Down Memory Lane

Nicholas Yohesan Casie Chetty

Headmaster takes up task of reforming society

By Roshan Peiris

"Fortunately, I grew up at a time when my large circle of friends came from all communities, religions and social strata. Then there were no narrow man-made barriers," says Yohesan. 

One of his memorable experiences, he says, was when he took his oaths as an attorney, wearing a black gown. It was an ambition fulfilled, inspired by his father Mervyn who was also an attorney. 

"My father Mervyn and mother Abigail (nee Babapulle) influenced my moral values and stressed the importance of cultivating feelings for the underprivileged and the marginalised," Yohesan says.

He was made by his parents to help those who needed help, in whatever way he could. "I got them interested in church activities, the Christian Student Movement and in sports," he says. 

Yohesan has a brother who is now the Director General of Economic Affairs at the Foreign Ministry. According to Yohesan, he never had any bickering with his brother who is 11 years older. His parents lavished much love on him 'the baby' in the family. "Caning was never thought of in those days by my father to whom corporal punishment was abhorrent." 

He had been told by his parents that according to eastern tradition, it was teachers who deserved the most respect next to parents. So Yohesan never played the fool with teachers or became a nuisance in class. 

"I had a large circle of friends at S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia. I was in school from 1961 to 1973. My father was largely responsible for my liberal attitudes, since he was a committed socialist," he says. 

He recalls, "I can still picture in my mind Dr. N. M. Perera, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva, Leslie Goonewardene and Edmund Samarakkody — all committed Lanka Sama Samajists — walking in and out of our house and even staying over for meals. My father was their lawyer. To me it was a wonderful experience to hear them talk on radical socialism. It was this that made me partial to the underprivileged then, as I am now." 

After leaving S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, Yohesan entered the Colombo University in 1974 to pursue law studies. "They were some of the best years of my life. There were Professor T. Nadaraja, Professor G.L. Peiris, both of whom influenced my thinking and helped me to improve my critical powers and the ability to analyse a problem in the context of the law. 

"I had no girlfriends but was very friendly with Nedra Weerakoon, Ronnie Weerakoon's daughter. One of my closet friends then was Nihal Fonseka now Chief Executive Officer of DFCC." 

On a trip to Negombo, he had dropped a large stone on Nihal's foot, by accident. "I felt really rotten at the time and almost tearful since he was in great pain." 

On another trip to Beruwela, Yohesan recalls, "A poor fellow was stung by a jelly fish on the beach. As first aid to help him out, one of the boys urinated on the affected leg since urine is supposed to contain some kind of antidote for the sting." 

About his family, he says, "I married Chrysanthi who since the age of 13 had lived in Vienna. Her father, Douglas Nethsinghe was head of the Asian section of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Chrysanthi herself worked at the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation for 11 years." 

Chrysanthi was briefly in Colombo on her way to Australia for a wedding. She met Yohesan at a mutual friend's home. "It was not love at first sight, but we liked each other and agreed to correspond. We were married in 1985. Our marriage was blessed by a girl and a boy. We both have a firm belief in God's grace and power," he says.

Yohesan did his post-graduate studies and came back to work at the unofficial bar. He also worked at the Attorney General's Department before leaving for the University of Kent, Canterbury. 

Yohesan gave up a lucrative practice in January 1995 to become Headmaster. "I felt that moral standards in society had degenerated. So if there was any contribution I could make meaningfully to uplift the moral fabric of society, being Headmaster was a fine opportunity." 

Yohesan sums up, "If at the end of my days I can look back and say that I have touched the lives of human beings for the betterment of society, I will be a contented man at peace with myself."

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