NRJ Aaron celebrates 81st birthday today:

Hard work, dedication were his secrets to success

N. R. J. Aaron who served the Daily News with unsurpassed distinction and unsullied honour for nearly 41 years in various capacities as Stenographer/Secretary, Deputy News Editor, News Editor, Deputy Editor, Senior Deputy Editor and Associate Editor celebrates his 81st birthday today.

He joined the Daily News in 1957 as Stenographer/Secretary to the then Editor-in-Chief Cecil D. Graham and finally reached the top of the journalistic profession in the Daily News.

Aaron's knowledge about men and matters was something amazing.

His intimacy with every branch connected with journalism at Lake House made him almost a wonder. As a senior journalist, he refrained from making up brilliant phrases. But whatever he wrote was clear, chaste and elegant. It was good English, direct, precise with no straining after effect. Above all, it was eminently readable.

In the Daily News editorial, he worked hard and made others work hard giving everybody the impression that hard work was the easiest thing in the world.

He worked 12 to 14 hours, practically daily. He had an unblemished leave record. It was rarely that he kept away from office.

As a reporter, he shone in his rounds particularly in the sphere of education. Very often, he highlighted the injustice meted out to teachers who had to wait for a long period to get their pensions after retirement.

He saw to it that their pensions were expedited by way of highlighting these injustices continuously.

Further, students who failed to get into prestigious schools according to merit after qualifying in the scholarship examination were highlighted and thereby he ensured that they got the correct schools in keeping with their performance.

He also fought on behalf of the students who failed to gain entry to the university after having excelled at examinations and saw to it that they got their places in the university. When teachers were transferred to remote places unjustifiably he got these problems remedied and thereby relieving such teachers of their suffering and hardships.

During his 41 year career in the Daily News, Aaron served under several Editors. Among them were Cecil D. Graham, whose Secretary he was before switching to journalism.

Some of the other Chief Editors were Ernest Corea, Mervyn de Silva, Fred de Silva, S. Pathiravithane, B. H. S. Jayawardena, Clarence Fernando and Manik de Silva who served the Daily News for a considerable period (now the Chief Editor of the Sunday Island). Some of the "bright stars" during his time were Pramod de Silva, one time Editor of the Daily News and now senior Associate Editor, (Sunday Observer), Amal Jayasinghe (Bureau Chief AFP and Jagath Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer, Sabaragamuwa University.

May the Almighty bless him abundantly and grant him good health, strength and peace of mind.

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar