Whats happening? Now its Sri Lanka. Due to heavy flood already over 20 people dead and over 800,000 people displaced. This is another very beautiful country in South Asia. I have been there only once, that was quite a long time back, but still preserves some fond memories of meeting two famous people there - both are now dead. One was Lalith Athulathmudali. He became Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and deputy minister of defense before he was assassinated. I learned from him that originally people from Bengal had come and settled in Sri Lanka. I didnt know this, but didnt doubt this very knowledgeable man who was once elected President of the Oxford Union. The other person was Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, the famous science fiction writer who was first to propose satellite communication system. Clarke contributed to the popularity of the idea that geostationary satellites would be ideal telecommunications relays. He is famous for his book - 2001: A Space Odyssey. When I had visited his house he was trying to send over telephone line modem his manuscript of 2010: Odyssey Two to his publisher in the USA, but having issues. My visit was before the civil war and I was so impressed with the country that I had written in a letter that if there was a heaven on earth it was here in this country. From Colombo, I had traveled to Kandy, Anuradhapura, Nuwara Eliya (famous for tea production at 6000 ft height) and some other interesting places. I also rode an elephant for the first time there. I hope and pray that the people there can get back to their normal life style as soon as possible.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 23:52:23 +0000