World without Sir Arthur C.

"I take a lot of Sri Lankan tea and convert it into science fictions.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke Quoted by Nalaka Gunawardene his associate for 27 years

Some sages who appear on earth from time to time, disturb the sleep of mankind for ever. After they profoundly alter the thinking of men and women, human life will never be the same again.

Charles Darwin, who formulated "The Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection," Scandalizing his contemporaries, and Sigmund Freud the founder of Psychoanalysis, come within this coterie of global savants.

Arthur C. Clarke the effects of whose concepts impact upon every human beings on earth is an elitist member of this exclusive group of global sages. Sri Lankans can be justly proud, that Arthur C. Clarke lived more than half his life, here in our land.

By training and relentless commitment, Arthur C. Clarke was close to space. By birth he was close to the earth, as he was born into a family of traditional farmers, in Minehead, Somerset, UK. He was born on the 16th of December 1917. He passed away to use his own terminology - after orbiting the sun for 90 years. His orbiting round the sun, in living physical form, may have terminated on 19 March 2008. But, his interred remains and his pervasive influence will continue in solar orbit, for ages to come.

As a child too, Arthur was fascinated by space. In his early days he derived pleasure through star-gazing.

In his youth, he could not afford a university education, due to monetary constraints. It is ironical to reflect, in this context, that, in later years honours and degrees were lavished upon him and that, billions were earned (and, are being earned even today) by those who could utilize the applications of his concepts. He began his career as an auditor in the pensions section of the Board of Education UK. His career blossomedforth into its golden era, towards the end of World War Two.

The twin dexterities of keen conceptualisation and compelling articulation both in the written word and the spoken word, ensured a timeless audience for what he chose to say.

He commanded the attention of the global community of scientists, by his theoretical essay on geostationary satellites. In his article titled 'Extra-terrestrial Relays,' that appeared in the London publication 'wireless World' for October 1945, he set down his concept. If a satellite is lifted 22,300 miles into space it will be geosynchronous that is, it will rotate the same speed as Planet Earth. In consequence, from a given point on Earth it may seem geostationary - that is, as if it remains unmoving.

I remember reading somewhere, that he received a fee of US$ 45 for this article. It will be interesting to find out what the Rupee-conversion rate for a US Dollar was, back then.

A satellite so lifted, will be a communications centre in space. Placing three of those, at three specific points in space above earth, live messages could be relayed, right round the earth, merely in six seconds. He never patented this concept. Modestly, Sir Arthur claimed that he was not the father of this concept, but only its God Father.

This was a daring forecast. There were no rockets to send a satellite so far up into space. The computer and the transistor were still in the offing.

Overcoming all the odds, the first communications satellite 'Early Bird', was lifted into space in April 1965, exactly as Arthur C. Clarke visualized in 1945.

Arthur C. Clarke's concept turned into practical reality and the world and the global community were ushered into the new miraculous era of Satellite Communication.

By the time Arthur C's theory, metamorphosed into pragmatic reality and the first communications satellite "Early Bird" occupied its perch 22,300 miles up in space, the author of the concept was here in Sri Lanka.

Miraculously, Sri Lanka, had become, in a way, the centre of the new age of satellite communication. Somehow it seems to me, that, the full significance of this super event, did not quite sink into the Sri Lankan psyche deeply. If it did, as a nation, we would have arranged to utilize our opportunity much more profitably, enabling us to occupy an exalted position in the global map of advanced communication.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke, arrived in Sri Lanka, way back in 1956 as a young man of 39. When he passed away at 90, in 2008, he had spent more than half of his life-span (51 years) here in Sri Lanka.

Initially, he settled down in Unawatuna, South of Galle. He was enamoured of the beauteous beaches of Unawatuna. (personally, I cannot help but feel a heightene sense of joy about Arthur C. who knew his universe, opting to settle down at Unawatuna, as I hail from there.)

Eventually Arthur C. moved to Colombo. Arthur C. Clarke had the exceptional good fortune to personally experience the changes brought about in human life, Through his concept of the communications satellite.

In his early days in Sri Lanka, if he needed to telephone London, he had to book a trunk call. Since it would take an hour, two hours or even more, to connect the call, he would keep the telephone on his dining table. But, after the communications satellite became a reality, he wrote, "Now when I dial 13 digits for London, I find London responding with a "Hello", even in less time than it took for me to dial the 13 digits."

Arthur C. Clarke received the higher global recognitions, when he was residing in Sri Lanka. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He was also nominated for an Oscar Award. He won the UNESCO-Kelinga Prize for the Popularization of science. He won most of the high science prizes and awards for science fiction.

But, when we indulge in a stark self-scrutiny as a Nation we with undoubtedly regret, that we did not know how to benefit from such a universal Treasure. On the other hand, there were instances when insults and abuses were hurled at him. When he was presented a knighthood by the Queen he had the investiture put off for some time, because of a scanted aimed as smearing his personality our greatest failure as an under developed nation, is our incapacity to make the best use of the unparalleled assets we possess.

Here, we must praise the gesture of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for celebrating Sir Arthur's 90th birthday at state level.

Sir Arthur was one of the freest spirits, that walked the Earth. He was unencumbered by convention or dogma. At one point he described himself as a crypto-Buddhist later on.

I was told that, he had an inclination to drop the adjective "crypto" I am happy that he sent me his touching greetings on my 85th birthday (3 December 2007) just 13 days before his 90th birthday.

Addressing me as Deer Edwin, he said, "I see that you are catching up on me. I'll be turning 90 on 16 December. I also take this opportunity to thank you for many decades of popularising my ideas and visions among Sri Lankans through newspapers, radio and television. I wish you many more years of action as the "elder statesman" of Sri Lankan media.

I quote this not as an ego-tour, but to stress the personal warmth of this Great Sage) He was Sri Lanka's space station and the antenna to the universe. We must initiate national programs to honour this universal Sri Lankan Citizen.