Tusitha Kumarakulasingam wears many hats - “I am a career woman, homemaker, mother, cook ( a good one I am told), creator, social worker, transformation catalyst” she lists. Now she’s all set to add Author to that list. 

“I am a mum of grown up kids, son - Sajiv and daughter Chalukya, and two inherited daughters - Anjani and Sajini. They are all an integral part of everything I do and are responsible for what I have achieved. I am also supported by my soul mate, constant companion, Kirubha who is the pillar of strength in my life”

she says of her support system.

But Tusitha cannot defined simply by her strong bond with her family. She has helmed countless positions and proved her mettle in a number of industries. “I have been working for several decades - I was involved with top multinationals such as Unilever, Nestle, Bestfoods (CPC), GTECh in Marketing, building, developing brands, businesses and people. I enjoy the challenge of working with young people, making them achieve their fullest potential. I have been working as a Consultant for close to a decade now. I help businesses to work out strategies that win in the marketplace, guiding teams in the respective organizations to gain skills and competencies to that are needed to win in their market places.” 

An intrinsic need to guide the young and the considerable knowledge and experience she has accumulated over the years bode well for what was inevitably her next step - penning a book. I caught up with her to find out more about it. 

Tusitha is cheerful and enthusiastic in person, and her energy permeates the room. Her knowing smile and easy going nature instantly put you at ease; a sense of familiarity and warmth engulfing you. As we sit down to discuss her book, it’s not hard to understand why she chose to put together a book of this nature.

“Because I said so” - Mama is a work of love. The book is, without a doubt, visually appealing: it comprises beautifully designed glossy pages bound in hardcover.

Inside are quotes - motherly advice, if I may - presented in a distinctive style. It is concise, to the point, and covers a range of topics from everyday specials to work and everything in between. The way in which her advice is presented in the book is reminiscent of Facebook quotes many youngsters like to share sporadically, but a lot prettier. But this is also why it would especially appeal to a young readership hooked onto their devices - there’s something for one’s every mood. So what inspired her to write a book? “Not sure how to answer this question, I never started wanting to write a book. This came about with the want to leave something meaningful for my brood. It contains advice, guidance, principles I follow, and stuff I wish I had known in my youth. It ended up being quaint little thought which I realised would help lots of other mums and kids as well.”

As I peruse the pages of the book, I’m inclined to notice that after every chapter, there is a page headlined “Notes” with space for writing. Tusitha interjects my thoughts and explains that she left that space for mothers who may want to add their own wisdom and advice to share before sharing it with her children, for instance. A great idea which will certainly elevate this little book to a worthwhile keepsake. In a world where time spent with family is lamentably insubstantial, a generation will, no doubt, stand to benefit from the words of wisdom doled out in the book. Below are excerpts from the interview

On the experience of putting this book together: It was very exciting, actually my thoughts were collected over a period of time, and I had a picture in my mind how I wanted it presented, It needed to be visual, and that was a challenge as I didn't know how to set about doing it until Chalu introduced a friend of hers, who just understood what I meant and created this masterpiece for me. I don't think if this was presented any other way, it would have had the response I have got.

On picking a topic of this kind: Isn't this pertinent, the book features, simple best practices that groom a good person. It is stuff that seems to be forgotten by the new generation that creates issues.

As I said, it was created for my kids, and now available for the children/youth at large, who are struggling to cope in this complex world. I have also included pages for notes in each section, where the parent can take the liberty to pen their thoughts and make it more personal for their child. It is thought provoking, has advice inspirations,  that can be put into practice and will deliver results, presented in a highly appealing manner.

Target readership
It is for Children/youth and their parents I have defined it for 18+, but a mum who read it said "You know it is stuff that is great for my teen”. So I guess it has wide scope. I think it is for a specific audience to benefit, but for reading purposes, can appeal to anyone.

“Because I said so” - Mama, can be purchased via Tusitha Kumarakulasingam. You can contact her on 0777915293 or email her at http://[email protected] to have a copy delivered to your doorstep.