Picture erfect
Sachitra Mahendra
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Sudath has served four Presidents: Ranasinghe Premadasa, D. B.
Wijetunga, Chandrika Kumaratunga and the incumbent Mahinda
Rajapaksa |
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Toddler trying to pose as President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Picture
by Saman Sri Wedage |
Sri Lanka’s executive presidency is still in its fresh youth. It
covetously admires a higher political authority than countries such as
the United States and France. This position makes whoever holds the
office the most known celebrity in the country.
Five personalities have held the office of Executive President to
this day. Sudath Silva has served the immediate four presidents as
official photographer.
The personalities have infinite differences in their ideologies and
that affected their respective tenures. There are times the first
citizens have their sensitivity in their own rhythm. It is but a small
cleft between solemnity and humanity.
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Sudath Silva |
Seldom do the commonest of the men get a chance to see the light
little moments of such an echelon. If someone could bridge a live link
between the commonest and the first citizen that would be no one else
other than official photographer of the President.
Sudath Silva has been in the job, as patient as Job, for quarter of a
century, and the recent photography exhibition showcased his memories
with three former presidents: Ranasinghe Premadasa, D. B. Wijetunga,
Chandrika Kumaratunga and the incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa. Silva has
captured their serene moments of joy, sorrow and indifference. For a
moment you forget you are seeing an Executive President, as their
sensitive moments brim with the spirit of a common man.
Ranasinghe Premadasa is well known to have been familiar with the
plight of the commoner. He would walk down to any office at any
unexpected hour; it would be spur of the moment. He did not care about
the administrative grandeur of his position; he always was sooner rather
than later.
D. B. Wijetunga assumed office upon the assassination of his
predecessor. He was not willing to cling to power all the same. He did
not want to test the springs, he rather let the juniors in.
Chandrika Kumaratunga is the fourth female president in the world,
and the first of the kind in Sri Lanka. She is well remembered for her
mission of peace.
Of all the presidents, incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa marks his position
down history for achieving what was assumed unachievable. He shook the
foreign policy by having a meeting of foreign dignitaries under a tree
in a rural area. They all parted ways oftener. Yet Sudath’s photography
makes their paths cross, and his job is picture perfect, so to say.
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