Online edition of Sunday Observer

Bernard P. Tilakaratna, former Foreign Secretary passed away on the last day of September. He was the first Foreign Service officer to become Foreign Secretary.

As a junior officer who served under him on two assignments (1983-1987 and 1994) at the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, it is with gratitude and affection that I pen this to a great diplomat, an outstanding teacher of international diplomacy and a compassionate human being.

Bernard P. Tilakaratna then Sri Lanka High Commissioner in New Delhi presents a Samadhi statue of the Buddha to the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar research Institute.

Although I had the opportunity to work briefly under two of the most outstanding diplomats Sri Lanka ever produced, Dr. Neville Kanagaratne and Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala - both tough taskmasters - it was from Mr. Tilakaratna I learned the humane side of the art of diplomacy.

It was indeed remarkable to see, how he worked under tremendous pressure at the most difficult challenges faced by Sri Lankan foreign policy during the post July 1983 riots, infamous violation of Sri Lankan sovereignty by the Indian Air Force in 1987 and the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement of the same year.

He had faced those crises with a resolute and unwavering mind though an Indian scribe incorrectly said that 'Tilakaratna dialled Natwar Singh's telephone with trembling fingers to inform Foreign Minister Hameed that Indian planes would enter Sri Lankan air space within 35 minute.' The journalist was not aware that we had reported 24 hours before the airdrop not only to Minister Hameed but also to President J. R. Jayewardene and National Security Minister Lalith Athulathmudali that Indian Air Force was preparing for a secret mission and the planes were stationed at Bangalore.

The only mistake in Mr. Tilakaratna's report was that he mentioned that Indian forces could be planning to occupy Jaffna. The air drop took place at 3.35 p.m. and High Commissioner Tilakaratna reported to Colombo at 10.00 a.m. that New Delhi based journalists were taken to Bangalore to report on the 'launching of a secret operation against Sri Lanka."

Mr. Tilakaratna was an insider at the most crucial JR-Indira and JR-Rajiv talks. But whenever one asked him when would his memoirs be published, he gave his disarming smile reminding others about the Official Secrets Act. He was a totally dedicated, loyal servant of Sri Lanka.

Mr. Tilakaratna did have an unmatched sense of humour and his numerous anecdotes kept everyone in high humour at cocktails and dinners. They include how a Mahanayake Thera brought in a bo sapling to Tokyo without quarantine and freight problem of the pet bird owned by his daughter Krishanti. I will narrate another anecdote because I was finally the victim of his practical joke.

Mr. Tilakaratna was the Third Secretary in Burma when Sir Susantha Fonseka was the ambassador. Both of them were invited to a Buddhist function in Rangoon and they sat patiently while long-winding sermons and lay speeches continued and it was to be followed by Pirith chanting. As it was dragging on Sir Susantha asked him how long this would continue. Without waiting for a reply, Sir Susantha called the chief organiser and told him, "My Third secretary has reminded me about an appointment I have. So I am leaving. But my Third Secretary will be here", and walked away.

I had to face a similar situation when Mr. Tilakaratna told Dr. Harindra Das, organiser of the buddha Purnima at Buddha Jayanthi Park in New Delhi. After a few long winding speeches Mr. Tilakaratna told the organiser, "I have to take leave of you because of another appointment. But my Cultural Secretary will be here representing Sri Lanka until the conclusion of the function". Then he smiled at me with a twinkle in his eyes and walked away.