Prof. A D V de S Indraratne: a tribute:

Legendary teacher of economics

Lloyd F. Yapa

The Sabaragamuwa University is today conferring the degree of Doctor of Sciences (honoris causa) on Professor ADV de S Indraratne, a distinguished economist. He is also the doyen of teachers of economics in our country today. This is an honour he fully deserves as he has completed 56 years of distinguished service to the nation staying in our country unlike many others of his type who had left the shores of this country, in search of greener pastures.

He hails from Hikkaduwa and had been a brilliant student at Dharmashoka College, where he earned several double promotions and had carried away numerous awards. He entered the University of Ceylon, in July 1948 after completing his entire school education from Grade three to University Entrance in matter of less than five years.

After his graduation with BA Honours in Economics in 1951 from the University of Ceylon, he was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Economics at the same Institution in the following year.

In 1955 he proceeded for his postgraduate studies to the University of Birmingham (UK) where he excelled in studies winning the Best Performance Award at the Graduates’ Diploma in Commerce Examination in 1956 June and earning in December 1957 the degree of M Com in the record time of one and half years for the first thesis ever of a Sri Lankan in Development Economics titled ‘The Economic Development of a Primary Producing Export Economy - Experience and Possibilities in Ceylon’.

On his return to the country in 1958 January, he served the University of Ceylon as Senior Lecturer until he was offered the opportunity of serving as Professor of Economics at two of our universities: the Universities of Ceylon and Vidyodaya. But he preferred to work at the former, his alma mater.

He has spurned many lucrative offers of working abroad as he preferred to serve his homeland. At the university he was elevated to the post of Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, where he pioneered the study of demography, accountancy, commerce, valuation and above all teaching of economics in Sinhala.

When he ended his teaching career, he had helped in producing some 20,000 students some of whom have reached the highest echelons of office in the public and private sectors of our country, a unique achievement by any standard.

Although he spurned the opportunity of working abroad, he had accepted several short-term positions such as the Visiting Professor at the Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, and that of the universities of Western Sydney, Australia, Sierra Leone - Africa, as well as Visiting Professor the universities of East Anglia and of Birmingham in the UK.

Despite the many assignments thrust on him he found time to undertake research and write both in English and Sinhala.

He is author of 25 books. The papers he has contributed to various journals number about 70. He has also written many reports for local as well as international organisation like the UNIDO, FAO, UNESCO and the USAID Colombo. The latest report that he has written along with a few others in the Sri Lanka Economic Association (SLEA) is ‘The Impact of Corruption on Poverty and Economic Growth, with special reference to Sri Lanka’.

This is a landmark study which should be read by all policy makers, intellectuals and students in the country as it contains recommendations not only for the eradication of corruption but also indicates many ways of improving governance, which can be considered the foundation of the superstructure on which accelerated economic development can be built to improve the lot of the poor in Sri Lanka.

He has been sought after for advice by many other local and international institutions like the National Prices Commission, the NSB, OPA and the American Biographical Institute and many others despite being the full time President of SLEA which has also bloomed under his tutelage into a dynamic non government institution capable of advising public and private sector institutions.

Among the many awards and accolades he has won is the Sarvodaya Trust Fun National Award for 1995 presented for his contributions for the advancement of socio-economic development, through the study and teaching of Economics and Education.

The Degree of D Litt (honoris causa) was conferred on him by the University of Colombo in the following year for his immense contribution to the scholarly and intellectual fabric of the university system.

As recently as January last year, Professor Indraratne was felicitated with a Plaque and Festschrift, at an unprecedented large gathering of his grateful students, admirers and well wishers at the main Hall of the BMICH.

This is a small tribute I am paying to Professor Indraratne, on behalf of his students, on this day when the Sabaragamuwa university has thought it fit to confer on this legendary teacher of economics in our country, the Doctor of Sciences (honoris causa) for his signal service to national development in general and university education in particular.