Dilshan Kodituwakku

In conversation with Ashwini Vethakan

JOURNEY OF LIFE

Born in
The Year of the Horse

Alma maters
Thomas’ Prep School, S. Thomas’ College (Mount Lavinia) and Deakin University (Australia)

Wanted to be
Batman

Drives
Anything that gets him from point A to point B… and even C

Likes to play
Rugby, basketball and 304

Prefers to watch
Formula 1, Seinfeld and Ozark

Most unforgettable event
Holding his daughter for the first time

Most forgettable event
Losing the school basketball championship finals

Best advice received
‘Be prepared’

Mantra to relax and unwind
‘You can’t control everything’

A little-known fact about you
I’m a lefty

INTIMATE AND INSPIRING 

One new thing you tried last year
Qigong

Workout preference
Gym

Saddened when
People choose to be ignorant

Most used word
Jeez

Success is
Contentment

Impressed by
Humility

Purpose in life
To better himself constantly

Describe your day off
Connecting with people who matter to me

Items on your bucket list following retirement
I’m never retiring but will buy a house in Europe and drive a Porsche 911 through the Swiss Alps

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Most hated chore
When what must be done has to be done

Obsessed with
Perfection – because it’s important to see things to completion and done right

Three items on your bucket list for the next six months
Finishing Serenia, relaxing in a day spa at The Hague and shaping up at least two of the ‘six packs’

Pet peeves
Time wasters, discussing politics and selfish drivers

A moment in time to which you’d like to go back
Doing the crossword with my grandfather

Hobbies
I haven’t discovered anything that I’ve taken a consistent liking to in terms of a hobby

Three must-haves
A loving family, music and good health

What would you like to have
A Remington shotgun, a French Mastiff and the Batmobile

Likely retirement destination
Europe

Why
For its rich history and evolved society – it’s also where the simple things in life are valued

Challenged by
Driven people

Desirable qualities in a friend
‘Say it to your face’ honesty, someone who is down-to-earth and picks up from where you left off

Yourself in a few words
Earthy, honest and focussed

FAVOURITES

Days of the week
Sunday, Monday and Thursday

Colours
Blue, green and grey

Chill out spots
His home, a Jacuzzi at the gym and his parents’ house

Food
The Dutch Burgher Union’s (DBU) yellow rice with black pork, Crystal Jade’s beef hor fun noodles and Min Han’s pork fried dumplings

Drinks
Cherine’s Quench Naarang Juice, Tintagel’s Bloody Mary and Capital’s Napoleon’s Whisky Sour

Happy place
His house

Brands
Hermès, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss

Places to eat at
Min Han, Crystal Jade and Ministry of Crab

Movies
The Revenant, Interstellar and John Wick

Local holiday destinations
Nuwara Eliya, Weligama and Tangalle

Overseas holiday destinations
The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany

Actors
Al Pacino, Tom Hanks and Daniel Day-Lewis

Authors
Dr. Joe Dispenza, Andrew Carnegie and Stephen Hawking

Musicians
Sting, Prince and Lenny Kravitz

Favourite quote from a movie
“Let’s put a smile on that face!” – the Joker

Why
Everyone has their trials and tribulations, and I believe we must be understanding

Favourite statesman
President J. R. Jayewardene – because he had more presence in the White House than US President Ronald Reagan at the time they met there

COMPLETE THE SENTENCE

The first thing you notice when meeting someone is…
Their humility

The first thing you need when you wake up is…
A sense of gratitude

You recently laughed out loud while watching…
Kramer in Seinfeld

You know it’s going to be a bad day when…
It isn’t a good day

New technology that will transform the future includes…
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs)

Colombo in a few words…
Boring and uneventful with no character

Sri Lanka in a few words…
Magical, historic and welcoming

The world in two or three words…
Needs to be explored and healed

Children are…
Hope

IN BRIEF

Memory skills on a scale of 0-10
Nine

Computer capability in one word
Adequate

Most productive in the morning, noon or night
Morning

Leader or follower by nature
Leader

Cook or foodie
Cook

Quality or quantity
Quality

Student or teacher
Teacher

The glass is half full or half empty
Half full

Most delightful word you can think of
Gratefulness

Work or play after retirement
Work

Role model
Michael Jordan

Motto in life
Persevere

Dilshan Kodituwakku is the Executive Director of Serenia Residences