DS - ‘ Father of the Nation’

Jinadasa NIYATAPALA

Leaders may come and go but a leader of the stature of `DS’ will ofcourse never return!

DS was a unique personality who eventually led his country to National Independence.

He had no pretentions about academic distinctins from Oxford or Cambridge neither a degree from Harward. He simply overtook university dons in his razor-sharp judgements. He miserably failed to quote such erudite scholars as Gurulugomi, Rahula, Wettewe or else Shakespeare, Milton or Homer but he was far ahead of their deciples!

Welikada prison where he was detained during the 1915 racial riots turned to be the springboard for him to plunge headlong into the national freedom movement.

Though he was held in contempt by the privileged class yet he was able to bulldoze his way to realise his objective.

Endowed with indomittable courage and a portly stature DS always held the beacon of light for the social underdogs.

He was crowned Father of the Nation, yet he was freely accessible even to the unsophisticated peasant. DS was overtly practical and always offered his simple advice to any citizen.

Unlike those self-styled savivours of the farmer community, DS always treasured mammoty and the plough as important assets of his arsanel.

He was selfless for he did not go after prestige or popularity yet accolades and honour came in search of him.

DS finally fulfilled his beloved brother and guru, FR’s wish that he should one day became the leader of the country.

Our efforts at creating a unitary country free from narrow differences of race, politics and caste while preserving the national flag would be the highest tribute we could pay to this great man!