Food and Drug Authority. BIOTIN 250 prevents; falling of hair, splitting of hair, dandruff, slow growth of hair and it keeps your hair healthy and strong. It supplies the important nutrition to the hair roots, and this will improve hair’s texture and appearance while promoting hair growth.

I understand that one of your major concerns when choosing the best would be the safety and quality of the product! BIOTIN 250 is made 100% by natural sources and is water soluble, thus causing you no harm by any excessive amounts taken, as it would be excreted through the urine and will not be stored in your body. It is therefore very safe and has no side effects! BIOTIN 250 is a registered trademark, imported from Arnimont Pharma Germany and is registered under the German Food Legislation. It is the only product, which is registered under the Food and Drug Authority and has been in the market for over 16 years with proven results!

“BIOTIN 250 is exclusively available at all Cargills, Arpico & Keells supermarket pharmacies and leading pharmacies islandwide. For further information on the product visit www.neomedint.com or
email on neoint@sltnet.lk.

The first sensation that assailed my senses as I set foot in Mrs. Mary Esufally’s charming residence was the peace and quiet reigning within the walls, considering the fact that the house is right on the main road of Flower Road. Within her 14 perch enclosure, a good sized little garden runs along the entrance foyer and the verandah thereafter, through which is the main entrance to the home. The garden and the long verandah runs parallel to each other, and the long doors of the sitting and dining area opens on to both the garden and the verandah.

Comfortable chairs are placed at intervals along the verandah which enables one to quietly enjoy the cool breeze from the many trees in the garden.

Although it was afternoon and the sun was beating harshly outside, on Mrs. Esufally’s verandah it was comparatively cool and comfortable. So we sat down there to talk.

Casting her memory to many years in the past, I was told that the house was built in 1984 and the family shifted there from the family home in Jawatte.

The long hall is divided by the circular, winding stairwall and either side are occupied by the dining and the living room. The living room is furnished with a long sofa set in pale blue and gold stripes which is set-off against the royal blue, cream and yellow patterned carpet. A few tastefully selected ornaments are placed on the end tables which adds to the quiet elegance of the room. Vibrant colour to the room is lent by the unusually designed coffee table inlaid with glazed tiles in hues of blue, green, yellow and brown which reminded me of varying colours of the sea and the beach. Mrs. Esufally informed me that it was specially designed for them long, years ago by Mr. Terri Jonklass an interior designer who was also a friend of the family.

The long polished wood dining table with its many chairs occupies the centre of the dining area with the door leading off it, to the pantry and kitchen area beyond. The guest bedroom also is off the dining room. In a corner stand is a tall plant with its many branches allowed to grow along the ledges of the upstairs…. Which adds a sense of drama to the room, which is kept otherwise uncluttered. The greens of the leaves and the dark brown stems and branches of the plant adds character and colour to the room.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms with attached washrooms. The landing is utilized as the TV room with a long wide door opening on to the vast balcony. The many windows along the length of the balcony provides the entire house with lots of light and cool air. An antique stand houses a number of photographs of Mrs. Esufally’s children as well as grandchildren.

Though she is a grand mother, she is a new-age grandmother who keeps in touch with the changing technologies quite comfortably. This was quite apparent to me by the computer in its stand-by mode and its attached paraphernalia in the bedroom. A section of the TV Room has been fashioned into a personal working space with an antique writing table with its neatly arranged surface of books and paper.

Mrs. Mary Esually is a lucky mother and grandmother living in peace and quiet in the middle of Colombo, with all her children and grandchildren living close to her, which today is quite uncommon with many children residing abroad and grandparents either commuting or living without the delightful company of their grandchildren. It was quite a pleasure to have spent the afternoon in her charming home in her charming company.

Genting Highlands

Last month, we featured the exciting metropolis Kuala Lampur in our series of articles about the truly Asian land of Malaysia. This time we feature yet another exciting excursion to a world of lush greenery and cool invigorating air, the ever famous Genting Highlands. Located just 45 minutes away from the bustling metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, amidst the cool air of the mountain, Resorts Genting World is an integrated award winning resort that has on offer a myriad of exciting entertainment, attractions and the luxury of an international class of destination for any age group.

Our ride in a cable car

If you are to visit this beautiful and picturesque “world” – as that is how I would describe it, do park your vehicles at the station and hop in to a cable car. When our group of journalists hopped in believe me, as first timers we all had jitters in our stomach, but the twenty minute ride was so smooth that we forgot all our fright. The longest cable car system in Southeast Asia, it travels over a truly picturesque virgin jungle and the cries of different species of animals adds on to this experience of a lifetime.

A maximum of eight passengers with luggage is allowed in each cable car and it is best if you could go with someone who could guide you, or if you are familiar with the experience then it is all the better. Just before you hop in to the car, if you care to have a momento to take back home you could pay to the counter and arrange for a photograph to be taken, which you could collect later, possibly on your return. The cars are controlled by the control tower and they are monitored all the time. When you go over these jungles you realize how beautiful the lush greenery looks from way up there and what a true miracle it is!

Exciting and fun filled Entertainment!

Whether you are young, young at heart or on the look out for action, this is definitely the place for you! There is an outdoor and indoor theme park in this luxurious city of fun filled entertainment. From exhilarating rides such as the Corkscrew, Space Shot and the RM 20 million Flying Coaster that could make your heart come in to your mouth, to the less dangerous ones such as the Pirate Ship for those who are young are available.

The amount of food stalls available right around the outer arena of the city varies from pop corn vendors to candy floss, savoury stalls to ice cream stations etc.

The special Beryl’s Chocolate Wonderland located is one that you should not miss out! The chocolates available range from the general milk, almonds, pistachios to the more exotic, durian and chillie should get your taste buds cracking!

At the first world Indoor Theme Park more exciting rides awaits you! Signature rides are the sky diving simulator Sky Venture, the wintry Snow World, the engaging 4D Motion Master plus the unique Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum! The heated pool of the Water Park and the arcade game haven at the Video Games Park at Vision City is something you should check out!

In order to enter the Wintry Snow World, first of all you should be clad in the relevant attire, that is boots, overcoat and bottom. Once inside, there are a few enthralling rides you could try out and the special ice cream cup compliments well. It really feels that you are in a different and cold climate, as when you speak there is cold smoke coming out. The cost for these could be arranged at the hotel you will stay as they have very special rates depending on the amount of entertainment areas you wish to visit.

Where to stay

This is not a place that you could explore within a matter of hours, it is so exciting that you feel that it is important to spend more time and enjoy all the breathtaking rides, shows etc. on offer. The resort features six hotels with over 10,000 guest rooms with all amenities and at different prices ranges at different times of the year. Your choice will be from Maxims Genting Hotel, Highlands Hotel, Resort Hotel, First World Hotel, Theme Park Hotel and Awana Genting Highlands Golf & Country Resort.

The resort’s flagship hotel – Maxims Genting Hotel offers a variety of entertainment and recreational facilities as well as various F&B outlets including specialty restaurants apart from 244 well appointed suites and 175 deluxe rooms.

First World Hotel, which is where we stayed is part of the First World complex, which consists of 6118 rooms is being recognized as “the world’s largest” under the Feats of Engineering for Big Buildings and receiving the highest recognition by Guinness World Records. Besides the recognition from Guinness World Records, First World Hotel was also awarded the certificate of being “the world’s largest hotel” by Ripley’s Believe It or Not in 2006.

An important feature I must mention is that the hassle of checking out is truly a breeze at this place, as the key cards that are given automatically expire on the date and time of your departure, thereby you do not need to visit the reception to inform your departure.

Shopping and Entertainment

The prices of goods are quite competitive, there is a host of bargain shops inside the indoor theme park that you could visit. From china town accessories, souvenirs, to super market items, toys, shoes, perfumes, clothes, bags, etc, and the list is unending. If you feel like relaxing over a cool drink you could head over to the pub that provides great music that puts you in the mood! There are plenty of money changers around if you run short of currencies, and they even change the Sri Lankan rupee. There are varieties of recreational activities available among which “fish therapy” was something that caught my eye. There were two visitors seated with their feet in a tub with little platies fish tugging at their feet. I had heard of this therapy but it was truly amazing to watch it first hand.

A big thank you to Mazlan Bin

Rasheed of Air Asia, Serafena Adam of the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia and our tour guide, Chang who accompanied us through our journey and for arranging such a vast familiarization tour. We have a special island next month as we fly the Kuching islands also known as Sarawak, with a special passport to visit the rich cultural beginnings of the people of Malaysia.

The idea of a hill resort was chanced upon by late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong amidst the crisp air of Cameron Highlands in 1964. Tan Sri Lim was then working on a hydro-electric power project at the popular hill resort, patronised mostly by British colonials seeking cool refuge from the tropical heat, when he foresaw a prosperous Malaysia of the future desiring a cool mountain holiday resort within the reach of all Malaysians.

Setting up a private company called Genting Highlands Berhad on 27 April 1965, with the late Tan Sri Haji Mohammed Noah bin Omar, Tan Sri Lim successfully obtained approval for the alienation of 12,000 acres and 2,800 acres of land from the Pahang and Selangor State Government respectively between the years 1965 and 1970.

On 18 August 1965, a technical and construction team began the herculean task that would take four years to complete the access road from Genting Sempah to the peak of Gunung Ulu Kali.

To ensure the sound and prompt construction of the hotel-cum-resort, Tan Sri Lim devoted all of his time, capital and resources, including the reserves of his family company, Kien Huat Berhad towards the making of this “dream resort”.

On 31 March 1969, the late YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister graced the official laying of the foundation stone for the company’s pioneer hotel, the then Highlands Hotel, marking the completion of the access road to Genting Highlands Resort.

The Prime Minister was impressed that the private sector, without the assistance of the Government, could develop a mountain resort for the enjoyment of all Malaysians; a gaming licence was suggested to help accelerate the development of this remote area.
In 1971, the first hotel at Genting Highlands was successfully completed and was then named Highlands Hotel (now renamed Theme Park Hotel).

Genting Group, founded by Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong and with Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay as its Chairman and Chief Executive, has since expanded and diversified from its initial hotel and resort activities to plantation, power generation and oil and gas exploration and production.

Today, Genting Berhad is a leading multinational corporation in Malaysia that has constantly been acknowledged by various organisations for its exemplary leadership and management. Genting Berhad was acknowledged as the No.1 Leading Company in Malaysia for 10 years, i.e. in 2004 and from 1994 to 2002 by The Asian Wall Street Journal 200 (formerly Far Eastern Economic Review 200). Genting Berhad was also rated No.1 in Malaysia and No.2 in Asia for Overall Best Managed Company for the Decade by Asiamoney.

[by Shabnam Farook]

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives” ~Clay P. Bedford.

I concur with Mr. Bedford as I believe that learning starts at infancy, long before formal education begins and continues throughout life. Early learning leads to future learning and early success breeds future success.

Guiding Steps International School which is wired for development takes pride in offering an early childhood education of high quality that has lasting effects on learning and motivation.

The amiable Directress Mohara Jacobs insists on developing the child’s overall wellbeing by moulding them into well-rounded individuals who step into society with confidence and ease.
“At Guiding Steps it’s not about just learning your ABC, we mould the students to be competent in every angle by providing the right foundation to ensure life long development,” she mentioned.

A large residence which has been converted into the Montessori is homely and welcoming in every sense of the word. It warmly invites the children in with its brightly coloured walls and large garden space, making it a home away from home for the kids who spend their time learning and making friends there. Guiding Steps International School is indeed a stimulating and secure environment that supports the development of the students.

Mohara enlightened us about the core function of the Montessori, “our study groups are divided into sections such as toddlers, play group, kindergarten and upper kindergarten and therefore we enroll students from one and half years up to four years into the respective programs.

At Guiding Steps we follow the AMI method and extract the best of the pre school method too in order to give the child the best education possible. But I’m happy to say that we are always changing and improving our lesson plans according to the latest developments that take place in the world of early childhood education, especially in the USA.”

Mohara who has a sound background into early childhood education is qualified in Child Psychology and has taught at several preschools in Japan and America. On numerous occasions she has used her expertise in child psychology to counsel troubled children as well. She is also registered with the American Preschool Education system, thereby drawing in a wealth of knowledge which she uses to develop and upgrade her curriculum in order to best serve the child and his or her intellectual and emotional development.

The lessons according to Mohara are not force fed to the student but rather taught like stories using lots of visual aids to make sure that the child absorbs the lessons and retains the information for a longer period.

Mohara added “it’s not all about class room learning at our school; we focus a lot on extra curricular activities like nature walks, field trips, music, computer lessons ,Japanese ballet, news drawing, dress up day and cookery. We also introduce them to mathematics, science, environment and other subjects. This approach which Mohara swears by has certainly paid off and she has reaped rich dividends as most of her students have continuously performed extremely well at public examinations and entrance exams at public and international schools.

Mohara who is instrumental in creating the school’s comprehensive lesson plan, also supervises and trains her team of 24 teachers to ensure that they adhere to the child friendly philosophy that she promotes. As a passionate educator Mohara believes that a teacher should not be teaching young children just for the sake of it or for monetary gains, but she should have a deep love for children and teaching, which is bound to reflect in the way she deals with her students.

Guiding Steps International School in addition to its preschool activities offers day care services that cater to children from 1 and ½ years to 8 years. The day care curriculum is fun and exciting where the children get to enjoy dancing, sand play, painting and play dough under the careful watch of the teachers who spend quality time taking care of the child’s every need.

Guiding Steps International School also puts on a Christmas Concert every year, and has an art exhibition every two years of which proceeds are donated to a worthy cause, noted Mohara.

Mohara ended our very interesting conversation by taking us back to the beginning, detailing how she became an educator par excellence. “After the birth of my daughter I wanted to be a stay at home mum and take care of her, so while I went around looking for pre schools I noticed that most of the schools were not up to standard so I decided to put my education to good use and started this school seven years ago. I’m so glad that I can serve society productively by educating young children who will become the future leaders of tomorrow.”

Here are a few testimonials about Guiding Steps International School and its contribution to nurturing well developed young minds.

“Guiding Steps can do miracles. We have no words to describe about their services. We are very much confident about our child’s care, education, discipline and neatness when she is at school than she is at home. We invite all the parents to come and join Guiding Steps” – Sedani Linaya’s parents

“Words are not enough to thank Directress Mohara Jacobs and the staff for what they have taught my son, for the kindness and the patience and the extra effort they took. I appreciate their guidance and the strength they have given my son, to feel confident of himself. I will never forget the part they played in my son’s life” - Lakmali Adikari.

Guiding Steps International School is situated at No 441/14 , Isuru Mawatha Pelawatte and could be
contacted on 2786539,
0777 303456 or 071 8589948

Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman commemorated its flights to Colombo today. The flights to this destination were launched in November last year with four weekly frequencies between Muscat, capital of the Sultanate of Oman and Colombo.

To commemorate its new service, Oman Air officials will host a gala dinner on the 26th of February at the Cinnamon Grand for top officials and the country’s travel trade members, giving them the opportunity to interact with Oman Air’s top management.

HE Eng Sultan Hamdoon Al Harthi, the President of the Muscat Municipality, was the chief guest for the launch celebrations along with a high-level delegation from Oman Air, led by Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer Peter Hill, along with other Senior Management officials who are in Colombo for this purpose.

Peter Hill Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer says: “Sri Lanka has proven to be a welcomed addition to the ever expanding Oman Air network. We have reasons to believe that our customers are thrilled with this destination, as Sri Lanka has everything a tourist wants to explore, experience and see. Together with the new A 330 aircraft that are deployed into this segment and the spectacular natural beauty that the place is known for , our valued customers can surely have an enjoyable holiday. Our service to this destination is also viewed as a boon by the many Sri Lankan expatriates working in Oman who have started using our services. Sri Lanka is a place that can be visited the whole year round and is rated as one of the top tourist destination of the world. With Oman Air’s exemplary services and products, I am sure this will open up a whole new experience for the discerning travelers, especially in Oman.”

Oman Air will be offering the full connectivity suite (Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir) on its commercial wide-body aircraft when it starts to unroll full mobile phone and wi-fi connectivity across its brand new Airbus A330 fleet, towards the beginning of March 2010. The move will give passengers in First, Business and Economy classes the opportunity to make and receive mobile phone calls, SMS, use email and the internet and keep up-to-date with social networking media, such as Face book and Twitter.

About Oman Air

Oman Air is the flag carrier of the Sultanate of Oman. Founded in 1993, the airline has since witnessed massive growth and has played a major role in making Muscat an important traffic hub in the Middle East, supporting the commercial, industrial and tourism sectors.

The airline currently operates direct international flights from Muscat to major Gulf destinations, such as Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh and Kuwait. In addition, Oman Air flies to ten destinations in India-Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kozhikode and Jaipur; to Chittagong in Bangladesh and Karachi in Pakistan, Cairo, Beirut and Amman, Jordan, besides London and Bangkok. Oman Air commenced in September 2009 four weekly flights to Frankfurt and from October, three weekly flights to Munich as well as four weekly flights to Paris, Charles de Gaulle from Muscat. In Asia, Oman Air flies since October 2009 four times a week between Muscat and Maldives and flies four times a week to Colombo, Sri Lanka, since November 2009.

Oman Air’s fleet consists of Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A330s. At the end of 2009 the fleet strength stood at fifteen B737-800s, two A330-200s and two A330-300s. During 2010/2011, three additional A330-300s will be delivered.

Oman Air also recently signed a contract with Embraer for the purchase of five Embraer 175 aircraft from the E Jets family, with purchase rights for another five aircraft. The first delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2011.

For the future Oman Air has ordered seven Boeing 787 Dream liners, which are scheduled for delivery in 2014.

Oman Air unveiled its First Class Mini Suite in October 2009 which marks a further milestone in Oman Air’s ongoing drive for quality and comfort. During early 2009, Oman Air unveiled its new, lie-flat Business Class seat, which offers greater levels of comfort and amenity than many other airlines’ first class products and will be fitted on all the new Airbus wide-body fleet.

www.omanair.com

Being smart and elegantly clad at different functions is something that is truly within this beautiful lady’s inner straits. She has the charm and sophisticated beauty that mesmerizes you as she walks in to any event. A warm smile, friendly face and always impeccably attired – this is how we would see Harshini, but this month, in keeping with the New Year, we are going to explore a little bit more about her than the flare of elegance she spreads around.

Family Ties

Her dad has been the pillar of strength, providing her the courage and confidence that she needed to stand as an individual. Mr.Nadesan is a Chartered Electrical Engineer with a MSc from the University of Brighton, England and her mother was a housewife, a past pupil of St.Bridget’s Convent. Harshini was a product of both Ladies College and St.Bridget’s Convent(for two years). There were just two girls in the family, Harshini and Sharmini. Harshini said that their mother spent a lot of time with both of them and that is the reason for having close family ties and better bonding. Sharmini is married to Arjuna and they have two great kids.

Amazing Childhood

Most of us have quite a memorable childhood, especially when your parents support and provide you with whatever required either financially or most importantly emotionally. Her reminiscence of the time when she used to come home from school and rattle off her vivid description of the events of the day to her mother about school was something most looked forward to. “She used to very patiently and intently listen to me as it was very important that I share everything with her.

I think I was more quieter than my sister Sharmini, she was the rebellious one in the house, but since we were opposites we attracted very well together and we still maintain the same close knit relationship although she is married,” shared Harshini.

School life – the memorable period of time

Harshini was a very hard working student in school and applied and dedicated herself to studies, which aspired her for a career in Medicine. However, since the necessary results were not acquired she opted for a career in Computer Programming, which was quite successful. It was the unwavering trust of her parents that made her a truly cultured person.

They were the strength that gained her confidence and courage to face the world. She is a third generation Bridgeteen, as her grandmother, mother and herself all attended the convent.

Apart from her studies, she is a good pianist. She loves music and has gone through most Examinations conducted by Trinity College of Music, London. Nothing was forced down by the parents to either herself or her sister by her parents, they provided them a safe haven for their children to gain their independence whilst nurturing them to be more conservative and respectful of others, which most parents today unfortunately don’t realise.

Her love for reading

Apart from music another hobby which she developed from childhood was reading. Her compendium of books range from the complete collection of Enid Blyton to the Classics to X Files. In school, they had to read Classics for English Literature which she believes introduced her to the world of great literary works from Shakespeare, Elliot, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and many more.

However, she is thankful to her good friend Shyamalee Tudawe’s Hi Book Club for reviving her interest in great books.

The love of her life – Dave

David Struys or Dave as she calls him is the love of her life. They got married quite recently and they made a beautiful couple. Just like Harshini herself Dave is a quiet but fun loving person. They were introduced by friends at a kennel show, as they both love dogs. The many interests they share include music – rock, jazz, pop; gardening and love for dogs. They have a mischievous but adorable Rhodesion Ridgeback, Spike, which we caught a glimpse of but unfortunately couldn’t take photographs to share with our readers. Dave travels a lot to the jungles and other out of way locations, whilst Harshini tries to be as adventurous as possible. Last year, for the first time they ventured to Nuwara Eliya for the races and enjoyed themselves immensely.

The Traditional Hindu New Year

With all its age old traditions the Hindu New Year has always been celebrated by them in a grand scale. The ancient customs include anointing the head with medicinal oil obtained from the kovil, wearing new clothes of the auspicious colour, partaking of meals with relatives and visiting the family kovil.

Some unforgettable but pleasant memories etched in her mind relate to her visits with her parents during the festive season to see her grand dad, Mudliyar Vaitilingam Mahesan, JP, at her dad’s ancestral home in Jaffna.

She has always been interested in Hindu traditions and her frequent visits to Jaffna and consequent exposure to traditional Hindu culture as well as her firm belief in religion has made her what she is today. She believes that all Sri Lankans love to uphold their customs and traditions irrelevant of the caste, creed or religion.

Her Home is her Sanctuary

We asked Harshini two questions, first if she was a good cook and secondly what she does currently. She replied, “oh dear, I think my cooking is good. Must ask Dave though! He constantly complains that I give him strange food to eat. My interest actually came about after marriage and Dave convinced me to follow my good friend Koluu’s classes, which I’m yet to embark upon, however, I have attended his demonstration. I find cooking the least stressful and try out many of Koluu’s recipes and I love them. I love being a house wife as I consider my home my sanctuary.

I start my day by six o’clock in the morning and spend a lot of time in the kitchen and the garden. I love growing flowers and arranging them in little vases around the house. Dave and I try to help many charitable organizations but very privately as we both believe that helping someone is very spiritually rewarding. I believe that people should care and share with one another in this short span of time that we live, after all, we are all human beings, and must support each other all the time”

Fashion Mentor, Friend and Guide

“When one attends various functions, one learns to dress appropriately, but never stops learning about fashion and what attire and accessories suits one best. I believe that colour is very individualistic and I like warm colours but do not like black. I am very fortunate to have Kirthi Sri Karunaratne as my mentor, friend and guide in all fashion related ventures. I think that it is really lovely that most women take a lot of interest about their image,” concluded Harshini.

We wish Harshini and Dave success in all their endeavours as they celebrate this New Year full of prosperity and love.