Bala mama (as we fondly called him) always has a smile on his face. He was kind and generous. We are fond of him and his family. We stayed at their house in Castle lane for a week in 1987 en route to India. We were looked after so well and made to feel at home. I will not forget his generosity during that week. He loves to narrate stories of his days in Colombo and Balangoda as a young bachelor. Even though we have heard it many times before, but the jokes never gets old. He will be missed by all who knew him.