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The late A.C.L. Ratwatte - a man of varied interests
He was none other than my grandfather. Some of those wonderful things I have heard about him, I would like to share with the readers in appreciation of his life. He was born the eldest son of Sir Cuda Ratwatte and Lady Ratwatte in January 1909 and was the eldest sibling amongst six brothers and four sisters. Often, more affectionately referred to by his friends and peers as "Lennie" or "ACLR", my grandfather successfully completed his education at Trinity College, Kandy, where he also excelled in sports and was awarded colours for Rugby. Thereafter, he pursued a career in Banking, by joining the then Mercantile Bank of Kandy as Deputy Shroff, where his father was the Chief Shroff (modern day equivalent of a Managing Director). He soon succeeded his father and became Chief Shroff, which led to the unusual situation where his grandfather, father and himself, all became successive Chief Shroffs of the same Bank. Sometime later, he was also appointed a Director of the Insurance Corporation. His imposing stature and charming personality drew admiration and respect from all those who associated with him. He ventured to bring himself into close contact with people from varied walks of life, particularly in Kandy, and this progressively led him into the political arena. Although his father was also involved in politics, he branched out into politics not out of obligation to follow his father's footsteps, but because he was aware that he possessed the natural ability to communicate with people and transcend human barriers such as religion, race, and creed, which made him a leader who was, above all, easy to approach. Many say that he was a 'born leader' and that leadership was an inextricable part of his character. He entered politics not with the motive of seeking fame, fortune or power, as he was a man who was already blessed with such attributes or had already achieved them. Driven by his untiring desire to genuinely serve the community he was so fond of, he initially, joined the Municipal Council of Kandy (KMC) as a member and subsequently served as its Deputy Mayor (thrice) and in 1947 he contested the Municipal elections and was appointed to the highest office of the KMC, as its Mayor, a position his father too held, which led to another exceptional situation where not only were the father and son Mayors of the same Municipal Council but, sat together as Council Member and Mayor at council meetings of the KMC. He served the KMC for 27 years. His ability and unwavering loyalty to the United National Party (UNP) was acknowledged by the party on many occasions and consequently, he served on the Working Committee of the UNP and was appointed President of the UNP's Youth League in Kandy. His simplicity and charm in dealing with people of varied backgrounds and his interests in local and national politics led him to develop close ties with local and international leaders, which fuelled his great desire to enter the diplomatic arena. Consequently, in 1965, he was appointed Ceylon's High Commissioner in Ghana and under his auspices Buddhism was, for the first time, introduced to Ghana and the African Continent. Subsequently, he was appointed as Ceylon's Ambassador in Malaysia and there too his contribution to propagating Buddhism was legendary. The Ven. Dr. K.C. Dhammananda; an erudite monk who wrote many books on Buddhism in English, for the dissemination of the Dhamma throughout the world, benefited greatly from the efforts my grandfather put into popularizing Buddhism in foreign countries and the venerable monk has, in some of his writings, expressed his gratitude to my grandfather. He was a man of many varied interests, which ranged from growing Orchids to raring Elephants and promoting scouting to his avid interest in special types of automobiles. His remarkable sense of discipline helped him engage in all these activities yet, devote time to his family as well. He was a naturalist by nature; well-versed in elephant lore, plant life and exotic flowers. In the jungles of Ratnapura, he discovered an orchid, which was later named "Den Drobium Mac Carthae" ('Wesak Mal') and subsequently the Orchid Circle of Ceylon adopted this Orchid as its official emblem. His love for orchids and his vast collection of them was recognized and acknowledged by orchid lovers and after he passed away, a hybrid orchid was named "Van de Memoria Lennie", in his memory. His great appreciation for the arts and culture of Sri Lanka resulted in his taking a personal role to nurture the ancient art forms of Kandy. Music was yet another source of great interest for him. His leadership qualities were also evident in his social life, which was just as colourful and varied as his interests. Apart from being the President of the Rotary Club, he was a Director of the Ceylon Red Cross Society, President of the Kandy Co-operative Establishment, Vice President of the Trinity College Old Boys Association, and the Kandy District Commandant of the St. John's Ambulance Brigade. His zeal for sports resulted in many popular sporting events being organized in Kandy, at his behest. In 1951, he helped the Ceylon Motor Cycle Club to make its first Kandy Road Race a successful reality. He also functioned as the President of the Kandy District Cricket Association and the President of the Kandy District Football Association. Amongst his countless accomplishments, he was bestowed the prestigious Member of the British Empire (MBE) accreditation and during the 2nd World War, he was chosen as the first citizen to aid Lord Louis Mountbatten in his operations in Sri Lanka. Despite his achievements in diverse spheres, through his unfailing modesty, unpretentious demeanour and endearing ways, he won the hearts of the masses and never failed to address their grievances and assist them in alleviating their poverty and hardships, often sacrificing his own time and finances. Many who knew him say that it is apt to refer to him as a man who could 'walk with kings but not lose the common touch'. His benevolence and generosity were rumoured to be as large as his heart. My grandmother, the adorable, mild and gentle mannered, late Chandra Divitotawela Ratwatte, was always a pillar of strength to him and contributed greatly to his success. They leave behind their two daughters Lilamanie and Areenie and three grandchildren. My grandfather passed away in July 1971, after a brief illness. Therefore, I was never a beneficiary of the love and kindness he was so famous for bestowing on little children. They say that the void created by his death has not been filled ever since. I never knew him personally, but I have been in awe of his exemplary life, undaunted spirit, and his wonderful qualities, which have provided valuable illustrations to help shape my own life. As Oscar Wilde said, "Life cannot be written, life can only be lived". My grandfather lived all the days of his life to the fullest and through what people tell me about him and by the fondness an admiration through which they remember him, his memory will always remain immortal. I wish some day that I could, at least, be half the man he was! A proud grandson |
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