Former AG Shiva Pasupati’s perspective on Sivagurunathan Memorial Challenge
Posted on April 28th, 2016
Written by Shiva Pasupati
I had the rare privilege of attending Ananda College and Jaffna Hindu College. They were both institutions which were established in colonial days to impart education in a non-Christian and a non-western atmosphere. No doubt, the establishment of these two institutions was inspired by two galvanizing figures, Anagarika Dharmapala and Arumuga Navalar, who saved the country from a religious and cultural collapse. Both these institutions soon became leaders in their field and remain so to this day. Numerous old boys of these schools have become leading personalities in all walks of life and have brought credit to their alma mater. The old boys owe their success to many outstanding teachers who served with exceptional dedication, at great personal sacrifice. We also enjoyed the comradeship of fellow students of all communities and denominations.
Mr P de S. Kularatne, who assumed duties as Principal of Ananda College in 1919, not only ensured academic excellence but also promoted racial harmony. He required Sinhala students to learn Tamil and Tamil students to learn Sinhala. He invited Mr C.Suntharalingam to be the Vice-Principal and he remained in that position until he was appointed as Professor of Mathematics at the Colombo University. He also appointed Dr. T.B.Jayah to the staff. Dr Jayah later became Principal of Zahira College.
It is ironic that a century later, we are now renewing efforts to emulate the far-sighted vision of Mr Kularatne and the founders of the institution. It is fundamental that the prosperity of Sri Lanka is dependent on racial amity, tolerance and recognition of merit, irrespective of race, caste or religion. It is heartening that Ananda College and Jaffna Hindu College have come forward, not only to build bridges between the two leading institutions, but also between all communities. We must, in this connection, also acknowledge the outstanding contributions of Mr Thilak Karunaratne, Past President of the Ananda College OBA, Mr Deva Rodrigo, Convenor of the Match Organising Committee in 2012 and Mr S.Raghavan, Patron of the Jaffna Hindu College OBA (Colombo Branch).
The unique cricket encounter between the two beacons of Hindu and Buddhist educational institutions in Sri Lanka will be held on Sunday, May 1 at Nalanda College Grounds at 9:30 a.m. This year, the English debate for the ‘Panikkar–Thanabalasingham Challenge’, will be held in connection with the tournament along with the celebratory banquet where the presentation of awards will be held. The debate is scheduled to be held on Saturday, April 30 at the Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute at 5:00 p.m. The celebratory banquet dinner is scheduled to be held on May 1 at The Kingsbury at 7:00 p.m.
Written by Shiva Pasupati – Attorney General of Sri Lanka from 1975 to 1988, the longest serving Attorney General in the 131 years since it was established.
April 28th, 2016 at 7:04 am
Shiva Pasupati participated in ‘peace talks’ as part of the LTTE delegation in 2005. That ended all his objectivity.
There is no need for Sinhalese to learn Tamil (Nadu) language as nowhere in the civilised world the majority learns the language of the minority. Instead, Tamils must learn the Sinhala language. In fact, about 6% of the 15% Tamil population is already fluent in Sinhala language. It is no big deal for the remaining 9% to master the Sinhala language.
You only need one language to communicate, not two.
P de S. Kularatne was an exceptional educationalist and his proposal was valid at that time when Sri Lanka was facing the colonial and post colonial threat. Today the biggest threat faced by the nation is Tamil racism.
April 28th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
MR also encouraged and facilitated peace talks with LTTE after he won 2005 elections. JL Peiris was one of the pioneers to 2005 talks too. Had those talks were successful we might see Prabhakaran instead of Vigneshwaran representing Tamils. Only difference is we don’t (yet) have a Tamil Army now.
The stupidity to negotiate with LTTE on Sinhala part and cunningness to negotiate on the part of LTTE continued after war ended in the form of teaching Tamil to Sinhalas.
The idea of Teaching Tamil to Sinhala is nothing but a cunning plan to continue Elam. It is the same as LTTE peace talks. While the Army stop offensive, LTTE did not lay down the arms but continued to build its military machine secretly. Similarly, while Sinhalas learn Tamils, Tamils would pretend to learn Sinhala but use this to build up “Tamilness” and separatism further. This is merely a cunning plan our politicians don’t mind because they can keep this problem going for their own benefit.
Instead, soon after 2009 sacrificing of Sinhala lives for a “humanitarian operations to save Tamils”, accelerated program to teach Sinhala to Tamils could have been started. Shiva Pasupathy, the lonest serving Attorney General , should have been asked to lead that, sitting on the LTTE side together with Vigneshwaran.
What is happening now is cunning ways to catch the whole island is continuing, regardless of who is in power.
April 28th, 2016 at 8:05 pm
Dham, yes, the new aim is not the arid, dry and economically worthless north-east, but the wet zone and prosperous rest.
The tool they use is the Tamil (Nadu) language, if I may use that phrase. This is the basis of demographic invasion following ETCA and a bridge to Tamil Nadu. When they land in Sri Lanka in their millions, they will find it to be an extension of Tamil Nadu linguistically and culturally. India uses similar tactics against Bangladesh (Bengali people from West Bengal, etc.), Nepal (Madehi people), Andaman and Nicobar (totally colonised by Indians) and Kashmir. Using language to expand invasive power is called soft power projection. Don’t be fooled by the word which hides the same old ugly colonialism in it.
Similar attempts made by India in Singapore, Malaysia and Fiji failed.