19th death anniversary of Minister Deshamannya Lakshman Kadirgamar, PC, MP
By Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne
(Retired from the Sri Lanka Navy, Former Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, the Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Pakistan)
We miss the Minister who groomed us. I think it’s the same feeling for all young diplomats (both ladies and gentlemen) whom he recruited when he was the Minister more than 20 years ago.
It was 19 years ago, that I was Commanding SLNS Sauyra, the flagship of the Sri Lanka Navy stationed at Colombo harbour. I had just returned from India after finishing my tenure as Defence Adviser at our High Commission in New Delhi. Our task was to sail into the deep sea towards the equator in search of LTTE arms smuggling ships. We used to patrol for 21 days and we were in the harbour for 10 days for our much-deserved break.
I vividly remember the day. On Friday 12th August 2005, that day we had our Inter Command Volleyball tournament at Welisara which was followed by drinks and dinner. Our ships are “Dry” at sea (no liquor is served onboard when out at sea) and this party following the Volleyball tournament was a good opportunity to relax at the best company after a 22-day dry period.
It was around 9 PM on that day, when I received a call from Madura, the Personal Security Officer of then Foreign Minister Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar. Mr Kadirgamar promised me that he would visit my ship when I met him last time. My ship was due to sail to Vishakhapatnam Indian Naval Dockyard for medium refit. US $ 20 million job which was arranged free of cost to the Sri Lankan government due to skilled negotiations of our Foreign Minister Hon Lakshman Kadirgamar.
But what I heard from Madura was shocking. He said “ Sir, Minister was shot. The body is lying at Colombo Mortuary. I am going back to residence with madam. Please come.” So, LTTE has ultimately taken their prime target!
I rushed to Colombo Mortuary in my car from Welisara.
On my way, my mind rushed back to the day that I met Mr Kadirgamar for the first time. I was selected for the post of Defence Adviser, Sri Lanka High Commission (SLHC), New Delhi, India in November 2001. I was given time to meet the Minister prior to my departure to India at 9 AM at his residence. Half an hour was allocated for this meeting. Two more clerical staffers were going on appointment to an Embassy in a Western country and also waiting to meet the Minister after me. I was surprised to note that the Minister used to meet ALL our staff (diplomats or clerical staff) going to Foreign Missions prior to their departure. When he saw me on that day in uniform, he asked two staffers to meet him first, finished their calls soon and sat with me for a long interview. He knew about the Navy as his elder brother was a Navy Commander in the ’70s. He inquired about my foreign training exposures and advised me on the important appointment I was going to hold for the next three years. His briefing aptly covered the importance of India to us.
Our half an hour meeting went on for one and a half hours. Minister who was extremely busy but was ready to spend one and half hours with a young newly appointed diplomat to brief him and motivate him before he took up an appointment in a foreign country! I was so impressed and determined to do my best at my new appointment.
When I reached the Mortuary, the body of the Minister was lying on the postmortem table. The postmortem was over and the staff at the mortuary prepared the body to be transferred to the undertaker. They allowed me to see the body. His chest was opened for the postmortem. One gunshot has gone piercing the heart and damaging the main blood arteries. The heart which won the love and respect of all Sri Lankans. His heart was strong enough to win Rugby football colours at Trinity College, Kandy in 1948/1949, Captain the College Cricket team in 1950 and Sri Lanka schools record in 110 metres hurdles; which won him Trinity Lion in Athletics in 1950. The heart strong enough to win the first Duncan White Challenge Cup for Athletics in 1948 and the prestigious Ryde Gold Medal for best all-round student at Trinity College in 1950 is lying on the postmortem table.
Mr D B S Jayaraj wrote in his article “Kadirgamar – Destined to achieve Glory” said, “Independence was drawn to Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon on 4th February 1948. The Union Jack was lowered and the National flag was raised at the stroke of midnight. Even as the flag fluttered proudly, four young athletes carrying flaming torches entered the square and ran up the steps of Independence Hall. Together they lit the lamp of freedom. The quartet comprised the youth members of the four major communities of the Island. The 16-year-old youth representing Tamils was young Lakshman Kadirgamar.”
He was destined to achieve glory. In 1950 he went to the University of Colombo and then to Peradeniya to study law, graduating with an LLB (Hons) degree in 1953. Travelled to India in 1951 and 1952 for all- India University games and won the 110 metres hurdles title both the years. At Law College passed with first class and took oaths as an Advocate at the Supreme Courts of Ceylon in 1953. Then won a scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford. The UK. In 1960 won the BLitt degree from the University of Oxford and became a barrister at Inner Temple in London. He was the second Sri Lankan (after Mr Lalith Athulathmudali) to become President of Oxford Union.
He was working abroad as an international lawyer with a very high repute until our President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga invited him to serve our beloved country. She made him a National List Member of Parliament and our Minister of Foreign Affairs.
I personally consider it my destiny to serve under such an eminent Foreign Minister. Minister was a frequent visitor to New Delhi. He very well understood the importance of India in our foreign policy. He had so many friends there. We who served at SLHC, New Delhi as junior diplomats always benefited from Mr Kadirgamar’s visits to New Delhi. Whether it is former Foreign Ministers Natwar Singh, Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Pranab Mukherjee or Ministers Mani Shankar Iyar or Kapil Sibal, all were Minister’s friends. He always introduced us, the young diplomats to these eminent Indian leaders.
Usually, calm SLHC becomes busy as a beehive when our Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Chinnaiah announces “ Minister is coming next week”. All important briefs and reports were prepared and updated. Minister had a great habit of listening to us and getting our viewpoints. My friend Saj U Mendis, who was the first Secretary at that time spoke until the Minister said “I got your point Saj”. Usually, he stays with our High Commissioner, Mr Mangala Munasinghe in his residence. Mr and Mrs Munasinghe looked after Minister and madam very well with love and affection. If he stays in a hotel, I have great responsibility for looking after his security. He was a prime target of LTTE. The Indian government also knew it and provided maximum security arrangements for the Minister.
He was a great Orator. His speeches were excellent. The excellence came from his hard work. Usually, he comes to New Delhi on the Srilankan flight leaving Colombo in the afternoon. He used to rest well for four hours in flight and had a light dinner prior to landing in New Delhi at 7 PM. Then straight to the hotel sat down and worked on his speech for the next day. His trusted lieutenant, his personal assistant Lenagala (Lena) on his side, they work till late at night. If Madam was accompanied, she insisted Minister go to sleep and have some rest. It was amazing a person with a kidney transplant worked that hard. The hotel business Centre was virtually taken over by us as our Secretariat.
The next morning when the Minister speaks at the scheduled conference, the Hindu newspaper editor, the Minister’s good friend and Ranji trophy cricketer, N Ram writes his editorial saying “When Lakshman speaks India listen”. His speeches in New Delhi were so brilliant and well articulated. He understood India well and Indian leaders respected him. He was a dear friend of India.
Among impromptu speeches the Minister has delivered, the speech he made in London in September 2004 to Sri Lankan cricketers during a dinner reception was the best. He showed the difference between National cricketers and our politicians in his witty speech. Please read it on Google.
https://www.cricketmachan.com/cricstories/witty-speech-late-lakshman-kadirgamar-2004/
During my tenure under the Minister, I learnt three things important about India.
I will explain them with the true incidents.
No protocol for friends – The Minister’s best friend was Hon Pranab Mukherjee, a very senior Politician from the Congress party. He was Minister of Defence in 2004. He became India’s Finance Minister, External Affairs Minister and later the President of India. During one of the visits by Minister Kadirgamar to New Delhi in 2004, a meeting was scheduled at the Meeting room of the hotel where the Minister was staying (Taj Palace Hotel) with Hon Pranab Mukherjee, the Minister of Defence of India. Our Minister informed me to tell him when Hon Mukherjee is leaving his office. When I was informed, our Minister came down by lift from the 5th floor and received Hon Mukherjee at the entrance to the hotel. Then they went to the meeting room to gather. After the meeting also some way our Minister also walked up to the car of the Indian Minister. Later when I told our Minister as per Protocol he had to receive Hon Mukherjee at the meeting room and asked “Why Sir you go up to the car porch when you have to receive him at the meeting room?” Our minister said “Hon Pranab Mukherjee is my friend. There is NO protocol for friends!”
In a democratic country, do not forget the opposition – when our Minister visits New Delhi, he meets government leaders such as the PM, Minister of External Affairs, Defence Minister, etc. After these meetings with ruling party leaders, he met the opposition party leaders also and briefed them. One day I asked him why. He said “Ravi, do not forget, India is a democracy. In democracy, one day opposition will come into power. It may be in weeks. Maybe in five years. But when they come into power, they will remember you.” How true. It was the BJP-led government that was in power then. When we had our grand victory against LTTE in 2009, it was a Congress-led government.
For Mr Kadirgamar, progress in the Indian monsoon was very important. He will call and ask me about the progress of the monsoon, whether the monsoon is in time or early or delayed. Whether rain is heavy or mild. Whether sufficient water is received in agricultural areas or not. One day I asked him why he was so keen about Indian monsoon progress. He said, “Ravi, the Indian economy depends on the monsoon. When they get enough water, they will have a good crop of rice, wheat and vegetables. So, the government is not required to give grants to farmers. So, the government will have money to help neighbouring countries like us”. Brilliant thinking and foresight.
We miss the Minister who groomed us. I think it’s the same feeling for all young diplomats (both ladies and gentlemen) whom he recruited when he was the Minister more than 20 years ago. These diplomats now hold high positions of Ambassadors and High Commissioners today due to excellent training, grooming and motivation Mr Kadirgamar gave them when they were on the job training. He made us more patriotic and hard-working. He wants us to observe, learn and perform well for the country. We miss him today. Otherwise, he will introduce us to World leaders saying “ he/ she is my student”.
I will conclude my write-up with another true story.
One day, the Minister was rushing to the President’s House with a junior diplomat at that time (I think it was Chanaka Talpahewa) to meet HE the President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga for the scheduled meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister who was on a visit to Sri Lanka. Suddenly Minister stopped, looked at Chanaka, walked up to him to adjust/tighten Chanaka’s tie knot and said “Now looks better”.
He was a wonderful person, a fatherly figure and a motivator of our Foreign Service. Tell me which Minister will do such a thing to his junior officer?
May he attain the bliss of Supreme Nirvana.
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