Death anniversary today:

Barrister Navaratnarajah (QC) - a colossus in the legal profession

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

In every generation there are those who add lustre to the learned professions. These men are remembered as ornaments of this respective professions long after they are gone. Paramanathan Navaratnarajah (QC) was without doubt one such person and his death anniversary falls today(June 28).

Barrister Navaratnarajah

He was born on December 16, 1908 in Puloly, Point Pedro and received his early education at St Benedict's College, Kotahena, Colombo 13. In fact, he burst into first position in class throughout the secondary school career. His superior academic performance continued till he left the University College in Colombo where he obtained a first class honours in mathematics of the University of London. He was given a Ceylon Government Scholarship to University of Cambridge where he obtained First Class in Maths Tripos.

Remarkable career

Though Navaratnarajah obtained a first class in the Mathematics Tripos, he did not want to follow Science as a career. He was bitten by the intellectual acumen and oratorical brilliance of H A P Sandarasagara (KC) at the Azzie Courts in Colombo.

As such Navaratnarajah read law at the Middle Temple and was enrolled as a Barrister in 1934. The same year, he was called to the Bar as an Advocate of the Supreme Court.

Beginning slowly but steadily Navaratnarajah built a huge practice at the original courts of Hulftsdorp. It is very often said that "While Navaratnarajah was trying to establish himself in the Magistrate's Court it was late S J V Chelwanayagam (QC) who persuaded him to switch over to the District Court of Colombo."

Thus began the remarkable career of Navaratnarajah as a successful civil lawyer. While E. G. Wickramanayake (QC), C. Thiagalingam (QC) and S. Nadesan (QC) dominated the District Court of Colombo in the 50s and commanded high fees and restricted themselves to one case in the District Court, Navaratnarajah was not choosy and would take any case even more than one at a time, if he could manage it without dislocating work of any court. In the year 1965, Navaratnarajah took silk as a Queen's Counsel and was invited to be a member of the Inner Bar. In 1985, he completed 50 years as the most outstanding trial lawyer in the District Court of Colombo and in almost every District Court of this island. In Colombo alone he would handle several appearances in cases in all five District Courts in a day and was called the master of the rolls.

His drafts whether it was a letter of demand, a plaint answers or motion were a work of contemporary art, his handling of a trial so accomplished and thorough in the course of presentation of his case and judges were so pleased with his ways and they were always willing to accommodate him in regard to his extremely heavy workload.

Brilliant lawyer

Navaratnarajah was so versatile and resourceful and it was a treat to watch him presenting his case. He handled a large volume of variety of cases - commercial, divorce, testamentary, company liquidation and even election petition cases.

Navaratnarajah was a warm hearted person with deep spiritual insight. He was simple and friendly in his ways and was very humane in his approach. He was one of the most polished, persuasive and hard working advocates. When he walked into the court, he knew his brief like the back of his palm and what he did not know was not worth knowing. His Court Craft was admirable and unmatched. Navaratnarajah retained the confidence of the Bench, the esteem of his colleagues and the gratitude of his client right until his passing away.

Navaratnarajah was a clear thinker and very able cross examiner. He served as Director of the SWRD Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation, Founder Member of the Hindu Educational society and patron of the Hindu Cultural Foundation. He was also a director and trustee of the then Times of Ceylon Ltd and served as a director on the Boards of several companies.

He was not only a brilliant lawyer but also genuinely concerned about the Tamil community. Further, Navaratnarajah (QC) played a key role in 'Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact' since he was respected by both communities.

Barrister Navaratnarajah (QC) married 'Sundaranayaki', the only daughter of Dr C Sabapathy, an illustrious member of the medical profession, who, during the colonial days fought a defamation case against a British planter (Huntley). He had to go all the way to the Privy Council to vindicate his personal honour and integrity and that of the profession he belonged to.

Navaratnarajah passed away on June 28, 1994 after a brief illness, leaving his three daughters, namely, Navaranee Shanmugaratnam, Lalitha Pararajasingmam, and Dr Manohari Shanmugaratnam.

Spiritual values

His wife 'Sundaranayaki' passed away a few years ago. Yamuna Ganeshalingam is Navaratnarajah's brother late Dr Sri Pathamanathan's daughter and wife of late K Ganeshalingam who was the Mayor of Colombo Municipal Council and Leader of the Opposition in the CMC.

Barrister Navaratnarajah (QC) was undoubtedly a colossus and will always be remembered as an ornament to the legal profession. Indeed, he rose above regionalism, sectarianism, communalism and racialism. He was a thoroughbred Ceylonese, even though he was equally a thoroughbred Tamil. His life was one long and ceaseless striving after perfection.

He taught us the supremacy of moral and spiritual values over material ones, that man's salvation lies rather in mutual love and fellowship than in mutual hate and ill-will.

Indeed, the Tamil community had lost one of its brilliant sons and Sri Lanka an erudite and able lawyers who only respected to 'Rule of Law' and civilized human behaviour.