Lankan in France: A bright spark

by Rikaza Hassan

"I cried," he says simply, speaking of the emotional defeat of France at the hands of the Azzuri at the World Cup (Football) finals. "I didn't expect France to get that far. It was an amazing feeling knowing that they were in the finals. I still think they should have won," he adds vehemently.

Lakshitha Piyumsara Wagalath, who turned twenty-one but a week ago, is a Sri Lankan born citizen of France. And like all other French football fans he does not relish the prospect of reliving the emotionally charged match and its repercussions to French national pride. Approaching with hesitation, "He (Zinedine Zidane) is a great player, one of the greatest players ever. What happened was just part of the sport and while it is sad for him, I think people will remember him for how good he actually was."

Lakshitha migrated to France at the tender age of three with his parents and immediate family in tow. Living his life in Paris and schooling at the prestigious Louis Le Grand school, he remained on for an extra two years after completing his secondary studies, in preparation studies to enter the Ecole Polytechnique.

"I sat for the examinations in 2005 and was one of the 400 chosen out of the 5,000 who applied. I also came in 9th among the 80 selected for the mathematics/physics/engineering sector."

The Ecole Polytechnique, "founded in 1794 and given its soul by the Emperor Napoleon," is an institution of higher education and research, supported by the state. The most highly competitive university for sciences in the country, nearly 50% of the largest multinational firms in France are headed by its alumni or alumnae.

Lakshitha has currently finished his first of the three years of studies of the diploma 'Ingenieur de L'Ecole Polytechnique', which is equivalent to several MSc degrees. "The Polytechnique has been under the Department of Defense since 1970 and hence the first year comprises of a eight month long military training regimen." The Leadership in Training course is taught alongside the core curriculum of the first year. "I had to study at least six subjects including economic analysis, computer science, mathematics, applied mathematics and quantum mechanics."

"The military training was tough - getting used to the military discipline. I spent one month in a military camp where I was assigned the specific task of immigration control." Lakshitha was incorporated into the gendarmerie - the French police, at the end of his officer training stint. "We also spent time doing community service and menial labour. The school requires that we spend at least some time in the place of the people whom we will manage in the future."

His present goal is to finish his diploma and move on to the Advanced Graduate Degree, "where I get to go abroad, may be to the U.S.A. - the New York University or Columbia - to complete my research and internship. I also get to specialise more though I have no idea in what specific area right now." He is still clueless as to what he wishes to do afterwards. "I'm very fond of mathematics and I also like finance a lot, so it might be an interesting avenue for me, though I really don't know right now."

Speaking of growing up in France with a Lankan background, he says integration was never a problem. "My parents learnt the language and I learnt it from them as a child. As a teenager, my friends were French but separate from my family so there really was no clash as such." As an independent adult however, he finds things slightly different. "It's difficult culturally because I know I belong in a Sinhalese Buddhist culture. Living alone I have to cope with it by myself."

Nevertheless Lakshitha feels he is fortunate to have grown up in France. "It's a whole world of opportunities, especially in the scientific field with internationally recognized qualifications." And of course with his near and dear always close at hand, easy access to his favourite and the latest movies, and his passion for football fulfilled (he plays for a school team), Lakshitha has no reason to complain.