Down memory lane

By Roshan Peiris

Strongman Cooray

Touching on his childhood Cooray says, "my father was very strict with me, because my elder brother Nandasena had an affair with a 17-year-old girl and married at 18 years. We were four boys and two girls. After my brother's marriage life was hard for me since my father was very strict." 

As a boy, he attended Lawrence College and later Ananda Maha Vidyalaya. He sat for his Senior School Certificate from Maradana Madya Maha Vidyalaya. "I sat for the university entrance examination but failed. But I did get a Diploma in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Management, London." 

Thereafter, this strongman of UNP politics worked as a theatre manager at Ceylon Theatres, under Sir Chittampalam Gardiner and later Sangare Sellamuttu.

"My father being strict I did not go in for girlfriends, with the exception of one from Maharagama. I gave her up because he did not like it, since he thought I was too young to make the correct choice," he recalls. Cooray's marriage was an arranged one. "I said I would not get married, but my father wanted me to marry before he died. I was nervous when I went to see my would-be-bride Srimathie Boyagoda from Kurunegala. But she turned out to be pretty and petite."

In 1971, his brother died. The UNP had come down to eight seats in parliament and Cooray was asked to contest his brother's seat at a by-election to Suduwella Ward 71. "I refused but was forced to contest by Dudley Senanayake. Ranasinghe Premadasa had told Dudley that my wife did not want me to contest. Dudley offered to talk to my wife." 

"What I am trying to emphasise is how directly leaders worked then. I contested and won and it marked a turning point in the UNP's political fortune," he says. "I drove my own car and went campaigning all over. This is how directly and satisfactorily the leaders functioned then," he said. 

Cooray says, "I know I have been called a good political organiser for Premadsa. I was called this first by none other than Lalith Athulathmudali. I have through the years been called a strongman too. That is because I am strong-willed. 

"I have never been politically ambitious. It was the UNP leadership that forced me to get into politics. Now I am content but I will not give up my political heritage. I will contest the next elections and look forward to an active life." 

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