Deane - Family # 154
Dr. Abdul Rasheed Deane :
A fond tribute to a dedicated patron "Padang Complex"
by Fazeer Radin (Rawdin) - Daily News Tue Dec 9 2003
Thaha Mohamed, president of Sri Lanka Malay Association (SLMA) advised that we reminisces Dr. Abdul Rasheed Deane's fond memory in the media, whilst his portrait is displayed at the Colombo Malay Cricket (CMCC) on Friday 12th November 03.
I feel it is a privilege to cover the good deeds of an amiable and distinguished personality and pay due tribute to him for his dedication and sacrifice towards the CMCC and the SLMA Rupee Fund.
Dr. Deane was born on 23rd February 1918 and passed away at the age of 85 on 21st July 2003. The epithet quieted in Arabic "Inca Illah, We Inna Illah Rajioon" meaning that from him that we came and into him we return did not have its desired effect to overcome the grief of the mourners, whilst an elderly educated person was attempting to console the dear ones by explaining "a man is a thing of nought born but to die" and therefore it is indeed a matter of time for all of us to traverse to the very same destiny of the deceased sooner or later was also of no avail.
This reminded me of Mary Copt, the one and only to give holy Prophet Mohamed a son, who was named Ibrahim.
When he died in childhood, holy Prophet was overwhelmed with grief, sobbing bitterly, until he was reminded that he often proclaimed against the onward expression of grief.
Why was he sobbing when the child was so soon to enter paradise? Holy Prophet answered softly "It eases the afflicted heart. It does no harm to the dead, and does not profit him, but it is a comfort for the living".A massive crowd that was present at the internment of his remains prayed May Allah grant Dr. Deane "Janaothul Firdouse" meaning he be blessed to the heaven. We have lost another human being who had a human heart. His demise will cause a vacuum among his family members, members of the "Padang Complex" and several others.
His second home was the Padang Complex where he never failed to be present at all events before time like an early bird.
Towards his advanced age he was compelled to confine himself at his residence and c eased to appear as he practised in the past at the "Padang Complex" to the disadvantage and disappointment of the members.
I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity of a formal discussion with Dr. Deane in September 2002 during CMCC's 130th Anniversary celebration. I shall brief this dialogue.
Here he expressed cheerfully that the "Terang" the one and only news bulletin that covers Malay interest in Sri Lanka and circulated throughout locally as well as abroad need be highly praised. I posed him the question for those who have immensely contributed towards the interest and well-being of the country, religion and community, whether they distort history by keeping under blanket from recording their glorious achievements on grounds of modesty?
After a moment of silence, Dr. Deane smiled and made a humble request from me to pay a visit to his place and collect some clippings and to publish them in the "Terang" for posterity. Subsequently his sister-in-law Fareed Deane reminded me in this regard. It is a matter for regret that I fell seriously ill and was unable to keep up to my promise to Dr. Deane.
Had I have been fortunate to collect those documents from Dr. Deane I believe I could have written volumes covering him. While gleaming through the dilapidated records in my possession I gathered that the attachment and contribution towards the Padang Complex is not only confined to Dr. Deane alone but his forbears too. It has come down the line.
Dr. Deane's grandpa Amja Deane was a founder member of the CMCC established in 1872. He was its president in 1908 and compiler of the CMCC Jubilee Book printed in 1908 by the Ceylon Observer press. Similarly his beloved children, whose name appear below have also contributed articles in the periodicals of the "Padang Complex".
Dr. Deane's father A. A. Deane was the chief accountant in the H. M. Customs. He was highly acclaimed by the authorities concerned for launching of the famous "Harbour Lights" carnival splendidly and earning colossal profit.
A. A. Deane held office in the C. M. C. C. as the club captain 1919-1923, 1925, Hony general secretary 1908-1909, cricket captain 1912, 1911, president 1949 in the ACMA, general secretary 1925-1929. The portrait of A. A. Deane was unveiled at the CMCC on 23rd December 1961. Dr. Deane's brother Fareed served as the CMCC general secretary from 1972-1973.
I have gathered by heresay quite a lot of Dr. Deane's achievements, contributions, yeomen service and in cricket his stylish and elegant bowling, medium pace bowling and brilliant fielding. Regrettably most of the important events that have taken place in the Padang Complex after 1972 have not been recorded or may be I have not traced them. I therefore prefer not to pen what has not been recorded.
Dr. Deane and his wife Kathija are graduates of an English university. Dr. Deane was amongst the first batch to have passed the M. B. B. S. examination. Mrs. Deane was the first Muslim lady to be appointed in 1947 as a labour officer. She was later attached to the Royal College as a teacher. Dr. Deane was in the staff of Cell Barnes Hospital in England.
Dr. Deane was unanimously conferred to the esteemed positions mentioned above on recognition of his contributions to the service. His ancestral home was Slave Island where they lived at Union Place adjoining "Frostaire", Dr. Deane had his dispensary here and another at Hunupitiya, Wattala. He was engaged by the Colombo Commercial Company to treat their employees. Patients who had taken treatment from him had much to say of his benevolence. The most famous is that he advised them they fell sick because they are under nourished and in addition to free consultation he had provided them money to have a proper meal.
The members of the "Padang Complex" will now miss the most senior member and close companion and wish to convey all our sympathy to his beloved family members.
1 Amja Deane
2 A A Deane
3
Deane, Dr. A R, b:23-Feb-1918, d:21-Jul-2003 + Khadija,
b:1922
4 Hamze Deane + Mumtaz Aliph (120)
4 (son) Deane
4 (daughter) Deane
3 Farid Deane + Name Not Known
4 Ameen Deane + Sayang
Aliph (120)
Mrs
Deane’s 90th Birthday
Descendants of the
Rasheed Deane Family, Ladies
and Gentlemen.
It took me five
days to prepare this speech. So
please bear with me if I take equally long in delivering it.
This is a really
special occasion and it is all
about that very special lady Mrs. Kathijah Deane. A loving
daughter, a dear
sister, an understanding wife, a caring mother, a wonderful
mother-in-law and a
doting grandmother. The family thinks the world of her to say
the very least
and why not?
To me, she is one
very special person and it
certainly is a great privilege to stand before you this
evening, to speak a few
words on this occasion as this grand dame and mater-familias
of the Rasheed Deane
clan turns ninety years today.
Auntie Kathijah, I
am sure you will agree with me
in Jack Benny’s quote: “Age is strictly a case
of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.” And I can
certainly vouch that she
doesn’t mind – and hence age doesn’t matter.
I came to know
Auntie Kathijah in the 1960s when
I was drafted into the Colombo Malay Cricket Club by none
other than her genial
husband, the late Dr. A.R Deane.
She has brought
forth into this world five lovely
children who have done well for themselves in their chosen
fields and I am sure
this must be a sense of great pride to her. Hamza, the grumpy
one (Humpy…..
sorry I have to reveal some state secrets)…yes Humpy the
grumpy one with a
passion for flying is now gracefully growing old in his role
as an airline
pilot. A bit of
advise to him in his dotage:
Hamza, before taking off on each flight make sure your bladder
is empty and
your fuel tanks are full and not the other way about.
Next is Haroon, the
quite kid. In Sinhala
parlance a r-e-a-l Seethala Kotiya. His motto…ACTIONS speaks
louder than words.
How else can he account for the fact he was able to produce
three children,
which is 50% ABOVE
Then Azhar. I am
astounded, that he being a
logistics guy, wanted to know about the universe when it is
hard enough for him
to find his way around
Razmani....being
the only girl among the
siblings…how can I forget her. She went to the
F.i.n.ally Asthar,
the baby of the family who was
still wearing shorts at Royal when I left college. He moved to
the
Notwithstanding her
five children, auntie
Kathijah’s greatest labour
pains
were when she conceived, gave birth in 1967 and nurtured the
Teen Twenties –
the very first youth arm of the Sri Lanka Malay Association –
as it’s Social
Service Branch Chairman.
A
year later I was heading the Teen Twenties as
joint Leader – in fact the de-facto junior president of the
Malay
Association.
Being the mentor,
Auntie Kathijah was the guiding light
and my association with her grew even closer.
There
are many amusing anecdotes that
I am privy to, but I do not think it is right for me to
reveal these at her 90th Birthday.
So, I will not tell you how a team of
the Teen Twenties headed by auntie Kathijah went to the
Welimada YMCA
on a Youth
Leader Training Camp. On the final evening
of the camp, each group was asked to present an item of
entertainment and auntie
Kathijah
entrusted the task to me.
When the evening’s
programme was in progress and
it came to the SLMA turn, the Master of Ceremonies made the
introduction with
the words “and now ladies and gentlemen, in the Sri Lanka
Malay Association
team there is a great exponent of
the Bharata Natyam. Please welcome their leader Mrs.Kathijah
Deane who will
render this performance.”
A clapping of hands
was followed by pin-drop
silence and I could see Auntie Kathijah turning colours like a
chameleon.
With no Mrs. Deane
coming forth, I had to stand
up and admit it was a puckish
sense of
humour from one of the team members to have this itemised in
the programme and
that our real act was the traditional Malay Rongeng, which our
team performed......of
course sans Mrs. Deane!
Ladies
and Gentlemen, today, as we celebrate this landmark event in
her life, it just
seems incredible. Incredible because she has the remarkable
energy and
enthusiasm of someone many, many years younger.
Auntie
Kathijah…. for all that you have accomplished over the years –
your education,
your career, your loving family, friends, associates, your
energies, your inner
strength and also the various ways in which you continued to
inspire the many
young minds that passed through you at Royal Primary, this
birthday, I am sure,
will be immensely happy and very memorable.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, I have trespassed on your patience for a
sufficiently long time
and if I continue any further, my dear wife has promised to
slit my throat to
make sure that I will be precluded from speaking ever again.
So, I would like
to conclude by saying:
True beauty is
enriched with each passing year. So here’s to
dear Auntie Kathijah who
is truly beautiful in heart and soul. May she have many more
years of life
and love.
Thank
you!
Branu
Rahim
Colombo, Sri Lanka, Mar 2012