From a young age, Manikkam was determined to emulate the life of M.G. Ramachandran (or MGR), one of the most renowned and prolific Tamil film actors of the 20th century. Manikkam found his calling as a natami, joining the organised community of cart pullers who transport goods through the bustling lanes of Pettah, Colombo's commercial district. Inspired by MGR's iconic screen presence, Manikkam is always dressed in costumes reminiscent of the actor's many films, gaining him fans across the world.

Mary Akka is a seettu collector living in Chunnakam, Jaffna. She spoke to me about her life as a trans woman in the 80s and 90s, in the de facto state of Tamil of Tamil Eelam and the hurdles that she had to overcome in order to get access to gender affirming care.

Mrs Sarojini Kadirgamar learned to play bridge during the curfews of the 1950s, looking over the shoulders of the adults. She talks about the responsibility of privilege, her Jaffna roots and her personal experiences of the Black July pogrom.

Jayaseelan’s grandfather bought the 150-year-old baths in Kochikade, north of Colombo with his pension. Jayaseelan was born just next door and inherited the baths when he retired. He talks about the changes in his life, to the baths as well as Kochikade.

Mrs Sui King Chang left Hong Kong in the 1950s to meet Yung-Hsien, the man she would later marry. Sui-King is today one of the last surviving first generation Chinese migrants. She talks about her journey to Ceylon by ship and her husband’s pioneering business, the New Chinese Shop on Chatham Street, which the family still runs.

Veteran journalist ”Kala Keerthi” Edwin Ariyadasa looks back on 64 years with Lake House as a reporter and editor, working on both Sinhala and English publications. He talks about his voracious appetite for books as a child, and his career as a journalist.

Sri Lanka’s legendary filmmaker Dr Lester James Peries talks about his early life as a filmmaker, his mentor Lionel Wendt and the films that launched his career in cinema. Featuring ‘Rekava’ (1956) and ‘The Song of Ceylon’ (1934) directed by Basil Wright.

Inayet Akbarally tells the remarkable story of his great grandfather Careemjee Jafferjee and how he became the first member of the Dawoodi Bohra community to come to Ceylon in 1830. A proud and loyal ‘Peterite’, he reflects on the days when where you went to school trumped ethnicity and even religion.

Chandra Schaffter opened bowling for Ceylon against England in 1954. A successful businessman, he later mentored Sri Lanka to World Cup victory in 1996. He talks about the early days of international cricket in the country, the changing face of club cricket in Sri Lanka and the potential of the game to bring communities together.

One hundred year old Jesuit priest Father Vito Perniola came to Ceylon from Italy in 1936. He has been here ever since and was even granted Sri Lankan citizenship in 1970. As a linguist, he learnt Pali and Sanskrit and even taught Pali to Buddhist monks and nuns.

Judge Christopher Weeramantry is a former judge of the International Court of Justice and the senior-most retired judge in Sri Lanka. His campaign against nuclear weapons proliferation is famously captured in a dissenting judgement during his tenure at the ICJ, as well for respecting the environment. Taking inspiration from his elders and borrowing from the wisdom of world religions, the judge has been spreading his message of peace for decades.

Sam Wijesinha has had several careers from criminal lawyer to Chancellor of The Open University. As President of the Prisoners’ Welfare Association, he focused on reforms to better the lives of prisoners and their families. His commitment to education extended not only to helping his poor relatives but the children of junior staff when Secretary General of Parliament.