Kithsiri Senadeera ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sydney, Australia

Under the British rule and in early post-independence era Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s corporate sector was dominated by British colonials and missionary educated mercantile executives. One of the first to rise to senior executive level of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s corporate sector from a Buddhist school-Ananda College- was Dr D.S.Bandarage, who passed away recently.

Hailing from a renowned patriotic family from Down South, Induruwa village, little Bandarage entered Ananda College by wining a scholarship as the most outstanding student from the Southern Province. At College he excelled in his studies as well in extra curricular activities that won him the affection and admiration of our great educationalists such as Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maithreya, P.de S. Kularatne and L.H. Mettananada. He was instrumental in forming the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Bosath Lama SamajayaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and its members included leading Anandians of our time as Ananda Tissa De Alwis, Ranapala Bodhinagoda, LBT Premarathna (former Solicitor General) Duncan de Alwis (former Colombo GA) and several others.

Dr Bandarage was a rare combination of academic excellence and brilliant operational skills. He was the pioneer in Personnel Management in Sri Lanka. He withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sir Cyril De Soysa initiated in establishing the Institute of Personnel Management (IPM) in late 50s and with the late Mallory Wijesinghe, was instrumental in the establishment of the Institute of Management of Ceylon. He held the President Position of both these institutions for a long time.

Dr Bandarage served as a visiting lecturer of Management Studies at the Universities of Colombo and Sri Jayawardanapura.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He was an examiner and panel member in the recruitment to the Ceylon Civil Service /Sri Lanka Administrative ServicesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (CCS/SLAS) for a long period. He also served as an UN adviser on management and administrative systems.

He adapted the Western, Human Resource Management theory and practice to suit the local workplace environment. His writing both in English and Sinhala became classics in the field of Human Resource Management that were widely used in CCS/SLAS examinations and universities in Sri Lanka.

He had an illustrious career as a Human Resource Specialist and Company Director. He started his career as a graduate cadet at Air Ceylon in mid 40s and soon rose in the ladder to executive level. His major breakthrough came when he was hand picked by the Managing Director of Shell Co as the Personnel Officer. Young Bandarage demonstrated his tremendous dedication, talent and managerial skills to the colonial masters and was soon promoted as the Personnel Manager of Shell Co, the first native to hold such a high position in a multinational enterprise. Then he joined Lever Brothers where he revolutionized the personnel management system and its corporate culture that made it a model to the entire corporate world of Sri Lanka.

Dr Bandarage left Levers in early 70s and established his own Management Consultancy firm, Sudharshan Limited. His advice and guidance as a management consultant had been instrumental in helping new ventures and existing companies to become successful business enterprises in Sri Lanka. Dr Bandarage was associated with the establishment and development of the Upali Group that made Upali Wijewardene one of the most successful business entrepreneurs in Asia.

His knowledge and skills were sought after by both sides of politics and he held a range of challenging jobs in both the public and private sectors. During Mr.Dudley SenanayakeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s period Dr Bandarage was assigned to study and report to the Government (the Minister was Mr.J.R.Jayawardane) on the formulation of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Five Day weekƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, which was implemented on his recommendation. Mrs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sirimavo Bandaranaike Government offered him the Chairmanship of the National Textile Corporation as a merit appointment for his knowledge and skill in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations.

Dr.Bandarage unlock the doors of executive positions to Sri Lankans in the corporate sector, especially to those who are qualified from rural backgrounds, at that time dominated by the British or English only speaking Sri Lankans. His ability to recruit the best and talented young people was well known. Most of his recruits became leading CEOs in the private and the public sectors, consultants of UN agencies and successful entrepreneurs as Stanley Jayawardane, Gilbert Jayasuriya, Dr Seevali Rathwatte, Upali Wijewardene, Anura Weeraratne and many others. Dr Bandarge conducted classes often free of charge for educated youth from rural villages studying for the Sri Lanka Administrative Service exam who later became Govt. Agents, AGAs, Departmental Heads and Senior Public Servants.

It was Dr. Bandarage who identified our screen legend late Gamini FonsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s hidden talents. When Lever Brothers offered Gamini a job as a Sales Rep, it was Dr Bandarage who dissuaded him from taking up the post, because he knew that Gamini will have a better future as a filmƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ actor (GaminiƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had acted only in a few films at that time). Later, one dayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gamini went and put a garland around Dr Bandarage in public, stating that it was Dr BandargeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s vision that enabled him to continue the pathway of acting, than embarking in a career as a salesman. I saw this story published in the Sunday Observer sometime ago.

He was also actively engaged in numerous professional organizations, such as the Sri Lanka Institute for the Advancement of Science, CISIRO, National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) and Asia Foundation. As a social worker he held executive positions in social service organizations such as Colombo Lions, Colombo Jaycees and Rotary Club and was also a prominent member of the Royal Colombo Golf Club and the Colombo Bridge Club.

Throughout his life, starting from his alma mater-Ananda College- Dr. Bandarage was involved with Buddhist activities and organizations such as the Young Men Buddhist Association, the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress and was a pioneer in establishing the several Sinhala Buddhist organizations. As a philanthropist, he lavishly donated monies to charities and Buddhist institutions. Thus, he made an immense contribution towards the propagation of Sinhala Buddhist values in rural and urban Sri Lanka.

Dr Bandarage fathered six children to follow his footsteps among whom are the distinguished professor of Harvard/MIT and author, Prof. Asoka Bandarage, Head, UN Peace Keeping Operations, New York, Wasantha (daughters) and, Dammika, an Environmental Scientist, ChanakaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”a leading Barrister, Rohan (a winner of prestigious Fritz Kunz Memorial Trophy awarded to the “Most Outstanding Anandian”)-Chartered Engineer all in Australia and Chandana a Company Director, Sri Lanka (sons) who are engaged in many patriotic activities for mother Lanka. His wife Thilaka is a leading philanthropist and an active member of the All Ceylon WomenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Buddhist Congress.

I had the privilege of meeting this remarkable person during my undergraduate days. He provided us (B.Com. undergrads, Peradaniya Uni) the opportunity to visit Lever Bros on a study tour, as he wanted to help the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-SawbashaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ students coming mostly from rural schools, just like another great Anandian, Prof F. R. Jayasuriya.

A panel discussion was arranged with the working directors who were all heavyweights of mercantile sector at that time; Stanley Jayewardene, Director Marketing, a well known marketing guru, Paul Lewis, Director Finance a leading chartered accountant in that era, the Director Production and Dr.Bandarage himself.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  However, there was a communication problem as most of us could not converse in English. Dr.Bandarage volunteered to be the moderator as well as the translator and helped us from that difficult situation.

Though he was a top corporate executive in ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-high societyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ he was a very affable person, always keen to help others especially the less privileged people; this was one of the most significant aspects of his life. We remember him as a man with ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-plain living and high thinkingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana!

Kithsiri Senadeera ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sydney, Australia