Life and times of Sam Wijesinghe

by Indira P. Dahanayake

He is calm and alert, sensitive and in good health, with a remarkable memory for an octogenarian, soft spoken, and very straight forward in his comments.

Dressed in a light grey casual shirt and sarong to match, I met him at his large airy residence, nestled in the heart of the city. He was watching a cricket match on television and was in a relaxed mood.

He is none other than Sam Wijesinghe - a man of all seasons, a former Secretary General of Parliament, who later served as an ombudsmen and afterwards became chairman of the Human Task Force and last but not least the Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka.

Wijesinghe a simple and an unassuming man of medium build unfolded some facts of his University life that have not been revealed so far on print, in a leisurely manner while shifting his eyes from time to time on to the cricket match.

He hailed from Gatamanne - village located in the southern tip of Sri Lanka close to the Hambantota District.

Being the youngest and the pet of the family his father - D. A. S. Wijesinghe-a landed proprietor and his mother Sophia had second thoughts in sending him to a school far away from home - hence he started his education at the village school located within walking distance from his home.

At the age of nine his carefree days with the village lads ended , when he was admitted to a school of better standard - Rahula College at Matara.

After a year he was sent to Ananda College Colombo and then to St. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia. The new school brought him better surroundings. He was appointed a prefect by the management and he also edited the school magazine, he excelled in sports as a superb marksman and completed a successful school career.

His university life began in the year 1941 at Brodie hostel in Horton Place (where now stands the Asha Central hospital). While reading for a degree in Arts, he became a sub-warden at the residence hall, where he remained till the year 1948.

Recalling his university days he mentioned some of his remarkable friends with much sentiment. They included L. W. Madugalle (father of Ranjan Madugalle), Andrew Joseph who later joined the United Nations from The Ceylon Civil Service, Barnes Ratwatte - later a supreme court judge, James de Lenerolle a former Civil servant, M. Jameel - A retired supreme court judge, C. Mylvaganam - a former Civil Servant (The man who nationalized the Port of Colombo)

Meeting Mukta

Meeting pretty Mukta Wickramasingha marked another milestone in his life. "she was just sweet sixteen. She was still schooling at the time at C.M.S. Ladies College." He met her at the Royal Thomian match quite accidentally in 1941 when her brother Tissa played for the team.

Tissa and Sam were close friends. Mukta's father was the first Ceylonese civil servant who was appointed a government agent-a prestigious position at the time. Very soon Sam became a frequent visitor to Mukta's home, and was well accepted.

The spacious wall s of his residence are adorned with pictures of Mukta, her family, and brothers Desmond, Tissa and Lakshman, and of his children Sanjeeva, Rajiva and Anila, in their childhood.

Recalling his university career once again he said I read for a degree including English Economics, and History as subjects but had to give up with the creation of the new university and the introduction of a new syllabus by Dr. Ivor Jennings.

He joined the Ceylon Law College,and while at law college, Sam did his London degree and also sat for the C. C. S. in 1945. On the second day of the paper the exam was cancelled on the grounds that a question paper had leaked out. "A repeat examination in 1946 January was held but I did not sit for it and even got a refund of my examination fee of Rs. 200", he chuckled.

Talking about his career he started again "on completion of my course at Law College and being admitted to the Bar, my first appointment was, in 1948 as a Crown Counsel along with Neville Samarakoon, who later became a Chief Justice.

Career

His career brought many associations with reputed men in the legal profession. They included T. A. de Silva Wijesundera, who later became a supreme court judge, A. Mahendrarajah who retired prematurely after the birth of his eighth child, saying that his salary of rupees 1,500/ per month was not enough to maintain his family.

"The three of us were at the attorney general's department till I joined Parliament as an assistant to Ralph Deraniyagala - who was then the clerk to the house of Parliament under the Soulbury Constitution. I succeeded him in 1964 after his retirement".

"In 1972 under the new constitution I was appointed secretary to the National State Assembly, and thereafter I was appointed Secretary General of Parliament. Though there was a change in my designation my salary remained the same "- he added with much humour.

"I retired in the year 1981 and just six weeks later, was appointed as the first Parliamentary Commissioner (Ombudsmen). I served in this capacity for ten years and retired for the second time in the year 1991 at the age of 70 years."

As a happy and contented octogenarian he said I am a self-made man, I am totally against violence of any sort and capital punishment. He is currently appointed as the chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka.

His spare time is spent on reading biographies of remarkable people such as Roosvelt John F. Kennedy Jimmy Carter the two Bushes, Reagan and Bill Clinton to name a few. In conclusion, "if you observe the five precepts which are basic to all religions you are bound to reap what you sow - he commented.