Prof. Ratnapala enriched Lankan literature - President

COLOMBO: I was deeply moved at the death of Prof. Nandasena Ratnapala who though rightly ranked among Sri Lanka’s most distinguished academics continued to keep the common touch to the end, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a condolence message.

He said: “Among the numerous academic achievements of Prof. Ratnapala were doctorates from prestigious universities in Germany, USA, UK and Sri Lanka. After graduating from the University of Peradeniya he signaled his desire to continue with academia when he joined the faculty of the University of Jayawardhanapura and took pride in being the guiding light to many young academics.

Prof. Ratnapala will be best remembered for his courage and pioneering efforts in seeking new paths of research, especially in social studies. He is better known for his research on the life of beggars, done by him disguised as a beggar. He is also one of the pioneers in popularising sociology among the masses, through his very readable articles, especially to the Sinhala Press.

His deep studies of areas hitherto shunned by Sri Lankan academics saw him bring to light the realities of the wretched of our society, from street children to beggars, vagrants and waifs. His wide range of interests included Rural Poverty, the impact of Tourism on society, the folklore of Sri Lanka and sociological aspects of religious behaviour, particularly Buddhism.

He enriched Sri Lankan literature with contributions to Sinhala poetry, short stories and literary criticism, and widened the awareness of society with several books on beggars, drug addicts and prostitution. In addition to his studies in sociology, he also did much in the fields of social psychology and criminology.

He will be best remembered for his many contributions that have helped better understand the true nature of Sri Lankan society, and his commitment to the core values of Sri Lankan life, which brought him honour as a down-to-earth sociologist.

On this sad occasion of the loss of a great son of contemporary Sri Lanka, I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife and children at their own personal loss.”