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Six months have passed so soon
It seems as if ’twas yester noon;
Your charming smile is in our hall
We miss you bad, yes one and all

Two years of illness saw you through,
You bore it well and that’s quite true;
Always smiling with a cheer
God wanted you away from here!

With love and flowers we go each day
To see you there where you did lay;
Candles we light to make you bright
God in His love showed you His light!

We have not lost our faith in Him
For when ’er to you we sing a hymn,
We know that in His loving care
He’ll give you happiness o’er there.

Farewell, our little angel dear
You’re still with us it’s oh so clear;
In His love God gave you rest
For He well knows you’re still the best!

July 23 marks the 116th birth anniversary of a great son of the Upcountry Tamil Community, Peri Sundaram. The late Mr. Sundaram has several unique records. Commencing his education in an estate school, where the policy at the time was described as “a little too much education and unaccustomed luxury than necessary would unfit the children for their calling or indeed for anything”, he got admission to Trinity College Kandy, then went on to S. Thomas, Mt. Lavinia and later to the Ceylon Law College.

He proved his mettle by going overseas and obtaining the Master of Arts and the Bachelor of Laws Degrees in the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. He showed his prowess as an orator and was elected President of the Cambridge Indian Majlis and was twice elected Committee Member of the Cambridge Union Society. He was called to the Bar in England in 1916. Thereafter, he returned and practised as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Ceylon. Mr. Sundaram was an outstanding lecturer at the Ceylon Law College, acting Principal and examiner in Law to the Ceylon Civil Service.

Mr. Sundaram threw himself into the movement for political reform and national independence and was a founder member of the Ceylon National Congress formed in 1919, with the avowed objective of getting independence.

He had many qualifications to his credit and also a number of firsts, which are too many to enumerate. Suffice it to say that he was elected uncontested to the first State Council of Ceylon in 1931 from the Hatton electorate and served as the first Minister of Labour Industry and Commerce from 1931 to 1936. Subsequently, he was a Senator for many years and was also Deputy President of the Senate. The responsibility thrust on Mr. Sundaram was enormous, but his intellectual capacity and determination were equal to the tasks he was called upon to do. He recognized that it was in the national interest to strengthen links with Ceylon’s close neighbour India. In 1932 he led the Ceylon Government trade delegation to India.

The labour portfolio presented Mr. Sundaram with the greatest challenge of his career. There was an abundant supply of cheap ‘captive’ labour to work in the plantations, maintain roads, railways and the port of Colombo to transport and ship the cash crops which was the order of the day. The question of workers’ rights did not figure at all in the colonial administration. The files of the Department of Labour will reveal Mr. Sundaram’s professionalism, authority and knowledge on the subject. He brought about radical legislative proposals, overcoming opposition with his skill and authority as a legislator par excellence.

Some of the landmarks to his untiring efforts are the Trade Union Ordinance, the Workmen’s Compensation Ordinance and the Minimum Wages Ordinance, which embody the basic rights of workers. These are a lasting tribute to the pioneering efforts of Mr. Sundaram to free the workers from bondage and get them social justice.

He was also responsible for the appointment of a Commission which led to the establishment of the first national bank — the Bank of Ceylon. His record of service clearly illustrates a lifetime of dedicated service to the nation and the people of the country. In 1919, he formed the first labour union in the country - The Workers’ Welfare League – of which he was the founding Secretary. He also founded and became the first Secretary of the Ceylon Workers’ Federation. He can justifiably be regarded as the father of the Trade Union Movement in this country.

Mr. Sundaram was mainly responsible as a co-founder in inaugurating the Ceylon Indian Congress (CIC) in 1939, a merger of over 25 Indian community organizations in Ceylon, the fore-runner to the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) to which he was elected President. This came about after Pandit Nehru’s visit. Soon thereafter in 1940 the Ceylon Indian Congress Labour Union (CICLU) was formed and Mr. Sundaram was elected the first President of the CICLU with 180,000 members, the largest trade union in the country. In 1952 he was elected President of the CICLU and the CWC.

The Government of Sri Lanka issued a special postage stamp in honour of this patriot, freedom fighter and workers’ champion at the centenary celebrations in 1990. Peri Sundaram passed away on February 4 (Independence Day), 1957.

S. Thambyrajah
Colombo

Fitzroy and I met in college. From those painfully punctual and regimented days, up to the time of his demise, spanning five decades, our friendship continued. Though we were quite different in character and in our ways of life, there was a bond of understanding between us.

Fitzroy was not only an old friend, but also a close friend. He returned to Sri Lanka last year, after spending over 40 years in England. He practised as an architect in England and Saudi Arabia. Maybe it was destiny that deemed that he should return home to rekindle family connections, old friendships and die in the land of his birth. Fitzroy was a good cricketer, having played for that champion Benedictine side led by L.P. Rayan in 1957. He scored runs against the best of bowlers. But no sooner he got a score of 30 or 40, which he did in almost every match, he threw away his wicket. This was true off the cricket field too. While he could have had a lucrative career in architecture, he threw away the practice.

Fitzroy was a small and wiry person and whenever he strutted on to the grounds and batted solidly against six foot pacemen and wily spinners, he became an instant hero, among junior and primary schoolboys, who idolized this curly haired, smiling, ‘West Indian-looking’ man.

I was in the Arts stream, where many could not study or did not want to. Fitzroy was in the Science stream. They came under the strict supervision of Brother Theodoret, the sub-director of the college and everybody was petrified of him except Fitzroy. The more authoritarian the rules, the more rebellious was Fitzroy. He escaped being sacked from college, only because of his cricketing prowess.

At a time, when our sister school, Good Shepherd Convent, had more than its quota of beautiful girls, Fitzroy had no interest in that line. He remained unmarried to the end.

I first met Donald Mendis when he was an Inspector in 1972, while I was under training at the Kalutara Police College as a probationary Sub-Inspector. Mr. Mendis was an affable lecturer with a wide knowledge. His lectures were interspersed with anecdotes, case records and quotes.

Mr. Mendis was born on 03.05.1933 to a well-known family in Moratuwa. He had his education at Prince of Wales College where he not only excelled in his studies but also in rugby and football.

He joined the Police Department as a Sub-Inspector in 1957. He married Pat and had two sons, Fedrick, a Captain in the Army who died in action and Ryan who is domiciled in America.

He never became a stooge, flatterer or lackey to any politician but called a spade a spade and stood by what was right. He kept his hands clean while other police officers made money illegally.

He assisted me in numerous ways and stood by me in my time of need. It was he who safeguarded me and spoke up for me when I had a problem with a controversial IGP.

Due to his frankness he was kept at a desk and not allowed to rise within the Police Force. He retired as a Senior Superintendent of Police and joined the Sugar Company at Hingurana where I had an opportunity to serve as Senior Security Manager at the Pelwatta Sugar Company.

Later he joined the UDA and World Vision where he did consultancy work. Mr. Mendis was a versatile police officer and honourable and distinguished son of Lanka.