Remembering Dr. Saman Kelegama
“A person of amazing depth, dignity, and wisdom…”
Dr. Saman Kelegama
“Once in a generation individual…”
“Sri Lanka’s finest champion of economic reforms…”
“South Asia’s strongest patron…”
“An individual of integrity, humility and humanity…”
Dr. Saman Kelegama, the visionary Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka for over two decades, was all this and more. His sudden demise on June 23, 2017, dealt a severe blow to his friends and colleagues in the economic policy community in Sri Lanka and abroad. On this bleak day, we lost a distinguished scholar, a renowned economist, and a staunch public policy advocate. Most importantly, we lost a remarkable human being and a well-loved personality, who was mourned universally.
Educated at Royal College in Colombo, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kanpur, the illustrious Dr. Kelegama, did not always want to be an economist.
During his undergraduate days, his dream was to pursue natural sciences. However, he was offered an opportunity to follow a postgraduate programme in economics at the University of Oxford, where he completed his PhD. Thus was born, one of the most eminent economists of the South Asian region.
Dr. Kelegama joined IPS in 1990 as a Research Fellow, to become its Executive Director in 1995. From then on, he led IPS with unmatched intellect, commitment, and leadership to build human capital and research capacity. He secured long-term sustainability, by establishing an Endowment Fund, and housing the institute in its own beautiful building. While no single individual defines a whole institution, it is his vision, contribution, leadership, and enduring commitment that transformed IPS from a small group of researchers to the nationally renowned and globally recognized research organization as it stands today.
Dr. Kelegama’s overriding dedication to build research capacity, for better policy making, was an inspiration to a generation of economists at IPS. But, his reach went beyond IPS, and indeed beyond Sri Lanka. He gave leadership to the economics profession at home, as the President of the Sri Lanka Economic Association, by uniting two professional bodies and strengthening its activities under one umbrella, during his distinguished tenure. Dr. Kelegama sought and succeeded in building collaborative partnerships and networks with scholars and institutions in the South Asian region. He provided the leadership to launch an international journal on South Asian economic issues, and to inaugurate an annual South Asia Economic Summit with a network of partner institutes in the region.
Dr. Kelegama was a prolific intellectual giant, publishing on a range of socio-economic issues. Not surprisingly, he was a much sought after speaker at high level forums in Sri Lanka and overseas.
His views and guidance were sought by the academia, private sector and government. He served on the boards of many academic entities, such as the Postgraduate Institute of Management and the University Grants Commission. His contributions to corporate bodies are numerous, including as Chairman of Singer Sri Lanka. But his most valuable inputs were those sought by the government of Sri Lanka. He served on high level policy committees over the years, such as the National Economic Council, the Presidential Tax Commission, the Industrial Development Board, and most recently as the Lead Negotiator on Sri Lanka’s free trade agreements with India, China, and Singapore in his role as Chairman-designate of the Agency for International Trade of the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade.
Apart from Dr. Kelegama’s long and illustrious career, which in itself speaks volumes of his remarkable personality, he also stood out in many other aspects. One of Dr. Kelegama’s finest qualities was the trust and confidence he placed in his staff. He had the unique ability of identifying the strengths as well as areas for improvement in each individual he came into contact with, and gently encouraged one in developing the weaker areas, while acknowledging and appreciating strengths. Through all his pioneering efforts to build a strong and stable organisation, Dr. Kelegama’s humility and humanity shine the brightest, and will never be forgotten. Despite his distinguished career, he was the most modest of men, and rarely spoke of his numerous high profile appointments and accomplishments even within the IPS. His humility was second only to his humanity; he always had time to lend a sympathetic ear whenever a staff member needed assistance or advice.
Dr. Kelegama also had deep respect for others, and as an open-minded person was always receptive to alternative ideas.
Sri Lanka has sadly lost one of its most remarkable human beings; but Dr. Kelegama’s legacy will live on through the IPS that he built with invaluable dedication and sacrifice, and through the minds of all those who have been fortunate to work with him.
Staff of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka