I have fond memories of Bala going back to 1950's in Kondavil where we grew up together .We spent lot of time together cycling and exploring the Jaffna province on a daily basis for 4 or 5 yrs or more. He was called Kalu Bala and I was called Suthu Bala and we spent most of our adulthood together. He had a great sense of humour and stamina and we had a great circle of friends and enjoyed life to the utmost .He was an extremely clever & she rewed human being and wherever possible he always helped fellow human beings .He held an extremely higher ranking position with the British govt and travelled extensively all over the world. Until my dying day I will always remember him with so much fondness respect & affection .Its extremely unfortunate his last stages in life had been spent in care homes needing care & attention ,but nobody could take away his sense of humour and his non stop ability to speak his mind at all times. My sincere condolences to his wife and his daughters, terrible loss for them. May his soul rest in peace.