Concordia Magazine 2025

Foundation of Goodness Rajiv Radhakrishnan (1990–1997) returned to Sri Lanka and found the school that was developed on his family’s land is thriving. In 1981, after a short holiday, siblings and cousins of my mother’s family left a newly built home in Mathagal, northern Sri Lanka. My father had erected the property for his parents in-law. I was a toddler, the youngest of the clan, and have no recollection of the family visit. A brutal civil war and its aftermath then prevented access to the area. Despite these restrictions, my maternal grandfather, widowed from 1983, lived there till 1990. He shared the space with the Indian Peace Keeping forces and was probably plagued by the Tamil Tigers, intrusions compromising his peaceful persona. The internal conflict in Sri Lanka ended in 2009, by which time I had formed a relationship with Kushil Gunasekera. Kushil established the charity the Foundation of Goodness (FOG), the aim of which is to improve the lives of children in rural communities in Sri Lanka. With unwavering support and determination, he developed my grandfather’s land into a school for underprivileged children. It opened in 2017, the sixth FOG centre in the island. This year I was welcomed back by the current students and teachers in a sweet ceremony of music, flowers and prayer. Mala, my Guyanese wife, and first-time visitor to the country, was received with equal warmth. Mathematics, English and vocational classes were in progress. The walls were adorned with inspirational quotations and a photograph of my grandfather hung in the foyer. There was a volleyball court and swing in the front garden, a balcony with a sea view and a mythical sight of India. It was thriving. Days later Mala and I arrived in Seenigama, Kushil’s ancestral residence at the southern end of the country which was the first FOG facility. It was more Buddhist Singhalese than Hindu Tamil, the two communities at the heart of Sri Lanka’s fractured history. Youngsters were engrossed in study and sport, overseen by benevolent tutors and coaches. Everyone was courteous against a backdrop of crackling energy. The two complexes we visited were achieving identical goals, each with a different ethnic mix. Mala remarked of the people, ‘I cannot see the distinction’. Sometimes it takes an outsider to provide obvious, simple and necessary clarity.

Soul Whispers of a Corporate Executive: A Legacy of Insight

In Soul Whispers of a Corporate Executive , Sanjeev Gandhi (1984–1989) distils three decades of corporate leadership and personal reflection into a heartfelt almanac for his children

— and for anyone seeking clarity in a

complex world. Gandhi is and OMT and Silicon

Valley executive whose journey spans continents and industries; yet his most profound lessons come from quiet moments of introspection and human connection. This book is not a traditional memoir or business guide but a curated collection of ‘aha moments’ — insights gathered from experience, conversations and observations. Gandhi believes that personal growth is discovered, not taught, and that inspiration is fleeting unless captured. His reflections invite readers to revisit them over time, allowing the right message to resonate when most needed. Described as elegant, honest and philosophically rich, Soul Whispers is ideal for dipping into during life’s transitions or moments of pause. It is a gift of wisdom that encourages presence, virtue and appreciation of the texture of everyday life. Thomas Lemon (2017–2022) Thomas Lemon has received the Geoff Kirk Young Members Award at the Institution of Engineering Designers’ 80th Anniversary Awards Dinner in Birmingham. The award recognises a young member’s early career achievements, potential and ability to promote engineering to the wider membership.

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