Rest in Peace Ananda

Below is information from CNA and a note from George Favacho (writing from Perth) on the sad news that Ananda Perera has passed away.

"Dear COT Friends,

It is indeed very sad to hear of the Passing of our Dear Colleague Ananda Perera last Wednesday.

I personally will miss a very dear work colleague. I will always treasure the many Laughs and Fun we had together at our BBC TV Training in Shephards Bush, UK in 1972.

Ananda came to our COT Gathering on 23rd February 2011 ...  and it was especially lovely to re-new our contact there after a lapse of 35 odd years! Below is my last photo taken of Ananda, see here with CHAN HENG WING, LIM BENG HOON & DAPHNE HONG

If any of you will attend his Funeral this Sunday, please convey on behalf of COT our sincere condolences to Lalitha, his Children and Family.

Rest in Peace Ananda!"

 George Favacho

From Channel News Asia

"Ex-news director Perera leaves behind wealth of memories
By S Ramesh | Posted: 30 September 2011 1840 hrs 

SINGAPORE: He is known as someone who would not miss his TV news bulletins - this best sums up the passion that the former Director of News of the then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), Ananda Perera, had for his craft.

Mr Perera died on Wednesday after a battle with lung cancer.

As friends and former colleagues paid their respects, the family requested for privacy - a wish of Mr Perera, the private man.

But for the many who had worked with him, he leaves behind a wealth of fond memories.

"He is very approachable and whenever I was outdoor shooting at location, he will make it a point to come talk to me about all the problems," said Aminuddin Abu, principal cameraman, MediaCorp.

Lee Foong Ming, Chief Editor of Radio News, and VP of 938LIVE, MediaCorp, said: "He had very high standards for the newsroom and as a rookie broadcast journalist, he was the standard I was familiar with. But what I remember of Ananda is his very resonant beautiful broadcaster's voice, and whenever he spoke I would automatically listen - not because he was the boss, but his voice has a lot of authority and he was the embodiment of the power of what the spoken word can be, the impact of that voice."

Others remember him for his ready smile and ability to tell a good story that touches the heart.

"His laughter, his joy for life, his incredible ability to capture the human condition in film - that is something Ananda was very strong at," said Chan Heng Weng, a former TV producer who worked with Mr Perera.

"Ananda was working at a time when News and Current Affairs was very different from now. We saw ourselves as trying to explain the development polices of a new government to a population and try to help the government to bring these ideas, very complex ideas, asking people to make sacrifices in the 70s when challenges abound."

Mr Perera's documentaries have bagged the Asian Broadcasting Union's awards three times. One of them, Addiction - Three Experiences in 1974, was a touching story of drug addicts.

"In particular, he observed and asked to film the cremation of one of the addicts who died from his addiction. It was very important to him because it always reminded him the death of his mother. For him, it was very personal to watch the process, he filmed it. That became a very dramatic ending to this documentary film," said Chan.

Mr Perera's funeral will be held on Sunday."

Ananda (third from right)showing the Sri Lanka President the Auto-Cue System

 Ananda rose from the rank and file starting as a floor manager and to the top job in the news division. I worked with him when he was producer for the National Day Parades and the Prime Ministers Speech and Rally. He was very professional in his field of work and his relationship with those who worked with him was always cordial and jovial. Ananda gave a short speech during the COT gathering in Febuary this year and he was cheerful and looked healthy. It is very sad to hear of his passing. Rest in Peace Ananda. 
-philip tay