Shocking incident of death of Shantha and daughter at Shangri-La Hotel!

Shocking incident of death of Shantha and daughter at Shangri-La Hotel!

The incident of the death of veteran chef Mrs. Shantha Mayadunne and her eldest daughter from the blast which struck Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo yesterday became an incident which invited sensitive feature articles even in international media by now. 

They faced this sorrowful fate when Shantha's eldest daughter, Nisanga Mayadunne following her studies at London University in England had arrived in Sri Lanka on a holiday and before attending
the Easter Sunday mass Shantha together with daughter Nisanga and other family members had been having their breakfast. 

After seating themselves for breakfast, Nisanga, her mother and all 6 members of the family had clicked a selfie photo and has shared it with friends -- with the comment, 'Easter breakfast with family'. A short while later, some persons including foreigners embraced death as a result of the bomb blast which rocked Shangri-La Hotel. 

There were 2 blasts at Shangri-La Hotel. One bomb blast happened at the first floor restaurant which served a buffet breakfast. It was there that Shantha, her daughter including members of her family were having their food. Shantha and daughter Nisanga were unfortunate enough to get trapped in this blast and both of them happened to be in the list of the dead. Others in the family however escaped this fate. 

A friend by the name of Radha Fonseka had expressed her ideas to foreign media saying that Nisanga was a very popular student at the campus and that many people were aware that her mother Shantha was a chef who won a name for herself in Sri Lanka, thus reminiscing her memories. Her friend Radha informed Gulf New Agency that she just could not believe that Nisanga died a short while after she saw the selfie clicked by Nisanga. 

Veteran chef Mrs. Shantha Mayadunne was someone who many years before this had introduced the first cookery programme across rupavahini in Sri Lanka through ITN channel. She has written a number of books on cookery and is conducting an academy on courses related to preparation of food. She was living in Pannipitiya. Her death to most people who were familiar in seeing her over rupavahini was indeed news which brings a shock into their minds.