To open my tribute to this colossus of a man – I quote from JACQUES BREL, the vows written on January 1,1968.   

These could have been vows written by Sega Nagendra.   

“I wish you endless dreams and the furious desire to make some of them come true. I wish you to love what to love and forget what to forget. I wish you passions. I wish you silences. I wish you songs of birds when you wake up and the laughter of children. I wish you to respect the difference of others, because the merit and value of each one is often to be discovered. I wish you to resist the stagnation, the indifference and the negative virtues of our time. 

 
I wish you finally never to give up the research, the adventure, the life, the love, because the life is a magnificent adventure and no reasonable person should give it up without waging a hard battle. Above all, I wish you to be yourself, proud of it and happy, because happiness is our true destiny.”   

Our education systems were so fine. The schools we attended instilled in us the FINEST and BEST OF THEIR MOTTOS.   
Enter – Sega Nagendra – one of the Finest and Best products of St Joseph’s College – Colombo.   
Its motto –   
 “IN SCIENTIA ET VIRTUTE”   
 In knowledge and Virtue   
You embodied this. This was your life mission. You walked a colossus among men. Your knowledge was colossal and your virtue was colossal.   
Sega – you were tall, large, stately - a colossus among men. You will find colossal, colossus appear many times - it is intended not accidental.   
You were a colossus of a man. I attempt a colossus of a tribute.   
His parents gave Sega the gift of life. He gave life the gift of himself.   
Veni. Vidi. Vici   
You came You saw You conquered.   
You played the most magnificent role of all.   
The world was your stage. We were your audience. I applaud you.   
You have got my ‘OSCAR” Sega. You were the consummate actor.   
Your stage – Life. Your director – THE UNIVERSE.   
Your spotlights – THE SUN, THE MOON and the STARS.   
You towered above us, loving us all 
too Sega.   
I write of you with joy, because that is who you are - You were a Joy to be with - You were a joy to work with – where there was sorrow you brought Joy. When sorrow struck you and Sarla, to the very core of your being – You saw Joy in Kshirabdhi’s life and legacy. It takes a colossus of a human being to do this Sega and this you were.   
Prashan – “and I quote this with his permission” – Once told me - that he aspired to be the husband to Chameli – that you were to Sarla. He said   
“I grew up seeing how he treated my mother – like a Queen.”   
 What a fabulous tribute by a son to his father. It is said in the realm of spirituality. 

 
“The GREATEST GIFT A FATHER CAN GIVE HIS CHILDREN –   
Is To love and CHERISH THEIR MOTHER” And this You DID.

You were the proverbial gift giver – Your whole life was a gift. My children and I have been the recipients of your gift of unwavering rock like strength, support and love – when we knew – We were losing Dian and after we lost him.   
I know Sega – you felt you had lost him too. You have now found each other.   
I truly Love you Sega – your eternal friend.   
As my finale – I will proudly borrow YOUR finale in your ‘MAGNUM OPUS”   
To DIAN.   
I end this appreciation by quoting William Shakespeare.   
“His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him, that nature might stand   
up and say to all the WORLD “THIS WAS A MAN”   
I Thank GOD for his Life. I will not say farewell – because I know we will meet again.”   
Scherouza Jayasuriya
Sarla, Prashan, Jekhan, Chameli, Karnan and Suhit. This is my tribute to one of the most beautiful people –   
It was my gift to LOVE and BE 
LOVED BY.