The indomitable nonagenarian communicator

The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well.
- Hugh Walpole

Practising journalists, whether they are reporters, sub-editors, feature writers or editors of the Sinhala and English press are a proud lot today because they have a senior journalist among them who will be turning 91 on December 3. He is none other than Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa, the well-known bilingual journalist.

Ariyadasa was born in Unawatuna on December 3, 1922 when Sri Lanka was a British colony. After his preliminary education, he entered the University College, Colombo and studied at the feet of Sir Ivor Jennings who was an intellectual of international repute. In 1949 he joined Lake House as a full-time journalist and served on the editorials of the Ceylon Daily News, Silumina, Sarasaviya, Sunday Observer, Dinamina, Janatha and Navayugaya. However, he is best remembered as the editor of Navayugaya.

In 1969 he was instrumental in formulating a syllabus for Mass Communication for Junior Universities which later became Advanced Technical Institutes. Later, he became a visiting lecturer at the University of Kelaniya when degree courses in Mass Communication were launched. Since then he has been teaching Mass Communication at various government and non-government institutes. At present he is a Visiting Lecturer in Print Media and Media Management at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

Electronic media

While most journalists were confined to the print medium, Ariyadasa branched off into the electronic media. Today, he is a much sought after broadcaster and television personality.

To have a nonagenarian practising journalist and broadcaster in a Third World country such as Sri Lanka is something unique. This is because our record of longevity, sometimes used as a synonym for “life expectancy” in demography, is rather dismal. As far as we can remember, we never had a practising bilingual journalist who was a nonagenarian.

Diogenes Laertius (c. 250 AD) is the earliest reference to a centenarian who lived in the distant past. The philosopher Democritus of Abdera lived for 109 years. Many other Greek philosophers are thought to have lived over the age of 90. Epimenides of Crete is said to have lived for 154 years.

Longevity

In developed countries, the typical length of life is from 77 to 90 years today. In developing countries, it is 32 - 80 years. What is more, in developed countries, longevity is increasing. The Gerontology Research Group in the United States maintains a list of super-centenarians. Among them we find Geert Adriaans Boomgaard (110 years), Jeanne Calment (122 years), Sarah Knauss (119 years) and Jiroemon Kimura (116 years). Kimura died on June 12.

Longevity is based on two major factors: Genetics and lifestyle choices. About 20 - 30 percent of a person’s lifespan is related to genetics. The rest is due to individual behaviour and environmental factors.

In the case of Edwin Ariyadasa, apart from genetics, his lifestyle is quite open. He remains a vegetarian, teetotaller and a non-smoker. His students and colleagues claim that he never harboured a grudge against anybody. He lives a simple life in the asphalt jungle in the city, unperturbed by its tinsel attractions.

Lifespan

In pre-industrial times, a lifespan over 70 years was comparatively rare. However, certain people such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Hobbes and Michelangelo lived for more than 75 years. To this list can be added many authors, poets and philosophers who lived longer than ordinary people.

For those who wish to live long, the future seems to be rosy. The United States Census Bureau says the average life expectancy in the US will increase up to 80 years by 2050. According to the United Nations, by 2300, life expectancy in more developed countries will be around 100 - 106 years. Some scientists say that molecular nanotechnology will greatly extend human lifespan.

To Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa, life is no brief candle. It is a sort of splendid torch he has got hold of for the moment. He wants to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generation.