Maha Manya D. S. Senanayake:

Patriot and national hero

Mahen Gunasekera Former UNP Member of Parliament for Gampaha District

The secret of greatness is simple - do better work than any other in your field - and keep on doing it - Wilfred A. Peterson

"I think of a hero is someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom"

- Bob Dylan

"The first duty of a leader is to make himself be loved without playing up to anyone - even to himself" - Andre Malraux

"A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but where they ought to be" - Rosalyn Carter

By any exacting standard of by any stern measure, Maha Manya, Don Stephen Senanayake, is a patriot and national hero of the highest calibre.

D. S. Senanayake History can never forget the crucial role D. S. Senanayake played, in regaining Sri Lanka's Independence after 133 years of enforced British imperial rules. Equally, Sri Lanka can never overlook his developmental initiatives prioritizing selfsufficiency in our staple food item - rice. To support this focal national project he built conduits to our glorious past of hydro-engineering. He ushered in a new era of irrigation systems, to bring fresh lands under paddy cultivation, reclaiming them from the jungle tide that had smothered the once fertile ancient paddy fields for centuries

History can never forget the crucial role he played, in regaining Sri Lanka's Independence after 133 years of enforced British imperial rules. Equally, Sri Lanka can never overlook his developmental initiatives prioritizing self-sufficiency in our staple food item - rice. To support this focal national project he built conduits to our glorious past of hydro-engineering. He ushered in a new era of irrigation systems, to bring fresh lands under paddy cultivation, reclaiming them from the jungle tide that had smothered the once fertile ancient paddy fields for centuries.

Man of the people

'D.S.' as he was popularly known was essentially a man of the people. He took an unabashed delight in folk ways. Nature attracted him from childhood on. He came from a line of traditional rural aristocrats. His father was Mudaliya Don Stephan Senanayake. His mother was Dona Catherina Elizabeth Perera Gunasekera. Their ancestral home was located in Botale, in Mirigama. The name 'Botale' is derived from 'Bodhi Talawa'- the land of the Bodhi Tree. The name is indicative of the Buddhist culture that dominated this rural regime.

He imbibed strong Buddhist disciplinary traits as he was raised in a background where the religion played a key role. His educational make up stemmed from the elitist S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. Young D.S. was not markedly gifted academically. But at his college he received a personalty enrichment which enabled him to uphold those noble values as manliness, truth and courage and character purity. These virtues earned him undiminished acclaims throughout his epoch-making career.

From his early days on he displayed an exceptional physical stamina and virility. It is said, that after college, his elder brothers would wait for the slow train to get back home. But younger brother D. S. would take the express train and when the train neared his home he would jump off. His love of outdoor - life, earned him the affectionate sobriquet, 'Kele John' (Jungle John). He started his career at 'Surveyor General's office. He took to politics with tremendous adore. In the social unrest that took place in 1915, he was imprisoned without any charges. It is a sheer strike of exceptional good luck that he escaped without being a victim of arbitrary execution.

Underprivileged farmers

The two elder brothers were involved in social services actively and religious work. The younger brother dedicated himself to politics plunging into it fully. At State Council elections in 1931, D.S. became the Minister of Agriculture and Lands. He continued to hold this portfolio for 15 long years.

As Minister of Agriculture and Lands he was quite close to the rhythm of life of the country's peasants. He instantly felt the spasm of the underprivileged farmers of Sri Lanka and introduced legislation to improve their lot.

But he was always preoccupied with a much larger issue that affected the whole nation to the core. This was the deeply felt need to achieve independence breaking asunder the colonial yoke. He established links with all the sections in the country, that chafed under the rue imposed by the imperial power.

This move led to the establishment of the United Nations Party in 1946. All the patriotic forces in the country whatever their race, community, cast or creed, assembled within the folds of the United National Party. At the General Elections of 1947 D.S. became the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. As the climatic point in the collective negotiations efforts of the UNP, Sri Lanka won Independence after 133 years under the imperial rulers.

Historical event

D.S. then became the central personality in the angst the solemn celebration of Independence witnessing the momentous historical event of the Union Jack coming down and Sri Lanka Lion flag being hoisted.

D.S. was among the pioneering statesmen of the world to interpret the concept of 'Development' pragmatically long before that expression got entrenched in the economic discourses of the modern world.

D.S. was at home with the simplest peasants of the land and also with kings and statesmen of the world. When he spoke to the rustic folk, his words settled deep in the recesses of their being. Maha Manya D.S. Senanayake never claimed to be an erudite and versatile practitioner of statesmanship. But he was able to prioritize the right issues unerringly because of a stable attitude he had acquired. He adopted King Parakramabahu the great, as his role-model.

This way what was good for great Parakramabahu was good for him. The great king made Sri Lanka self-sufficient in rice and created a rice surplus, which exported to neighbouring lands. This made the Sri Lanka of his day to be known as the 'Granary of Asia'.

D.S. did not want to aim so high, his ambition was to see that his people were adequately fed. He came to be known as 'Parakramabahu Avataraya' (Re-incarnation of Parakramabahu). His dignity was unasserted he never stooped to anything mean or shallow. The international community of statesmen admired him for those precious personalized assets.

World leaders

On March 22, 1952 he fell off the horse 'Chitra' while riding along Galle Face Green. In those days of limited global media links, expert medical attention could not reach him in time. The world knew about his fate initially through an amateur radio operation.

D.S. lived in Sri Lanka in all the paddy fields that sway in the wind in the dry zones. His memory is kept alive by the national flags that flutter in the wind. D.S. was a creator of history but his greatness was his humility. He could address a peasant by his first name, he could sit with the world leaders who visited our shores for conferences. At difficult moments in crucial discussions D.S. would restore calm with the expression "Gentlemen, let us have a little Sri Lankan tea now."

His spouse was Molly Dunuwila Senanayake. Their two children Dudley and Robert venerated their great father, so did the Nation. When Dudley became Prime Minister after his illustrious father's demise at 67, he inherited D.S.'s legacy of cherishing the masses of this country. When Dudley passed away the masses wailed the demise of the "king who gave us rice". D.S. and his genuine love of the masses of this country are immortal phenomenon in the history of this land.