Senaka Weeraratna

A decent man with childlike innocence, he will be remembered by all those who treasured his company and sagacity.

I would like to end this tribute to Tilak with a plea to his family and friends to strongly consider reprinting a facsimile edition of the Buddhist Youth magazine originally published in 1969 for general distribution, to keep Tilak’s memory alive. His idealistic writings and his youthful images in photographs all in one document would be hard to find anywhere else.

May Tilak attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana.

Tilak Gunawardena Scholarship Fund launched by Sri Lanka – Malaysia Business Council

Two Scholarships for two outstanding students to pursue higher education at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo 

Tilak Gunawardena Scholarship Fund launched by Sri Lanka – Malaysia Business Council

RUZAIK FAROOK

Tilak Gunawardena Scholarship Fund launched by Sri Lanka – Malaysia Business Council

COLOMBO – Sri Lanka – Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has launched the ‘ Tilak Gunawardena Scholarship Fund ’. 

The announcement of the scholarship was made at the 29th Annual General Meeting of the SLMBC held at Hilton Residence, Colombo recently. The fund will provide an opportunity for two outstanding students to pursue their higher education at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. The scholarship is available to Sri Lankan students who have showcased exceptional academic prowess, and demonstrate a strong commitment to the field of law and a clear vision of how their legal education will contribute to the betterment of the country.  

The High Commissioner of Malaysia in Sri Lanka Badli Hisham Adam handed over the Scholarship to students at this ceremony. The President of the Sri Lanka Malaysia Business Council M.H.K.M. Hameez and members were also present.

An old Royalist with child-like innocence

Tilak Gunawardana

https://www.sundaytimes.lk/220612/plus/appreciations-5-485270.html

The death of Tilak Narendra Gunawardana on June 11, 2021, at the age of 77 years removed from our midst another old boy of Royal College drawn from a batch that straddled both the primary and secondary school scene of the 1950s and first half of the ’60s.

Tilak was from a distinguished family. His father, Don Charles Rajakaruna (DCR) Gunawardana, was a scholar, an outstanding student at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, a civil servant,  Clerk to the House of Representatives, and later High Commissioner of Ceylon to Malaya (1958 – 1961). His mother was Chitra Gunawardana (nee Wijetilleka).

There were six children in the family –  Anoma, Kapila, Tilak, Kumar, Vajira, and Kumudini. Anoma died in a tragic accident with her husband Dr. Sumanasiri Alahendra in the USA.

Tilak was the elder brother of my classmate Vajira who joined the RC 1960 Group in 1961 upon returning from Malaya. All his brothers attended Royal College. Tilak’s family connections to Royal College were further strengthened by virtue of his uncle Professor (Dr.) Carlin (DC) Gunawardana having become a reputed teacher of Botany at Royal, having set up the Botany Department in the pre-war years of the school. The Royal College magazine has paid a handsome tribute to Prof. Carlin in its 1938 edition.

I have known Tilak since schooldays, in several capacities. He used to supervise our drill class on the school grounds, counsel us as a senior student, and later interact with me every now and then on professional matters. He used to cycle to school like most students of that era.

He was a gentleman to the fingertips, a man of high integrity and scrupulous honesty. He was outspoken when the need arose but harmless in every sense of the word epitomizing the ideal ‘Arya’ (noble and dignified) person envisaged in Buddhism. He had a stubborn character stemming from his overzealous commitment to high principles.

He earned a General B.Sc. degree specializing in Zoology from the University of Ceylon (Colombo) and thereafter served briefly as an instructor in the Zoology Dept. of the University. Subsequently, he joined the Fisheries Corporation in Tangalle and worked for a few years there.

Inspired by his maternal grandfather Arthur Wijetilleke, a leading Advocate in Ratnapura, and another close relative, Sir Ukwatte Jayasundera, Q.C., Tilak returned to Colombo to pursue law studies. He graduated with an LL.B. degree as an external student of the Colombo Law Faculty and joined the Attorney General’s Dept. as a State Counsel. He received good training in both the criminal and civil aspects of the law. His next stint was at Mackwoods where he was the Company Secretary. Finally, he joined the unofficial Bar as an Instructing Attorney and served in that capacity until retirement.

Tilak had a strong altruistic bent and found himself engaged in Charity work to his heart’s content. He served as the Vice-President of the Buddhist Youth Forum (BYF) which was founded by Sepala Amarasuriya at his residence at Park Road in November 1968. It had the following objects:

1. To further the Buddhist Way of Life, and
2. To establish greater cooperation and unity among the Buddhist Youth.

Sepala Amarasuriya and Anura Bandaranaike served as the Joint Secretaries. Hiranthi Jayasuriya, an old girl of Visakha Vidyalaya, then a Medical student and now a Medical Doctor, was the first President of the Buddhist Youth Forum.

Senaka Weeraratna served as the Editor of the First Magazine of BYF titled ‘ The Buddhist Youth ‘ which was first published in November 1969.

BYF made a memorable trip to the newly opened Aranya – now renowned as the Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya’ in December 1968. Tilak was one of the members who went on that one-day trip and his image is captured distinctly in a group photograph taken on that occasion. The Magazine also carries photos of Tilak on the visit made to a Home for the Invalids at Ragama where the BYF members distributed food to the infirm. Tilak was a proactive member and made valuable contributions to discussions at meetings.

Tilak wrote a resounding article under the title ‘ The Role of a Buddhist Youth Forum’ that was published in the Buddhist Youth Magazine.

In this article, Tilak spelled out the necessity for such Buddhist organizations in a rapidly changing society to protect Sinhala Buddhist values which are threatened by decadent Western materialistic lifestyles that can uproot the young from their Buddhist civilizational consciousness. 

 He writes: 

 ” In the Buddhist way, the Sinhalese were a peaceful, compassionate, and kind-hearted nation. Though we had our own wars and differences the feeling deep within was essentially Buddhist and for this reason, Buddhism and its teachers enjoyed a position of respect second to none. With the onset of foreign influences Buddhists began to be inhibited. They were scorned by the foreign rulers both for reasons of ignorance of the great teaching and of course for reasons of strategy because they i.e. colonial rulers, believed that the golden thread (religion) 

that held the pearls (people) together had to be removed. This was the beginning of the decline which has brought our country to this dangerous state.”

Tilak adds:

” Today with the gradual transition of power once again to our hands after 20 years of full independence and in spite of the proclamation giving Buddhism its old status, has the country improved? 

I feel it has not. Though it is a dying idea, the fact still remains that Ceylon is still being run by the city and urban ‘elite’. It is they who lay the pattern for the country. In this ruling elite, we have heterogeneity. We still have in them a class of people who have imbibed the foreign way of life, who benefit from that way of life, and most dangerous – a class of people who still abhor the quiet and calm Sinhala Buddhist way of life. This trend with all its excitement and adventure is indeed too much of a temptation for our youth. It is the time for Buddhist organizations to awaken and rescue the nation from this very cancerous influence by arresting it “.

Tilak’s insights enshrined in this essay written over 53 years ago are as relevant today, perhaps more now, than at the time of its publication in 1969.

Tilak participated in many charity projects as a member of the Lions Club. He chaired the project to celebrate Chitrasena’s 50 years of performance, which had the current Prime Minister ( now President) Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the Chief Guest on one of the days of the celebrations. The project meetings, sometimes thrice a month, were held at Tilak’s residence at De Fonseka Road, Colombo 5, supplemented by a lavish spread of refreshments. He received a reward from the Alliance Française. He was also an active member of the Sri Lanka – Malaysia Business Council.

Tilak remained a bachelor to the end. He was a bachelor in the old sense of the word, preferring to have close friendships and indulge in passions of his choice but then come home and read his favourite books. A decent man with childlike innocence, he will be remembered by all those who treasured his company and sagacity.

I would like to end this tribute to Tilak with a plea to his family and friends to strongly consider reprinting a facsimile edition of the Buddhist Youth magazine originally published in 1969 for general distribution, to keep Tilak’s memory alive. His idealistic writings and his youthful images in photographs all in one document would be hard to find anywhere else.

May Tilak attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana.

Senaka Weeraratna