The Seniormost Old Anandian

(Mr. Edwin was the Secretary of the Ananda College OBA in 1947 who had been instrumental in raising Rs. 95,000 to redeem a mortgage of the Ananda Premises from the B.T.S, Adyar in Madras)

Background

The Ananda College '82 Group of Old Anandians has organised a felicitation to the retired past teachers of Ananda in appreciation of their dedicated service to Ananda College.

They have also decided to distribute the autobiography of Edwin de Silva, the seniormost Old Anandian living amongst us to-day. He is presently 94 years of age.

He had served as a public officer in the Government Service for 34 years here in Sri Lanka and had been in the United States as an Asst. Director of Health in the Country Health Department in St. Louis.

Mr. Edwin had his preliminary education in Maliyadeva in Kurunegala. He belongs to an affluent family in down South and his father was a popular merchant who had a big hold in business. He was also a Buddhist leader in down South.

During the first world war, many families moved to the interior of the country for safety and Mr. de Silva also moved to Kurunegala with his family and settled down there.

Education

Mr. Edwin, fondly known as 'Sugath' was the eldest in the family, born in 1916. He had come to Ananda College in 1926 for his secondary and higher education. That was a memorable event in his life. During the school holidays he accompanied his father on a pleasure trip to Colombo to see a glimpse of the metropolis especially to see the newly introduced Tram Cars.

After roaming round the city, his father had gone to pay a courtesy visit to Principal, Ananda College P. de S. Kularatne. That had been a pleasant meeting, Mr. Kularatne, seeing Mr. Edwin had asked him "Hello, young man, can you remember that you made the welcome speech when I came to Maliyadeva for the Prize Giving. He had then and there taken a note paper and written, admit him to year 4' and had asked the peon to handover Edwin to the teacher in charge. Then his father had told that he did not come to admit him to Ananda but the Principal had retorted that he will look after his son until proper accommodation is found. That was how he came to Ananda.

Later, he became a Hosteller and had become a very popular student who was liked by the teachers.

Activities in School

He had taken a special interest in Athletics and had been a member of the 4x100 relay team which won the 'Jefforson's Cup' Championship. He had also been the Captain of the Tennis Team.

He had been a very good debater in the Oratorical and Debating Society and the Vice President.

Career prospects

He had been fortunate to pass the Cambridge Senior with Distinction pass. He was advised by his father to take to Law, but he had other ideas. He had joined the Public Service as a Public Health Inspector in the Department of Medical and Sanitary Service under the Malaria Control Scheme in Sri Lanka.

Scholarships in UK and USA

In 1953, under the Colombo Plan he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Society of Health Department in London, UK. He also had the opportunity in undergoing a comparative study in the field of Health Services in Japan. Thereafter he was fortunate to win another scholarship from the Asia Foundation for the Health Department in the USA.

On his return to the country, he had gone back to his former job and was working as a Public Health Inspector. During this period he has had the opportunity to visit the most rural areas of the country and study the Health Problems of the community and their living patterns. He had been a volunteer in assisting the Buddhist priests in the temples. This had been a very enjoyable period in his life.

Marriage

The latter had invited Mr. Edwin to pay a visit to his home which Edwin willingly accepted. He was introduced to Walter's parents and soon after tea when he was getting ready to go, two of Walter's sisters had walked in. Then like a flash of lighting he remembered one of the sisters, Kumari to whom Mr. Edwin served a piece of cake at a concert held in the Kularatna Hall.

Things developed and relationships renewed and finally he married her. The marriage had taken place on 4th March 1943 attested by P. de S. Kularatne, Principal who was the chief guest at the wedding ceremony.

He recollects his married life which was a very healthy and fortunate one with two daughters.

After undergoing the training he had returned to Sri Lanka.

London Life

Mr. Edwin had made lot of friends in U.K. Some of them were Mr. Robbert Tammitigama, the London Correspondent to the Lake House Group of papers, Mr. Lajput Wickramasinghe the son of Mr. S.P. Wickramasinghe at that time the Ceylon Representative in Germany Mr. Upali Wijewardena, then a student in the Cambridge University, Dr Mrs. Dora Fonseka the philanthropist lady, Buluwela (then the officer in charge of the Sri Lanka Embassy office in U.K.) and Mrs. Chandra Wickramaratne. He had even joined Buckingham Palace Garden Party during summer.

Later he had the opportunity of joining Wijewardena, being a very rich lady, in an overland trip touring Europe. She had purchased a new Opel Kapitan for this trip. The others were Mr. Upali Wijewardena, his mother and sister.

They drove from Hanover, Dusseldorf, Bonn, Frankfurt, Munich and to Austria. Then to Milan and Rome visiting the Vatican and the Pope and had seen the Pope Pius, the second. From there they had driven to Nice, Barcelona, Madrid and Paris. Finally back to London after a very exiting trip.

In the U.S.A.

Sugath followed the programme and visited the cities and institutions in New York, Washington D.C., Nuffalo, Wisconsin butter and chees factories, Denvor, Colorado, San Francisco.

Thereafter he was on his next tour to Japan for a comparative study in Health Service. He had the opportunity to visiting the Emperor's Palace, Botanical Gardens,/Shopping Malls & Mit Fuji Asakusa and Shinjuku. He had taken this opportunity to pay a visit to Kamakura Buddha Statue. He was in Singapore for two nights to get a plane to Sri Lanka.

When he arrived at Ratmalana Airport, he was met by his wife and children and his good friend Ranapala Bodinagoda. (Later President of the Ananda College OBA).

Back at the old job

He reverted to his old job and during this period there was a change of the Government and the UNP came into power with M. Tiruchelvam as the Minister of Local Government and Mr. R. Premadasa as the Junior Minister.

On the recommendation of high ups he was chosen to be the Private Secretary to R. Premadasa, M. Livy Wijemanne was known to Mr. Edwin as Mr. Wijemanne had been the President of the Colombo Plan Association of which Mr. Edwin was the Secretary.

After some time as the days passed by, Edwin had decided to leave Premadasa and opted to get back to his original position.

He was lucky that the Minister released him but with reluctance, as the Minister knew that Edwin was an honest and a loyal Government Servant who would not stoop to sell his self respect for personal gains of glory.

It was during this time the Health Department had commenced a new Health Education Division and Mr. Edwin was assigned lot of responsibilities.

It was almost during this period in 1971 that again the SLFP Government had come into power and Felix Dias Bandaranaike had become the Minister of Finance. The Minister had brought a new rule to compulsorily retire all Government Servants on reaching 55 years of age. Edwin too by then, had reached that age and was liable for retire. This decision had come at a time when Mr. Edwin was getting ready to apply for leave of absence for a year to go to U.S.A. to handover the grand daughter to her parents in U.S.A.

Prospect of a job in USA

A scare was spreading across America that an epidemic of 'Swine Flu' was fast approaching and all country Health Departments were requested to start campaigns immunizing the public and to recruit suitable personnel on a temporary basis for this project. Mr. Edwin applied for a post and he was selected. He was appointed the Manager of the 'Swine Flu' campaign. The project was over on the scheduled date.

At this time the post of Assistant Director was advertised and Mr. Edwin too applied for same. Suddenly after the lapse of some time the Director Dr. Banton had summoned him and after greeting him had told him that he had been appointed the Asst. Director. Subsequently he had joined the State Health Department.

The whole family settled down in the USA and were happily spending their time.

Loss of his wife

Mr. Edwin's beloved wife was experiencing chest pains and had to undergo continuous specialist treatment. When the sickness became acute she was admitted to the famous Barness Hospital where she passed away on 11th January 2001.

Writing the Autobiography

From that day Edwin could not sleep due to the depressed state of his mind. He practised meditation to overcome this but it helped him minutely. It was in this situation he started writing his Autobiography.

In a forward to the Autobiography 'By Gone Days' Professor N.A. Jayawickrama (B.A. Ph1 comments thus:)

".... This story to the young readers would help them to have 'Self Respect',

Self reliance and self control to maintain a successful life on one's own endeavours and enterprise."

Mr. Edwin's contribution to Ananda College

He had joined the OBA and had been an active member. In 1947 he had been the Secretary of the OBA. During this period the Ananda premises had been mortgaged to the B.T.S., Adyar in Madras. The school was badly in need of funds to redeem the mortgage.

A carnival had been organised by Mettananda with Edwin as the organising Secretary. The others in the organising committee were Dr. G.P. Malalasekera, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thera, Ven. S. Mahinda Thera (Tibetan priest who played an active role in the revival of Nationalism and Sinhala Buddhist Culture)

Rajapakse (Later Col. G.W. Rajapakse) had functioned as the Asst. Secretary of the Organising Committee.

It had been very successful as they were able to collect Rs. 95,000 with that money they had redeemed the mortgage.

An exemplary citizen with an exemplary character he should be emulated by the younger generation of today.