Launching Thomia, 4 March 2025

This is rather overdue. Still, better late than never. Just some pictures of the Thomia launch party in best Hi!! magazine style (that’s Hello! for you non-Lankan readers), with captions and everything. Enjoy!

Chanishka Colombage, book designer extraordinaire, with the author

Jill Macdonald (proofreader and general editorial assistant), Sebastian Posingis, Chandini Rajaratnam (obsc.) Nazreen Sansoni

Mihiri Devendra, Wasim of Barefoot

Eranga Tennekoon, Steve de la Zilwa, Digby Hill, Shehan Karunatilaka

Astrid Sansoni, niece of L.A.H. Arndt, with the author

Anil Cooke, great-nephew of V.P. Cooke, with multiple copies to be signed for siblings around the globe

Arun Dias Bandaranaike

Chandra Schaffter, Sunethra Bandaranaike, Sebastian Posingis. Background: Anil Cooke, R.D. Guneratne, Suresh Ganeshan

Radhika Hettiarachchi, Digby Hill

Harin Amirthanayagam, choirmeister, pianist, baritone, Thomia reader

Jagdesh Mirchandani, Sharmini Boyle

Nazreen Sansoni and Ashley de Vos with the author

Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu

Ranil Gooneratne gets his copies signed; Sharni Jayawardena, who took many of these photos, looks on

Ruveka Attygalle Simon, the author, Suresh Navaratnam, Prof. Priyan Dias, Dominic Sansoni, Zul Lutafi

Mihiri Devendra (0bsc.), Ruveka Attygalle Simon

The author demonstrates his ability to talk and sign his name at the same time

Rohan Edrisinha and Jagdesh Mirchandani, classmates at STC

Speechmaking

Sharmini Boyle with Sebastian Posingis, informal but expert consultant on all things related to publishing and printing

The proscenium quartet: Steve de la Zilwa, Ranmali Mirchandani, Kumar Mirchandani, Jagdesh Mirchandani

Lads’ night out: Steve de la Zilwa, the author, Shehan Karunatilaka, Digby Hill

Suresh Navaratnam with a pile of books for signing

Tanya & Radhika Hettiarachchi. Background: Mihiri Devendra, Steve de la Zilwa