Lakshman Kadirgamar and Trinity
"Trinity owes me nothing and I, like all other Trinitians, owe
Trinity a debt that can never be repaid," said Lakshman Kadirgamar when
recalling his days at Trinity in his address as chief guest at the prize
day celebrations in 1992. He further said that he never regretted coming
to Trinity in 1942 during the Second World War although all his brothers
had been at Royal.
Lakshman Kadirgamar was the Senior Prefect and captain of cricket
when I was promoted to the Upper School in 1950. He was Kadiri or
Lakshman to us not Kadir or Kadi. Slim of build, he nevertheless had a
commanding presence, especially before the commencement of morning
assembly in the school hall.
He was probably the last senior prefect who was allowed to use the
cane, when 'birching' was an acceptable form of punishment. We saw him
on Asgiriya at hurdles (Athletics Lion in 1949), leading the cricket
team, and as rugby three quarter. I vividly remember him practising the
reverse pass flipping the rugger ball behind his back, and at quadrangle
cricket of a Saturday morning, batting, in khaki shorts, facing Napier
House.
He once remarked that at cricket we were more intent on 'saving the
day' rather than winning it. Indeed he saved us in the second innings,
against St. Anthony's with Lala Wadsworth in 1949 in Asgiriya, and again
in 1950 with Gnanasekaram at Katugastota. He very modestly turned down a
cricket Lion in 1950 saying that he was not quite up to standard; a Lion
was awarded to Eustace Rulach. Kadirgamar being a 'Lion' was on the
committee which adjudicated on the award of Lions.
He was a boarder throughout his period at Trinity, student president
of several school societies and a chorister under the great Gordon
Burrows. Equally, if not more impressive than his prowess in sports were
his academic achievements as scholar, prize winner, excellence in
writing, speaking and debating, and co-editor of the school magazine
with Terry Unamboowe.
Two extracts from their editorial for 1949 are worthy of repetition
here.
"Our cricket has been the cause of great anxiety... but we hasten to
add that our performances in the cricket field are no indication
whatever of the standard of the school. We sincerely hope that cricket
will be kept in its place - it is a game and only a game." The editors
also show their concern for the neglect of English and General Knowledge
and complain that: "living in quiet and peaceful surroundings we are apt
to forget the world outside... education is not a soulless preparation
for a mechanical existence... and wisdom is to be acquired not from
books alone but from debate and discussion and from association with
men."
I echoed these sentiments in my first prize day speech in 1999 when I
said that: "Our students must not merely center their lives around books
and examinations, games and other school activities. They must remain
alive to the world around them, to the problems our people face, to the
achievements and successes of the country as well as its weaknesses and
failings. Only then can they say they are educated."
Fifty years after their editorial some of our concerns were roughly
the same. Kadirgamar did not lose his interest in education, and in
recent years would write and speak with characteristic perspicacity and
awareness especially on university education and its role not only in
imparting values of scholarship and learning but also in training
students to contribute to the welfare and progress of the country.
He stressed the need to "instill the habit of critical thinking in
the minds of the student population." He was equally emphatic that the
benefits of collaboration between the government and the private sector
in education, economic and other fields should "percolate to all
sections of our society and to all regions of our land".
He left Trinity to read for a degree in Law in the University of
Ceylon, capping an outstanding school carer, winning the Ryde Gold Medal
for the Best All-round Boy in 1949. His prize-day speech in 1950 is a
part of Trinity's history.
He always acknowledged Trinity's contribution in preparing him for
the university and beyond - through its great teachers, the
multicultural composition of the student body, the boarding, sports and
other activities, and as a 'great leveller'. Trinity and its traditions
meant a lot to him and of all the principals it was the legendary A. G.
Fraser whom he respected and admired most.
The school although founded essentially for the Kandyan community,
grew to embrace children of all the communities from all parts of the
island, and even from abroad. This friendly reception apparently left an
indelible impression on Kadirgamar who wrote: "the school was made for
them: generations of Kandyan boys gave so much to the school. We were
outsiders; they welcomed us with open arms and generous hearts".
These sentiments and the spirit of indebtedness to Trinity may well
have lain at the kernel of his championing of the unitary state and the
coming together of all communities as equal partners in the country's
progress. I might add that in the not-so distant past many boys from
Trinity and other schools studied in Jaffna and were more than welcome
there.
He shared with many others the apprehension over the growing cultural
isolation of the children of the North and East engendered by the
internecine conflict of the past two decades. Kadirgamar was 'lost' to
Trinity, so to speak, in the period encompassing studies for a degree in
law at Peradeniya, then at the Law College and Oxford University, his
legal practice and employment abroad in international organisations.
In later years he was very supportive of the school as President of
the OBA, and member of the school's Board of Governors. He also
initiated and guided the project for the School Archives which was
brought to fruition during the tenure of Principal Leonard de Alwis.
This was the first such 'repository' in local schools and is visited
regularly by many other schools for guidance in setting up their own
archives.
The Trinity OBA recognised his contributions to Sri Lanka as a
statesman of international standing by awarding him, along with Jayantha
Dhanapala, the Trinity prize for International Affairs at the Night of
the Lions awards ceremony in 2000. Kadirgamar was Minister of Foreign
Affairs when I was appointed Principal of Trinity in 1999, and he wrote
me a very gracious and encouraging letter saying, inter alia, in his
inimitable fashion," it gives us old boys great satisfaction to see that
the hand of the grand old lady will be held by you as she steps
gracefully into the new century."
Ambition and exceptional talent were conflated to make Kadirgamar the
skillful and confident politician - Foreign Minister he was in the last
decade of his life. He was not without his critics and detractors, yet
the spate of articles following his demise are a testament to the
respect and regard with which he was held in Sri Lanka and abroad.
A memorial service for him will be held on Sunday September 11 at
10.30 a.m. at the College Chapel.
- Professor W. R. Breckenridge |