If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Your life would not turn the way that you planned. It is OK to be naïve and stupidly young.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Writing and reading. Both complement each other.
What would you change your name to?
My family's name is Jayasinghe. ජයසිංහ in Sinhala in the original script. Phonetically, it is pronounced Jaya-Sinha in Sri Lanka. But in English, through generations, it was spelt Jayasinghe, which sounds differently in English. I would change its spelling to Jaya-Sinha to align it with its original sound. Perhaps my grandkids in Australia could do it.
What’s your favourite time of day?
The morning hours. I am most productive in the mornings.
What is your biggest weakness?
I could get carried away with what I could be doing. Sometimes, I must pinch myself to stop what I am doing.
What is your favourite colour?
Green. Always from my kid days. Would you believe I had a pair of dark green suede shoes when I was fifteen? I was so proud of it that I re-soled it to extend its life.
Who was your teenage hero?
Clint Eastwood. Dirty Harty was the epitome of his movies. I was so mesmerised by his acting that I watched it thrice. I tried to imitate Clint’s walk and mannerisms. He is now over 90 years but continues to be a great director and actor. I have watched all his movies. He is my lifelong hero.
What is your favourite piece of clothing that you own?
My linen Chinese collar shirts and linen pants.
Who are some of your favourite authors?
Rohinton Mistry, Arundhati Roy, Shyam Selvadurai, Jhumpa Lahiri, Vikram Seth and R. K. Narayan
How often do you work out? What is your workout routine?
Every 2nd day. I have two sets of routines; I do one set consecutively and then switch to the other set, two at a time.
If you had to switch professions, what would it be?
I will be a creative designer, writer, or artist.
If stranded on a desert island, what are the three things you would bring with you?
My journal, a box of pencils and a pencil sharpener.
Who would it be and why if given a chance to have dinner with any living person?
Bill Gates. He is the philanthropist of our generation.
How would you describe yourself in five words?
learner, techie, enthusiast, driven and grandpa
What makes you smile, and what scares you the most?
Dry sense of humour with a tang of sophistication. Being locked out of my home.
What charitable causes are you passionate about and why?
Education and climate change. Education because it brings enlightenment. Climate change because our generations should leave this planet in a better place than how we inherited it.
What is one vice you wish you could give up?
My impatience. I find it hard to waste my time with time wasters, people who talk in riddles, and people who repeat themselves repeatedly.
What are you most excited about these days?
Waiting for my grandkids to be teenagers.
What do you value most now?
My time. The gift of time is invaluable. I want to make the best of the time left every day.
The odd question? How many tattoos do you have, and what do they mean?
I have one tattoo, ජයසිංහ in Sinhala in the original script in my father’s handwriting on my left arm. I am so proud to be his son. I am grateful to him for freeing me to be the best I could be.
Cyril Stanley A story of gratitude — Denzil recalls a friend who looked out for him in his budding years in Sri Lanka Denzil Jayasinghe 11 min read · Aug 27, 2022 1 Give us a bit of background on how you met Cyril. It was the seventies in the sleepy village of Dalugama , my ancestral hometown, some ten kilometres from Colombo. With their flared bell bottoms and Afro-style hair, it was easy to notice Cyril and his younger brother Edward. I’d bump into the duo in the neighbourhood as I walked home after a day at college. A casual hello greeting turned into a conversation and an evolving friendship with the duo at an age when making friends was effortless. However, it was Cyril who reached out to me first. What did the brothers look like? C yril was a younger version of Smokey Robinson and his brother, Edward, a junior Lionel Richie but darker. Both had curly hair, grown long, copying the Afro-American idols of the seventies. Smokey Robinson, Cyril Stanley lookalike Where did they
A Child of Curiosity How inherent inquisitiveness became a key driver in learning experiences. Denzil Jayasinghe · B orn in the mid-20th century, I am a product of the post-World War II era. My parents, who were teenagers when the war commenced, married in the 1950s. As a representative of the baby boomer generation, I was born under the astrological sign of Capricorn, the tenth sign of the zodiac. My birth took place at Zoysa Nursing Home, a renowned institution in Colombo, Sri Lanka, around 5 in the morning. Sri Lanka, known for its tropical climate, is a beautiful island nation south of India. This climate appealed to me, and I sought similar weather in my twenties, spending them in Dubai, where the winter resembles an Australian summer. Raised by religious parents, I held them in deep affection. However, the church teachings posed a paradox for a young mind, instructing one to love God more than one’s parents. I initially adhered to the Ten Commandments and other societal norms in
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