Bhathiya Bulumulla-The Man I Knew

It is hard for me to comprehend or believe that it is one month since Bhathiya passed away on that fateful day, 15th March 2025 in Fiji.

- Rohan M. Fernando

He slipped away from this life most unexpectedly. My colleague Priyantha and I were sad witnesses to his last moments, one consolation being that Bhathiya did not suffer but passed on with a smile on his face.Bhathiya was always a person with an enduring smile and effervescent personality.

I knew Bhathiya since 1986 when he came as a trainee, in planting jargon as a ‘creeper’ to me. His parents and his two sisters came to leave him with me to undergo his training almost 39 years ago. This memory is still etched in my mind. Bhathiya came from a closely knit family which was my first impression of him.

After his training in the basics of Tea which he successfully completed, he moved over to my close friend Naresh Ratwatte to learn his basics in Rubber and then went on to be appointed an Assistant Superintendent.