Dr. N.M. Perera - embodiment of leadership qualities

Premasara EPASINGHE

Leaders inspire followers, they must have followers. Leaders lead from the front, they possess strength to face challenges. According to John Quency Adams - 'Action motivates to dream more, learn more, do more, become more - you are a leader.' A leader with a clear vision knows where to go. He is a man of integrity, honesty, magnanimity and a person who possesses, sincerity, calmness, honesty, fair mindedness and a sense of humour. Leadership entails directing people towards achieving a particular end or goal. It is the ability to get men do, what they don't like to do and like it.

N.M. had revolutionary ideas. He was a socialist democrat and always stood for fair-play and justice. Never for bloodshed. He never cared for caste, colour, creed or religion.

After obtaining an honours degree in economics, N.M. served as a lecturer at the University College, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Later, he proceeded to England and obtained not only one Doctorate, but two - Phd and DSc - a rare achievement. His guru - Harold Laski once said “If N.M. was born in UK, he would have been a fine Labour Prime Minister.”

Erudite scholar

During his student days in England he studied Marxism. Together with great leaders like Philip Gunawardene, Dr. Colvin R de Silva, Dr. S.A. Wickramasinghe, Edmund Samarakkody, Bernard Soysa, Leslie Gunawardane, Ms Vivian Gunawardena, Doric de Souza, Hector Abhayawardhana, Vernon Gunesekera, V. Karalausingham, he started the socialist movement in Sri Lanka.

These fire-brand socialist leaders fought against imperialist and capitalist oppression. These genuine, honest politicians were imprisoned.

The escape of N.M, Colvin, Edmund and company from the prison was like an 'Alfred Hitchcock Thriller.' The man behind their 'Great Escape' was the younger brother of Robert Gunewardena. N.M. escaped to India and worked in an Indian Bank. Later he returned to Ceylon and formed the L.S.S.P with Philip Gunawardena.

Thomas Carlyle once remarked “The history of the world is the biography of great men.” Johann Wolfgan Von Gothe said “Great persons attract great people and know how to hold them together. Quality leadership is the single most important ingredient for success.”

When you read and study about Dr. N.M. Perera's life, it is undoubtedly a story of one of the colossus leaders of Sri Lanka.

In the Sirimavo Bandaranaike government in the 1970s, Dr. N.M. Perera became the Finance Minister. The Gem Corporation was a brainchild of Dr. N.M. Perera.

N.M. was a brilliant orator and a fine debater. Even his opponents respected N.M. Some of his closest friends were Dudley Senanayake and J.R. Jayewardene. N.M. was an erudite scholar. He was an authority on parliamentary constitutions and procedures. He possessed a charismatic, lovable personality. His sense of humour was inexhaustible.

Dr. N.M. Perera was an epitome of elegance. He was a man of impeccable integrity. His contribution has been outstanding and will be remembered for all time. It can be matched some day but it cannot be surpassed.

Leadership is one of the most enduring human responsibilities. Leaders must take their ability to craft a vision, inspire action and empower others. We must have leaders who are credible. Dr. N.M. Perera belonged to this category. He possessed all these ingredients. If you study leadership in depth, the first key principle is the relationship between the leader and a follower. Dr. N.M. Perera always maintained a close relationship with his followers. He ‘unlocked’ the people's potential to become better. It was one of the sterling qualities of this great leader. Undoubtedly N.M. was an exemplary leader.

The greatness of a man is judged by the powerful influence he exercised for the good of his generation, and by certainty of his influence on generations yet unborn. Such men are national leaders. Dr. N.M. Perera is in this bracket. He occupies, unquestionably a very important place as a great leader in the modern history of Sri Lanka. Dr. N.M. Perera was a man with a golden heart. With his charismatic, pleasant, charming personality, he was able to communicate with an innocent villager and with royalty on equal terms.

To the people, N. M. was both a precept as well as an example. He belonged to the old guard of the L.S.S.P. Such as, Philip, Colvin, Leslie and Edmund, and was filled with progressive thinking.

Dr. N.M. Perera was a calm and collected figure, but always a tough political fighter. To the Lanka Samasamaja Party and the Socialists Progressive Movement in Sri Lanka, this great leader contributed greatly and selflessly.

I presume the word leadership consists of ten letters. I analyse them in this manner. L-Love, E-equity, A-Altruism, D-Discipline, E-Equality, R-Respect, S-Service, H-Harmony, I-Independence, P-Partnership.

The great leader Dr. N.M. Perera, a fine human being, possessed all these qualities mentioned in the ten letters. Such great politicians are a rarity in modern society. Men like N.M., Colvin, Philip, Dr. Wicks, Bernard, Dudley, S.W.R.D., Mrs. Bandaranaike, who have crossed the border, were real National Leaders who took to politics to serve the country and not to make money. They always put the country before self. They sacrificed their lives for the sake of the people of this country.

Golden era in cricket

After his shock defeat in 1977, he served as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Ceylon. He was a life member of Nondescript Cricket Club - NCC. He took steps to promote this noble game throughout the country. He was a keen lover of sports. Cricket and Tennis were his favourite sports.

I conclude this tribute on this great leader Dr. N.M. Perera with a statement made by R. Premadasa. It was R. Premadasa, who introduced floodlit soccer to Sri Lanka in the 1960s. At that time I was a Daily News free-lancer, an undergraduate at the university. I used to cover the floodlit soccer matches played at the Colombo Oval. Practically every day the Colombo Municipal Councillor R. Premadasa dropped me at Lake House in his famous '1952, Morris Minor'.

One day, I asked him a question while he was driving the vehicle. I asked him “who was his political idol, and the most respected politician of Ceylon at that time.”

R. Premadasa said “Premasara, my idol is Dr. N.M. Perera. I highly respect him. He is my favourite. I contested him at Ruwanwella. It was my baptism to high politics. He is one of the finest gentleman-politicians, a scholar, a legend I have seen so far.”

What a compliment!
Lives of greatness all remind us
We can make our lives sublime
And departing leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time!