The Life’s Library of Mathindri Pathiraja
By Tia Goonaratna
Mathindri Pathiraja is a seamless mix of personality, beauty and brains. Working as an Iteration Manager for Product & Technology division of Australia’s leading online-classified business, Mathindri has been living in Australia since she left for her higher studies at Macquarie University.
Since her school education at Visakha Vidyalaya, Mathindri has always been an unforgettable individual with a quirky nature and always managing to find the glass half-full of humour. She’ll be the first person to say yes to a dangerous mission and will be the first person to explain how it can be done. She tends to light up any room with laughter and silliness, and growing up, she has managed to keep the silly side of life intact.
Whenever she gets a minute free from work, she’d love to put her feet up and get completely immersed in a good book – a feat she’s been at it since she was a child. If she gets more than a minute free, she’d spend it visiting all the places she’s seen in travel documentaries provided that there’s not a butterfly in sight!
What’s your favourite childhood book and why?
Heidi by Johanna Spyri. Heidi inspired me in so many ways during my childhood. Especially the way she can be so cheerful and funny throughout all mishaps, had no fear, openly cared for others (even for animals), and had a wisdom and independence that was charming rather than impetuous.
What are you reading now?
Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek. This book explains the biological component of working with and building trust with people. Simon uses the concept of a Circle of Safety to show how leaders need to work for their employees within that circle to ensure that they feel safe and can thrive. He gives many recent historical examples of how generational attitudes have created conditions that may allow for the circle of safety to fail when leaders violate the rule of taking care of others before themselves.
He presents a lot of science in this book, but not in a geeky, hard-to-understand way.
What’s the one book you would love to finish, but never got the chance?
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton. This book takes you back to New Zealand goldfields during 1860s. Eleanor describes each character with so much attention to detail. It’s very easy to picture them without much effort. Perhaps due to her 19th style writing I’m unable to finish no more than couple of chapters at once.
Who is your favourite author and why?
Enid Blyton, She encouraged me to read, taught me English, gave me an imagination and made me who I am today. It’s because of Enid Blyton that today I think curling up with a book equals all bliss. And I’m indebted to Enid Blyton because she practically made my childhood.
Kindle or paperback?
Paperback is so far my favourite. I like the natural feel when I pick up a paperback. But it’s difficult going on holidays with a couple of paperbacks cause it takes so much space.
