Remembering Sir Arthur C Clarke

It’s been two orbits since Sir Arthur Clarke(16 December 1917 – 19 March 2008) departed Earth and started his own personal final odyssey among Stars.

As a tribute to him, a commemorative public program was organized on 17th March 2010 at the British Council Colombo. The program was organized by Sri Lanka Astronomical Association in collaboration with Arthur C Clarke Estate and British Council.

Guest Speaker of the event: Nalaka Gunawardene gave an illustrated talk – “Sir Arthur C Clarke: Man Who Lived in the Future”.


some photos from the event:

Thilina Heenatigala - General Secretary of Sri Lankan Astronomical Association addressing the crowd.

Guest speaker Nalaka Gunawardene delivering his illustrated talk “Sir Arthur C Clarke: Man Who Lived in the Future”

Participants

Participants

Sir Arthur Clarke Exhibit at the entrance

Sir Arthur C Clarke: 90th Birthday Reflections

Read More

Getting ready for another orbit around the Sun 2010

Dear Earthlings,
We just finished a wonderful orbit around the Sun. I know it had its usual ups and downs, but astronomically speaking it was a year to remember.
It’s amazing how one program – International Year of Astronomy 2009 – managed to get people to discover the Universe we live in. The best part about IYA2009 is that it’s not over! The momentum given by IYA will continue to this year. Already there are some wonderful events to take place in 2010. Much to expect!





Apart from my usual celebrations in a 31st night, I managed to capture the Partial Lunar Eclipse. It was a wonderful view of the lunar eclipse against the dark sky.

This full Moon known as a Blue Moon as well. I wrote an article for the local paper during the last Blue Moon.


Don’t forget its 2010: Year We Make Contact!
If you are a Science Fiction fan, you’d probably know what I’m on about. This year signifies the 2010: Odyssey Two which is a best-selling science fiction novel by late Sir Arthur Clarke published in January 1982. It also adapted to a movie in 1984 called 2010: The Year We Make Contact!

You can see a nice article written regarding this topic by Nalaka Gunawardene at his Moving Images, Moving People! Blog.




I wish all my friends and Universe Café readers a wonderful year ahead. Let’s make this year a memorable one!

Ad Astra!

Read More

92nd birth anniversary of Sir Arthur Clarke

Dear Friends, Earthlings and ET’s (as Arthur would often say),

We have almost traveled two orbits around the Sun without the presence of Sir Arthur Clarke. Today, 16th of December 2009 mark his 92nd birth anniversary.

After completing 90 orbits around the Sun, Sir Arthur rests in peace; perhaps now enjoying wandering in space or spending time with the dinosaurs he used to dream of. His passing was a great loss to all of us around the world. Although his personal odyssey here on Earth is over, his unparalleled vision of the future will lives on through his writing; and will inspire many generations to come.



Royal College Astronomical Society pays respect to ACC

I was able to go to the cemetery today with few students from Royal College Astronomical Society who wanted to pay respect to Sir Arthur.
The first thing you noticed is the wording on the tombstone which says, “Here rests Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, he never grew up, but he never stopped growing”. These words were written by Sir Arthur himself.






I find below image very moving, I took it last year in one of my visits to Sir Arthur’s office in Barnes Place, Colombo, Sri Lanka. I remember he used to wear this jacket sometimes, and seeing it hanging it at his room reminds how dearly we miss him.

---

Links to other ACC related posts I made over the years.

Sir Arthur C Clarke’s 90th birth day blog

90th birthday reflections video

Sir Arthur’s birthday celebration

Sir Arthur Clarke: Completes 90 orbits around the Sun!!!

Last EGOGRAM

Sir Arthur C Clarke dies at 90...

Funeral fixed for Saturday, March 22, 2008

"ACC - 9 decades"

Some pics from the funeral...

An Interview with Sir Arthur C. Clarke by Dr. Kavan Ratnatunga – 30th August 2000

IOR and AOG



Other links:
List of ACC posts at Universe Cafe

ACC page at Sri Lanka Astronomical Association

Sir Arthur Clarke’s 90th birthday blog



Image credit - Shahidul Alam (ACC potrait photo), Thilina Heenatigala

Read More

IOR and AOG

“IOR” and “AOG”

I have seen in various ACC internet forum people wondering about “IOR” and “AOG” which are two labels pasted in the file holder of late ACC.

If you walk into the office of late Sir Arthur Clarke you will notice that on his desk, there is a file holder labeled as “IOR” and “AOG”. When I walked into the office for the first time, I also wondered what it meant.

So, onetime when I asked him what it actually meant, he said;

“IOR” - Immediate Operation Requirement (means “IN”)
“AOG” - Aircraft On Ground (means “OUT”)

he said those are terms used by RAF.

Read More

An Interview with Sir Arthur C. Clarke by Dr. Kavan Ratnatunga – 30th August 2000

Views on computers and the information technology evolution.
Sometimes back Prof. Kavan gave me a copy of the interview he did with late Sir ACC during 2000. After doing some converting, I uploaded the interview on Youtube so that everyone could access it.
There are eight questions asked altogether which I have put as eight different clips and the full version. The interview is very interesting and the last question being one of my personal favorite.

Q1) The fact do you seen the accelerating development of information technology on the gap between the rich and the poor?

Q2) Do you agree that in the internet age information should be free with all of its implications concerning intellectual property and creative work?

Q3) What nightmare scenarios if any do you foresee for the use of computers?

Q4) The promise of technology has often been a lessen the work load of the human beings and provide a life of leisure. However in many ways people are working harder than ever. Do you think this trend will finally reverse in the next half century?

Q5) The time machine portraits the future where the human descendants becomes physically, mentally and morally diminished because they no longer found challenges to overcome. Do you see this scenario as plausible over the next fifty years or even further out?

Q6) Until we are technically more capable than we are now, do you see any bans that makes sense for the use of information technology?

Q7) As man kind evolves to the stages of hunting, gathering, agriculture, industries, services, information, what is the next stage on the horizon? That is when we have exhausted the information stage by robots or A.I. doing all the mental and physical work that we do now what would come next?

Q8) Do you expect advances in information technology will shed any light on the enduring question of “God and creator”?

Full Video

You can view all the videos at http://www.youtube.com/thilinaheenatigala

Direct Links to the videos

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Full

Read More

Some pics from the funeral...

Read More

"ACC - 9 decades"

as a kid...

with family..

RAF times...

in 50's

in 60's

with Neil Armstrong...

with his telescope...

at his office with his dog, "pepsi"

Read More

Sir Arthur's funeral fixed for Saturday, March 22

Dear friends,

Sir Arthur's funeral will be held on Saturday, March 22 at 3.30 pm Sri Lanka time at General Cemetery in Colombo. Sir Arthur had left instructions on how he would like his funeral to be held.

Sir Arthur's body now lies at Leslie's House (colombo 07), with friends and fans lining up to pay their last respects.


Regards,

Thilina Heenatigala
General Secretary
Sri Lanka Astronomical Association


* * * * * Text of Sir Arthur's letter with funeral instructions* * * * *

In almost 90 years of living, I have twice enjoyed reading my obituary in print – and their subsequent reaction and apology! But I am aware that one of these days, the news of my death will no longer be premature.

This letter captures my wish for funeral arrangements.

· My funeral should be held in Sri Lanka, as soon as possible following my demise and the medical/legal formalities are completed.

· I have pledged to donate the cornea of my eyes to the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society, who should be informed within two hours of death to perform their task.

· My body may be kept only for a minimum necessary period at Leslie’s House, 25, Barnes Place, Colombo. This has been my home since 1972 – and where I have buried several of my beloved canine friends.

· The entire funeral should be a private event, allowing the opportunity for my friends, family and fans to pay last respects. It should be on a very low key, and as inexpensive as possible. Please do not put up structures or decorations of any kind.

· Absolutely no religious rites of any kind, relating to any religious faith, should be associated with my funeral, which should be entirely secular.

· I am to be buried at the family burial plot owned by my adopted family, the Ekanayakes, at the Kanatte General Cemetery in Colombo.

· Under no circumstances should there be any official involvement on the part of British or Sri Lankan governments. I am placing my long-standing business partner Hector Ekanayake and my office manager Rohan de Silva exclusively in charge of all arrangements. They have looked after me very well for decades, and I know they will respect my last wishes.


signed/
Arthur C Clarke
Colombo, 8 August 2007

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Read More

Sir Arthur C Clarke dies at 90...

British-born science fiction guru Arthur C. Clarke died at a hospital in Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

(1917-2008) "At his 90th birthday"

Dear friends,

With great sadness I would like to announce that, Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday in his adopted home of Sri Lanka. He was 90.
Clarke, who had battled debilitating post-polio syndrome since the 1960s and sometimes used a wheelchair, died at 1:30 a.m. after suffering breathing problems.

I had the privilege of visiting him a week ago at the hospital with Michael Snowden.

My thoughts go out to everyone here that has been inspired by his
works as much as I have.

Please check the official media statement below and the blog I put up for his 90th birthday click here.

Regards,

Thilina Heenatigala
General Secretary
Sri Lanka Astronomical Association
http://aalk.lakdiva.net

T.P: +94- 71-6245545


====================================================================

Sir Arthur C Clarke dies aged 90 (official media statement)

Colombo, Sri Lanka: 19 March 2008

Science fiction author and inventor of the communications satellite Sir Arthur C Clarke passed away today after a brief illness. He was 90 years old.

He died at Colombo's Apollo Hospital in the early hours of March 19 (Sri Lanka time) from respiratory complications.

He was also suffering from the Post Polio Syndrome since the early 1990s, which confined him to a wheelchair for the past decade.

Sir Arthur is survived by his brother Fred and sister Mary, both living Minehead, Somerset, UK. Their youngest brother, Michael, predeceased him.

Sir Arthur's business partner Hector Ekanayake, who heads his adopted Sri Lankan family, was with him to the end, along with his office and household staff.

According to them, Sir Arthur remained alert and active throughout his recent illness. He was also in regular contact with his literary agents, publishers and officials of the non-profit Arthur C Clarke Foundation based in the United States.

Only a few days ago, Sir Arthur reviewed the final manuscript of his latest science fiction novel, The Last Theorem. Co-written with the American author Frederik Pohl, the book is to be published later this year.

Sir Arthur's wish was that his funeral be held in Sri Lanka as a private event. He has asked to be buried at the family burial plot owned by the Ekanayake family at the Kanatte General Cemetery in Colombo.

Sir Arthur has also left written instructions that his funeral be strictly secular: "Absolutely no religious rites of any kind, relating to any religious faith, should be associated with my funeral."

===============================================================

Read More

EGOGRAM 2008 - Sir Arthur C Clarke

Friends, Earthlings, ETs -- lend me your sensory organs!

I send you greetings and good wishes at the beginning of another year – and we’re getting closer to 2010, 'the year we make contact' (according to the movie 2010: Odyssey Two).

Making contact, or at least receiving some evidence of extra-terrestrial life, was one of three wishes I included in a short video released online in December reflecting on my 90th birthday. I said: “I have always believed that we are not alone in the universe. But we are still waiting for ETs to call us – or give us some kind of a sign. We have no way of guessing when this might happen – I hope sooner rather than later!”

I added two more developments that I would like to see accomplished – kicking our addiction to oil by going for clean energy sources, and achieving peace in Sri Lanka. That makes up Clarke’s Three Wishes, neatly complementing the well-established Clarke’s Three Laws.[1]

My 90th birthday celebrations went extremely well. My business partner Hector, his wife Valerie and their children Cherene and Melinda returned from Melbourne in time for 16 December. They joined my staff and a few close friends for cake and champagne that morning. The same evening, the government of Sri Lanka held a felicitation ceremony in my honour, which was chaired by the President and attended by over 150 people including several cabinet ministers, diplomats as well as scientists, artistes and the media. The space agencies of India, Pakistan, Russia and the US sent senior representatives. It took all my well known modesty to survive over 90 minutes of raving remarks about my life and times from half a dozen speakers! The highlight was when my old friend cosmonaut Alexei Leonov turned up representing both the Russian space agency and the Association of Space Explorers – and presented me with the latter's highest honour.

One morning two weeks later, I suddenly found myself unable to rise from bed after a good night’s sleep. The unexpected back injury forced me to enter Colombo’s Apollo Hospital where doctors found I had a cracked vertebra. This puzzled everyone as there was no accident or incident - perhaps it was all that walking with dinosaurs that I now do in my vivid dreams… I returned home 10 days later, but full healing would take many weeks during which I have to be extremely careful.

I’m now surviving on 16 hours of sleep everyday, and getting used to doing some reading and light work from my semi-reclined position. I’m very well looked after by my doctors, physiotherapists, staff and valets, and am in no pain or discomfort. But I can’t wait to get back to my hover-chair…

One of my current priorities is to get through the heavy manuscript of The Last Theorem, written by Frederik Pohl expanding on my story line developed four years ago. Our publishers and agents were remarkably patient and supportive as Fred and I swapped ideas and comments from opposite sides of the planet for much of 2007.

Meanwhile, Firstborn – the third in the 'Time Odyssey' series written with Stephen Baxter – came out from Del Rey in December. During the year, Stephen also wrote a delightful tall story using the same London pub setting that formed the backdrop to my collection Tales from the White Hart, first published 50 years ago. This new story is included in an anniversary edition just brought out by the UK's PS Publishing.

I was involved in marking other golden jubilees during the past year. In April 2007, my old friend Patrick Moore completed hosting The Sky at Night programme on BBC TV for 50 years without a break – a broadcast world record. I filmed a tribute with the BBC and wrote an essay recalling some of our celestial adventures.[2] In October, Patrick and I joined worldwide celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Space Age. In an essay written for the official commemorative volume published by the Russian Academy of Sciences, I noted that in spite of many impressive accomplishments in the past half century, the best is yet to come. The same month, New Scientist listed me as one of the top 10 influential space thinkers of all time 'who really made the Space Age happen' - the list included Tsiolkovsky, Korolev, Tsien and Spitzer.[3] In November, I joined (by video) the 50th anniversary meeting of the Pugwash movement held in Bari, Italy – after thanking its members for preventing our self-destruction from nuclear warfare, I suggested they also address the spread of 'techno-porn' that glamourises violence.

Despite limitations of time and energy imposed by Post Polio, I joined via video selected global events on topics close to my heart. Among them were the 20th anniversary of International Space University, the birth centenary of the late Robert Heinlein, and NASA-JPL Cassini spacecraft’s flyby of Saturn's moon Iapetus, where astronaut Dave Bowman discovered the larger monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The Arthur Clarke Foundation continued its good work to promote my vision, and pursued plans for the Arthur C. Clarke Center "to investigate the reach and impact of human imagination". The Board members of the Foundation, led by Tedson Meyers, have taken on the challenge of raising US$ 70 million for this project. I thank them for their hard work and persistence.

My brother Fred, Chris Howse, Angie Edwards and Navam Tambayah look after my affairs in England. My agents David Higham Associates (http://www.davidhigham.co.uk/) and Scovil, Chichak & Galen Literary Agency (http://www.scglit.com/) insulate me from rapacious editors and media executives.

Here in Colombo, I am well supported by my staff and I want to thank them all:

Office Manager: Rohan De Silva
Executive Officer: Nalaka Gunawardene

Secretary: Dottie Weerasooriya

Valets: Saman, Chandrasiri, Dharmawardena

Drivers: Lalith & Anthony

Domestic Staff: Jayasiri, Mallika & Sumana

Handyman: Jagath

I have always had mixed feelings about posterity (as a cynic remarked, what good does it do to me?). Yet completing 90 orbits around the sun was a suitable occasion to reflect on how I would like to be remembered. As I said in my birthday reflections video: “I’ve had a diverse career as a writer, underwater explorer, space promoter and science populariser. Of all these, I want to be remembered most as a writer – one who entertained readers, and, hopefully, stretched their imagination as well.

“I find that another English writer -- who, coincidentally, also spent most of his life in the East -- has expressed it very well. So let me end with these words of Rudyard Kipling:

If I have given you delight

by aught that I have done.

Let me lie quiet in that night

which shall be yours anon;

And for the little, little span

the dead are borne in mind,

seek not to question other than,

the books I leave behind."

Arthur C Clarke

Colombo, Sri Lanka: 30 January 2007

[1] Full video here.

[2] http://www.banguniverse.com/newsitems/view/77

[3]http://space.newscientist.com/article/mg19526201.400-top-10-influential-space-thinkers.html

"Sir Arthur and I at his place last december 16th..."

Read More

Sir Arthur’s birthday celebration

The special day was last Sunday. In the morning there was a small celebration at Sir Arthur’s place which was attended by his closest friends and family.
Sir Arthur happly cut the cake while everyone else sang "happy birthday"...

In the evening, a government hosted celebration took place with the presence of President of Sri Lanka – Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse, Russian Cosmonaut – Alexi Leonov, NASA scientist – Dr. Michael Zolenesky, NASA-JPL sicnetist – Dr. Sarath Gunapala, Prof.U. R. Rao – Indian Space Research Organization, Dr. Sajid Mirza of Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Prof. K. K. Y. W. Perera – Chairman of Arthur C Clarke Institute for Modern Technology-Sri Lanka and many other distinguished guests.

Sir Arthur cutting his cake...

With Russian cosmonaut - Alexi Leonov

With the President of Sri Lanka- Mahinda Rajapakse and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollaga .

Read More

Sir Arthur Clarke's 90th birthday reflections video

Text of video address (running time: 9 mins 3 secs) Recoded on 5 December 2007
=========================================================
Hello! This is Arthur Clarke, speaking to you from my home in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

As I approach my 90th birthday, my friends are asking how it feels like, to have completed 90 orbits around the Sun.

Well, I actually don't feel a day older than 89!

Of course, some things remind me that I have indeed qualified as a senior citizen. As Bob Hope once said: "You know you're getting old, when the candles cost more than the cake!"

I’m now perfectly happy to step aside and watch how things evolve. But there's also a sad side to living so long: most of my contemporaries and old friends have already departed. However, they have left behind many fond memories, for me to recall.

I now spend a good part of my day dreaming of times past, present and future. As I try to survive on 15 hours’ sleep a day, I have plenty of time to enjoy vivid dreams. Being completely wheel-chaired doesn't stop my mind from roaming the universe – on the contrary!

In my time I’ve been very fortunate to see many of my dreams come true! Growing up in the 1920s and 1930s, I never expected to see so much happen in the span of a few decades. We 'space cadets' of the British Interplanetary Society spent all our spare time discussing space travel – but we didn’t imagine that it lay in our own near future…

I still can't quite believe that we've just marked the 50th anniversary of the Space Age! We’ve accomplished a great deal in that time, but the 'Golden Age of Space' is only just beginning. After half a century of government-sponsored efforts, we are now witnessing the emergence of commercial space flight.
Over the next 50 years, thousands of people will travel to Earth orbit – and then, to the Moon and beyond. Space travel – and space tourism – will one day become almost as commonplace as flying to exotic destinations on our own planet.

Things are also changing rapidly in many other areas of science and technology. To give just one example, the world's mobile phone coverage recently passed 50 per cent -- or 3.3 billion subscriptions. This was achieved in just a little over a quarter century since the first cellular network was set up. The mobile phone has revolutionized human communications, and is turning humanity into an endlessly chattering global family!

What does this mean for us as a species?

Communication technologies are necessary, but not sufficient, for us humans to get along with each other. This is why we still have many disputes and conflicts in the world. Technology tools help us to gather and disseminate information, but we also need qualities like tolerance and compassion to achieve greater understanding between peoples and nations.

I have great faith in optimism as a guiding principle, if only because it offers us the opportunity of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. So I hope we've learnt something from the most barbaric century in history – the 20th. I would like to see us overcome our tribal divisions and begin to think and act as if we were one family. That would be real globalisation…

As I complete 90 orbits, I have no regrets and no more personal ambitions. But if I may be allowed just three wishes, they would be these.

Firstly, I would like to see some evidence of extra-terrestrial life. I have always believed that we are not alone in the universe. But we are still waiting for ETs to call us – or give us some kind of a sign. We have no way of guessing when this might happen – I hope sooner rather than later!

Secondly, I would like to see us kick our current addiction to oil, and adopt clean energy sources. For over a decade, I've been monitoring various new energy experiments, but they have yet to produce commercial scale results. Climate change has now added a new sense of urgency. Our civilisation depends on energy, but we can't allow oil and coal to slowly bake our planet…

The third wish is one closer to home. I’ve been living in Sri Lanka for 50 years – and half that time, I’ve been a sad witness to the bitter conflict that divides my adopted country.
I dearly wish to see lasting peace established in Sri Lanka as soon as possible. But I’m aware that peace cannot just be wished -- it requires a great deal of hard work, courage and persistence.

* * * * *

I’m sometimes asked how I would like to be remembered. I’ve had a diverse career as a writer, underwater explorer, space promoter and science populariser. Of all these, I want to be remembered most as a writer – one who entertained readers, and, hopefully, stretched their imagination as well.

I find that another English writer -- who, coincidentally, also spent most of his life in the East -- has expressed it very well. So let me end with these words of Rudyard Kipling:
If I have given you delight
by aught that I have done.
Let me lie quiet in that night
which shall be yours anon;

And for the little, little span
the dead are borne in mind,
seek not to question other than,
the books I leave behind.

This is Arthur Clarke, saying Thank You and Goodbye from Colombo!

==========================================================

Available on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLdeEjdbWE

Read More

Announcement of Sir Arthur C Clarke’s 90th birth day blog

Fellow Earthlings,

Sixty two years ago Arthur C. Clarke of the British Interplanetary Society sent a letter to the editor titled Peacetime Uses for V2 which was published in the 1945 February issue of the Wireless World magazine suggesting the use of Geostationary Satellites for the instant global communications. Quoting,

“I would like to close by mentioning a possibility of the more remote future--perhaps half a century ahead.
An ``artificial satellite'' at the correct distance from the earth would make one revolution every 24 hours; i.e., it would remain stationary above the same spot and would be within optical range of nearly half the earth's surface. Three repeater stations, 120 degrees apart in the correct orbit, could give television and microwave coverage to the entire planet.”

Today, the Clarke Orbit has over 330 satellites. Sir Arthur C. Clarke, a science-fiction author, inventor, and futurist, simply a greate mind celebrates his 90^th birth anniversary on 16^th of December, 2007.

In 1959, he founded the Ceylon Astronomical Association (now known as Sri Lanka Astronomical Association). As the current General Secretary of the Association, I’m honored to run an association founded by him. And as a big fan of his writings and admirer of his work, I have put up a blog where every one could wish him for his 90^th birth day.

If you are a friend, colleague, fan or simply an earthling who admires work of Sir Arthur Clarke, please write your greetings and good wishes on the blog.

Please forward this message around and publish it in your website/ magazine/ paper/blog etc… if possible.

Let us wish together a healthy and a long life for Sir Arthur.

Post your greetings and wishes at http://SirArthurCClarke90.blogspot.com

Regards,

Thilina Heenatigala
General Secretary
Sri Lanka Astronomical Association
http://thilinaheenatigala.blogspot.com/
URL: http://aalk.lakdiva.net/
Phone: +94-716245545

Read More