'Dr A T Ariyaratne incorporated Buddhist principles into development'

Disna MUDALIGE

President and the Founder of the Sarvodaya Movement, Dr A T Ariyaratne is a great personality who has been serving humanity disregarding race, caste, religion, political affiliation or any other divisive factor, said Prime Minister D M Jayaratne.

He was addressing the felicitation ceremony organized for the 80th birthday of Dr A T Ariyaratne on Tuesday at the BMICH. He observed that Dr Ariyaratne is a determined character who considers the obstacles he encounters in life as challenges.

International Monetary Cooperation Senior Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama commended Dr Ariyaratne as an innovative person who introduced the concept of all inclusive development to the world by bringing out the idea that development should always be people oriented.

He also said that Dr Ariyaratne showed the world how to incorporate Buddhist principles into development.

He observed that Dr Ariyaratne is a rare person with full of determination who always stood against the wrong without bowing his head to any element under any pressure.

Ariyaratne has been called the Gandhi of Sri Lanka and has created one of the world's prominent examples of a religious and village-based movement.

He has worked tirelessly for the past sixty three years to build the Sarvodaya Movement based on Gandhian and Buddhist principles. About 3.5 million to 4 million people in the country are direct and indirect beneficiaries of this movement today.

Dr A T Ariyaratne observed that individual violences have been increasing at an alarming rate over the world. He noted that even though the world is attaining physical development it is spiritually degenerating.

Therefore he observed that the amity and cooperation of every individual has become crucial in the present decade to revise this social trend.

He also pledged that he would continue to stand for a people participatory democratic society and freedom.

Dr Ariyaratne was born on November 5, 1931 in Unawatuna, Galle as the third child in a family of six children. He has been awarded 27 international awards and 15 national awards.

The concepts of the Sarvodaya Movement had been incorporated into development activities by national leaders.

UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya expressed his well wishes to Dr Ariyaratne on behalf of the Opposition and TULF leader Ananda Sangari, Buddhist Affairs Deputy Minister M K D S Gunawardena and diplomatic representatives from Japan, India and Bangladesh also spoke.

'Nisala Ru Sanhitha' the felicitation book on Dr A T Ariyartne was launched and a first day cover was also issued on the occasion.