Prof. K. W. Goonewardene:

A historian par excellence

Dr. K.D.G. Wimalaratne
Former Director, National Archives

Passing away of Prof. K.W. Goonewadene on September 13 marks an end of a career of a distinguished historian and a respectable academician produced by Sri Lanka.

Karunadasa Wijesiri Goonewardene, Lovingly called ‘Carl’ by his colleagues and friends, was born on December 30, 1925 in Bataduwa village Galle. Son of Edward Wijesiri Goonewardene and Gardiye Hewawitharanawasam Gallege Amarawathie De Silva, received his early education at Sangamitta Vidyalaya, Galle, St: Aloysius College, Galle, Kingswood College, Kandy, but later shifted to St: Aloysius, where he entered University of Ceylon, Colombo in 1945. He offered Economics, English and History for qualifying arts and decided to specialize in History, obtaining honours in history in 1949.

Soon after graduation, he was appointed as an Asst: Lecturer in History, in the Department of History of the University of Ceylon. In March 1950, he married Lakshmi Gurusinghe and blessed with two sons, viz: Anura and Nandana.

In the year 1951, K.W. Goonewardene obtained study leave to undertake post-graduate research, attached to the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. Prof. Goonewardene obtained proficiency in Medieaval Dutch, Portuguese, German and French during the overseas studies.

He worked on the earlier period of Dutch occupation of the island from 1638-1658, under the supervision of eminent Historians such as, Profs. Dr. G.E. Hall, C.R. Boxer and C.H. Philips of the Soas, London. His thesis presented in 1953 was the earliest from a Asian historian on the subject of Dutch occupation of Sri Lanka.

Prof. Goonewardene’s thesis was a path breaking study and was so popular that it was published in 1958 and re-printed in 1962 in New York, would indicate its importance. His balance portrayal of Rajasinghe II and his defence of ‘Exchange of pepper to ginger’ were historical revision of the 17th Century History of our island.

He came back to University of Ceylon in 1953 December and began his teaching career, until he retired in 1989. His teaching was so deep and interesting with new material presented before the students, in order to inspire and motivate them in historical research.

He could equally lecture in English and Sinhala where difficult subjects such as history of Western political thought and 16-17 Century South-East Asian history. This writer had the good fortune to study history under him, and never absented from his lectures as they were absorbing.

Prof. Goonewardene was an authority on European Colonial Expansion in Asia, specializing in 16th - 17th Centuries. His help was sought by many experts in the West, including the Dutch historians. He has the rare distintion of being a lecturer for a period of nearly forty years.

Prof. Goonawardene was invited to many conferences and seminars abroad. He was a research fellow in 1973/74, visiting commewealth research fellow, delivered the convocation address, Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, 1969, Inter Port Lecturer in the University of Pittsburg, 1981/82.

The most important event of his career was the election and appointment to the post of professor of history of the prestigious University of Ceylon in February 1964. Seven of us were in his special history class during this time, and I cannot express the happy feelings we had for his appointment.

He was the head of the Department of History from February 1964 - January 1969, 1972 March - 1973 October 1975, 1983 and 1987. Prof. Goonewardene was appointed as the Dean, Faculty of Arts from 1976-1978 and 1986.

A turning point in his career was the appointment as the Vice-Chancellor of the Vidyalankara University in January 1969, by the then Education and Culture Minister I.M.R.A. Iriyagolla. He was called to re-vamp the whole administration of this university, after a Royal Commission.

Prof. Goonewardene, while re-organizing and obtaining facilities for students and building funds, defended the shifting of the science faculty by the authorities. He also encouraged the study of Tamil at Vidyalankara, and also advocated that arts graduates to be given a grounding in science.

When the new system of university administration was introduced as a single university with presidents in 1972, he reverted back to his former post as professor of history.

He was the warden of Marcus Fernando Hall from 1963-1968, always looking after the welfare of its students, joining to play cricket and table-tennis with them, chairman, faculty club, President, University Teachers Association in 1967 and 1968. Prof. Goonewardene also served on the Advisory Board of the Department of National Archives, Consultant, the Dutch Period Museum, President, Sri Lanka Historical Association.

His research writings are numerous in articles to be mentioned here, but majority of them are historical revision with unshakeable evidence.

It is unfortunate that he did not contribute to the University of Ceylon Vol: II, which included the dutch period, the reason we are not quite aware. As a result, the volume has a lacure, where the vast knowledge of a respected authority was lost to the students of history forever.

It is also regrettable that no university in this country, at least the universities, Peradeniya and Kelaniya, where he imparted his knowledge, never honoured him to suit this beloved teacher of our times. However, his life was well spent and fruitful.

We as students of this great teacher, hope and wish, he would attain the bliss of Nibbana.

Farewell my Guru, you will live among us for a long time!

“Dignum Laude Virum Musa Vetat Mori” (A man worthy of praise, the muse forbids to die) - Horace.