Features
Men of Stone: A Reflection on Richard Simon’s Thomia
Richard Simon’s monumental two volume history of S. Thomas’ College runs into 869 quarto-sized pages, inclusive of endnotes but excluding front matter and indices of subjects and persons. The book is extremely well written, in a very erudite but engaging style, and unique in that the history of the school (founded in 1851) is interspersed with that of Lanka (i.e. its political, economic, ecclesiastical and educational landscape), covering the 200 years, from 1801 to 2001. In fact, the book is subtitled, “The entangled histories of Lanka and her greatest public school”. I cannot, in this article, hope to be truly representative of Simon’s magnum opus, but will focus on aspects and themes that struck me. Apart from being purely illuminating and both sobering and inspirational, history can also serve as a critique of the present, and I make some attempts at this, too.
One of the chapters in Volume I is titled “Men of Stone”
– referring, of course, to Thomians fashioned by Warden William Stone. But all Thomians, as well as S. Thomas’ College itself, are also often described by the term ‘grit’ (the title of a chapter in Volume II) – literally small pieces of stone, but used metaphorically to characterise the trait of perseverance. SWRD Bandaranaike himself is portrayed as displaying this attribute through his calm demeanour on his deathbed after being fatally shot down while in office as Prime Minister. The chapter on Stone is titled “The Cornerstone”, reflecting his central role in the school, not only in shaping its values, but also in overseeing its transition from Mutwal to Mt. Lavinia. I recall my grandfather saying that the early Thomians were called “Gal Palliye’ Kollo” (boys from the stone church), a reference to their grit through an analogical link to the then Anglican cathedral on their Mutwal premises, described by Bishop James Chapman (both the founder of the school and first Anglican bishop of Colombo) in his memoirs as having its foundations and columns constructed of stone. As you may have guessed, the above serves to justify the title of this article.
Simon identifies four key wardens of the school while giving them appropriate chapter titles – Rev. Edward Miller, “The Paragon” (1878-1891); Rev. William Buck, “One of the Boys” (1896-1901); Rev. William Stone, “The Cornerstone” (1901-1924); and Rev. Reginald De Saram, “The Defender” (1932-1958) – after all of whom four of the school’s houses are named today. As you may gather, the titles of Simon’s chapters are as intriguing as their contents. The author speaks highly also of Neville de Alwis (1983-1998), who is credited with a restoration of the college after somewhat of a decline.
The continuity of both funds and heads was a serious problem that S. Thomas’ had in its early years, with Bishop Chapman having to intervene from time to time. Edward Miller’s tenure is the one that put the school on a firm footing after such vicissitudes, which included the collapse of the coffee plantations. The patience, humility and fortitude of the Paragon would have been a key factor in such stabilisation. We should marvel at the commitment of these early pioneers of modern education in Sri Lanka, and, indeed, try to emulate their willingness to leave the comforts of the familiar for service in the uncomfortable.
Although the youthful William Buck was warden for only six years, he is probably immortalised for his statement on the tension between a public school’s intra and extra mural activities: “A public school does not exist only, or chiefly, for the culture of the mind – there is a nobler culture even than this, the culture of character. The first and primary object of a school is to turn out men, and so long as there is an advance in the manliness and honour of our boys, I care but little what happens in other respects”. This tension exists to date, with Buck’s sentiments preserved in the school – the trick, however, is to ensure that there is, in fact, a tension, rather than ‘one-way traffic’ (to change the metaphor) in one direction or other. It is also interesting that the Buck House motto is “Mens sana in corpore sano” – “A healthy mind in a healthy body”.
We now come to William Stone, whose chapter title could even have been “The Enigma” (which title Simon allocates to a separate short-lived warden). For one thing, Stone came from a working class background, and would have completed a Cambridge education probably only because of a conjectured benefactor. Simon wonders whether this is why Stone preferred Ceylonese company to that of his compatriots on his sojourn in this land. This warden was, however, one of the most erudite the school has had, being a Greek scholar of considerable repute and serving as a Classics lecturer at the University College in Colombo, after his wardenship at S. Thomas’. This did not prevent him, while being warden, to introduce a ‘Commercial’ stream of study, to promote a very practical education that was readily supported by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Stone was thus attuned to the realities of the future in his time. He also ensured, after the relocation to Mt. Lavinia, that the limited funds available were used first for constructing science labs, while the chapel had to wait its turn. His churchmanship, too, was of the non-ritualistic ‘low church’ form, and somewhat at variance with the ‘high church’ tradition that has dominated the college chapel. So, although William Stone may have been the greatest warden the school has had (“The Cornerstone”, according to Simon), he certainly did not easily fit the mainstream of sentiment that the school represented; and there is surely a lesson in that.
By the time Reginald De Saram became warden, the school needed a “Defender” – i.e. against populist Lankan sentiment that the British public school type elitist education offered at institutions like S. Thomas’ had outlived its time, if not actually prevented the flowering of a more ‘grassroots’ educational system in the country. A lot of Volume II (1948-2001) is devoted to this fascinating tension, which was heightened by nationalistic feelings engendered by Ceylon’s independence from British rule. De Saram is portrayed as fulfilling his ‘defender’ role admirably, in some cases even ‘going on the offensive’ (to remain with the metaphor) and stealing a march over other nationalists, especially through his fostering of an enviable array of Sinhala teachers, whose “Hela havula” movement (one seeking to promote indigenous purity in the Sinhala language) found a home at the college. The son of one of those teachers is today a Professor of Sinhala at the University of Colombo, after having studied at S. Thomas’ himself and later obtaining a doctorate from Cambridge University.
In fact, although S. Thomas’ is often identified with an ethos of westernised education, Simon’s history makes it clear that, apart from the Hela havula teachers, there were many subsequent nationalists of various hue who passed through its portals as students, including SWRD Bandaranaike, Anagarika Dharmapala, Ediriweera Sarachchandra and Devar Surya Sena, who is mentioned here because he provided the musical setting for the Sinhala Anglican liturgy. The book also describes how Thomians were victorious in the All-Island Inter-School Sinhala Debating Championships in 1978 – almost 50 years ago, to be sure, but just 30 years after Independence and on the 50th anniversary of the Sinhala Literary and Debating Society. So, today, on the 175th anniversary of the college, there are various competitions being held on English essay writing and oratory, open to students all over the country. That is a good way to celebrate Thomian contributions to English language competence over the years. But maybe the school should follow this up with corresponding competitions in Sinhala, as well, because she has clearly played a part in the fostering of that language, too. Arisen Ahubudu, one of the Hela havula teachers, is a household name in Sri Lanka.
The school’s contributions to Tamil are not so evident, maybe because institutions in Jaffna had a monopoly on that. But it did produce SJV Chelvanayakam, who is referred to in the book as having been a master at Mutwal under Warden Stone (in Volume I). He would have been a contemporary of SWRD Bandaranaike, both in school and politics, and their “Banda-Chelva” pact in 1957 is reported on in Volume II. Perhaps, S. Thomas’ should take greater cognizance and ‘ownership’ of “Chelva”, as they do of “Banda”; because while the latter is either consigned to the pages of history or blamed for all our current ills in some quarters of the South, the former is still treated with respect and affection in the North as “Thanthai (Father) Chelva”. Maybe that could have been another chapter title for Simon to write on. It is rumoured that Banda and Chelva were members of the same college debating team as well; and perhaps S. Thomas’ could think of adding Chelvanayakam’s name to its English inter-school debating competition, named after Bandaranaike.
Schools, such as S. Thomas’ that were established in 19th century colonial Ceylon, were western in orientation because their principals or headmasters (‘wardens’ at S. Thomas’) came from the west. In fact, it was an unwritten rule that such wardens be graduates of Oxford or Cambridge Universities (and also ordained Anglican ministers). Although this was not always possible after the middle of the 20th century, many of the wardens had overseas exposure. It is this exposure that bestowed upon these schools a link to the outside world and a global perspective.
There were others masters from overseas who helped in this process as well. Special mention is made of W.T. Keble, a historian who was also the first Headmaster of the Kollupitiya branch school, and R.L. Hayman, a scientist (and more pertinently an ‘outdoorsman’) who was a Headmaster at the Gurutalawa branch school. At Mt. Lavinia, however, they joined forces in fostering The Literary, Scientific and Historical Society – “an exclusive club for the brainiest boys, membership being by invitation only, which met every Friday evening to listen to lectures and discussions on assorted highbrow subjects” (e.g. readings from Chaucer, recordings of Elizabethan madrigals, lectures on ‘Heavy Hydrogen,’ etc.,). The school has been trying, for some time now, to broaden the horizons of A/Level students through a Current Affairs class, but the above exclusivity in the domain of the mind (similar to that in a competitive sports team) may be something that will spur the best students to subsequent heights of intellectual achievement. And this was possible in the day because of teachers with such expertise and global exposure. Once again, schools like S. Thomas’ appear to be seeking overseas expertise today in sports (e.g. rugby) coaches, but not so much for cultivating the mind. Rev. Roy Bowyer-Yin emulated Keble and Hayman in the field of music, and was responsible for transporting the much-loved festival of nine lessons and carols from Cambridge to Mt. Lavinia. He also helped a few boys to further their musical exploits globally.
Schools that have long histories develop strong traditions. Tradition will of course be tested against current relevance, but will also serve to critique the superficial interests of immediacy. S. Thomas’ had two institutions that are specifically mentioned in its Board of Governors Ordinance, namely the Divinity School and the Orphanage. The former has been relocated to the Cathedral Premises and the latter closed down in 1940. I am not calling for a re-establishment of these institutions in the school. But their presence in the premises must have surely shaped the character of the school and its boys. So, perhaps today’s school can consider the setting up of contemporary structures for serving the poor, presumably in nearby communities, and exposing the boys to the process too; and also for religious education. One possibility for religious education (in its broadest sense) is a model similar to that adopted by King’s College London for their Associateship of King’s College (AKC), conducted in parallel with all its other programs and open to all students and staff, which is described in its website as being “at the heart of the College’s commitment to an international, interdisciplinary, and innovative curriculum … [and] seeks to foster an understanding of different beliefs and cultures that can be taken into wider society”.
(To be continued)
(The writer, a Thomian schoolboy, from 1965 to 1975, and member of the S. Thomas’ College Board of Governors, from 2002 to 2010, is an emeritus professor in civil engineering of the University of Moratuwa, professor at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, and a past president of the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka.)
by Priyan Dias
It was a few years back that a former President of Sri Lanka took it on himself to pronounce SAARC ‘dead’. Since then there have been other sections of Sri Lankan opinion that have joined the critics of SAARC and taken the solemn stance that SAARC has indeed died what may be called a natural death.
Their fatalism is understandable. SAARC has failed to meet at heads of government or state level for the past several years to take the SAARC process notably forward. Regional cooperation has more or less been only an appealing idea. No substantive concrete projects have taken off to make the idea a hard reality. ‘Inner paralysis’ seems to be SAARC’s lot. Hence the fatalism in these circles.
However, being one of the worst cash-strapped regions of the world and a teemingly populated one with people virtually left to their devices, what choices do the ‘SAARC Eight’ have other than to try their best to band together and continue with their cooperation efforts, however small they may be?
There is no escaping the mounting debt trap for many of these countries and bankrupt Sri Lanka is a glaring example, but ‘throwing in the towel’ and abandoning themselves entirely to the diktats of the strongest economies and their agencies will prove a ‘living death’ for many countries in the SAARC fold.
The gains may be meagre but giving-up on SAARC cooperation in full would prove self-defeating for the organization and South Asia. Right now, the collective intention ought to be to salvage what the region could from the tenuous cooperative efforts. Moreover, such initiatives could go some distance to generate a degree of goodwill among the Eight and help in sustaining a dialogue process.
Given this backdrop it proved ‘a stich in time’ for the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Colombo, to recently host the SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar to a round table discussion on the unifying potential of SAARC and its future possibilities, besides other related issue areas.
Held on June 24th and moderated by RCSS Executive Director and former ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, the forum brought together a vibrant, wide ranging audience comprising academicians, diplomats, senior public servants, civil society activists and many others. Following the presentation by Ambassador Golam Sarwar titled, ‘Reigniting SAARC: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Ahead’, a lively Q&A followed.
The above forum could be described as an act of lighting the proverbial ‘candle’ rather than ‘cursing the darkness.’ It surely is a ‘darkness’ that could be seen as daunting considering that the region’s pivotal powers, India and Pakistan, are failing to act in a spirit of accord but are engaged in bitter finger-pointing on a number of questions of vital importance to SAARC.
On the other hand, what is the rest of the region doing to bring the above sides together? It is disappointing that to date the rest of SAARC has failed to launch a major diplomatic drive to bring peace between the feuding regional heavyweights. It needs to act without delay and establish its earnestness and this effort would need to prove SAARC’s staying power in the unfolding months and even years.
In assessing SAARC’s seeming failure local opinion in particular has failed to factor in what could be described as weak leadership. Since Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh, the founding father of SAARC, the region has failed to produce a visionary leader who could advance the SAARC cause with charisma and drive.
Among other reasons, weak leadership accounts considerably for the faltering and stuttering status, as it were, of SAARC. Badly needed are leaders who could go the extra mile, think less of narrow national interests and work diligently towards the collective well being of the region but SAARC’s millions of ordinary people have been made to wait in vain for leaders of such stature. Instead, they have been burdened with politicians who seem to be relishing the apparently moribund state of SAARC.
Looking back, it could be said that it was the dynamic leadership factor that led to the launching of the Non-Aligned Movement and for its sustenance for a few decades. True, it could be seen in some quarters that NAM is no more, but as in the case of SAARC, the former too has been unfortunate to be burdened over the years with politicians who lack the vision and drive to unflaggingly advance the fortunes of the South. NAM and SAARC lack the dynamism and vision of leaders of the stature of Jawaharlal Nehru, for example, to give them the required guidance and intellectual depth.
The reasons are complex for there not being among us currently political leaders with the vision and the steadfast commitment to advance the legitimate interests of the South. However, it could be stated with conviction that the majority of Southern leaders have too easily caved in to the demands of the global North and its financial agencies.
These leaders have failed to see, for instance, that the largely market economy oriented Northern governments would not view with favour a centrist economic model that attaches priority to the interests of the dis-empowered publics of the South. This realization ought to have dawned on the current government in Sri Lanka, for instance, some while ago but it has no choice but to abide by IMF dictates since economic survival at present is unthinkable without the latter’s succour.
Accordingly for SAARC this should be the time for some soul-searching. Priority needs to be attached to ending the feuding between India and Pakistan since at present the material fortunes of the region hinge largely on these regional giants giving peaceful relations among them a try. This is no easy challenge to meet but some daring, visionary diplomacy needs to take hold among the rest of SAARC.
There is some sense in SAARC bringing the peoples of the region together through programs that address their best collective interests. A meeting of minds among SAARC nations could enable SAARC and its agencies to build a region-wide people’s movement for progressive political and economic change that could in turn lead to the region’s political leaders sensitizing themselves more to the neglected needs of their publics.
However, the time is ‘now’ for the initiation of these progressive changes and the voice of SAARC well wishers would need to drown out those of their critics.
A seminar, “Sri Lanka’s Economic Crossroads: Navigating Recovery, Resilience and Growth” was recently held by the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) at the OPA Auditorium, bringing together economists, OPA members, and professionals from diverse fields for an insightful discussion on Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and future growth prospects.
The event was held under the patronage of Jayantha Gallehewa, President of the OPA, and was jointly organised by the National Issues Committee (NIC) and the Seminars, Workshops and Programmes Committee of the OPA. The event reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing professional excellence, fostering insightful intellectual engagement, facilitating interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and creating a constructive platform for informed dialogue on issues of national importance.
The panel of speakers comprised Dr. Harsha Aturupane, Lead Economist and Programme Leader for Human Development at the World Bank for Sri Lanka and the Maldives; Dr. Achinthya Koswatta, Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Open University of Sri Lanka, and Anushan Kapilan, Lead Economist at Verité Research.
In his welcome address, the President of the OPA emphasised that Sri Lanka was at a critical juncture in its economic recovery journey where sustained reforms, effective implementation, and collective national commitment are essential to achieving long-term stability, resilience and inclusive growth. He noted that the country had experienced one of the most severe economic crises in its history with the economy contracting by 7.8 percent in 2022 and a further 11.5 percent in 2023, resulting in significant economic and social challenges.
Delivering his introductory remarks Bhanu Wijeyaratne, Vice President of the OPA and Chairman of the National Issues Committee, underscored the need to move beyond short-term economic stabilisation towards a comprehensive agenda of structural transformation. He observed that the economic crisis had revealed deep-rooted weaknesses within the economy, including persistent fiscal pressures, rising public debt, foreign exchange limitations, and insufficient diversification of the export base. He stressed that addressing these challenges through strategic reforms, institutional strengthening and long-term economic planning would be essential to establishing a more resilient and competitive economy.
While acknowledging recent positive developments, including improved inflation management, tourism recovery and signs of economic stabilisation, Wijeyaratne stressed the need to advance reforms aimed at strengthening fiscal discipline, enhancing productivity, improving competitiveness, developing human capital and reinforcing governance and institutional effectiveness.
He further highlighted the important role of professionals, businesses, academia and other stakeholders in contributing to evidence-based dialogue and supporting Sri Lanka’s journey towards a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economic future.
Delivering the keynote presentation, Dr. Harsha Aturupane provided a comprehensive assessment of Sri Lanka’s economic prospects within the broader context of global economic transformation. He argued that Sri Lanka functioned as a small open economy whose performance is significantly influenced by developments in the global marketplace. External factors could not be controlled, and the country must strengthen its domestic capacity and resilience to respond effectively to international economic shifts, he noted.
Tracing the evolution of global economic systems, Dr. Aturupane highlighted the transition from ideological divisions between state-controlled and market-oriented economies towards increasingly pragmatic approaches focused on growth, competitiveness and development. He noted that Sri Lanka’s own economic journey reflects a similar evolution, with contemporary policy debates now centred on practical solutions for sustainable economic progress.
The presentation also examined the transformative impact of globalisation. Dr. Aturupane observed that global economic integration had enabled several East Asian economies, including South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, to achieve remarkable economic advancement through export-led growth strategies. Sri Lanka similarly benefited from this process through the expansion of its apparel industry and increased integration into global value chains.
Turning to Sri Lanka’s recovery programme, Dr. Aturupane emphasised that the ongoing stabilisation process should be viewed as a national programme supported by the International Monetary Fund rather than solely as an IMF initiative. He observed that strong worker remittances, improved tourism earnings, enhanced government revenue mobilisation and prudent import management have contributed significantly to economic stabilisation.
Despite this progress, he cautioned that rebuilding foreign exchange reserves and meeting future debt obligations remain major challenges. He underscored the need to strengthen export performance, attract investment and generate sustainable foreign exchange earnings to ensure long-term economic resilience.
The discussion also focused on monetary stability, inflation management and exchange-rate policy. Dr. Aturupane stressed that maintaining price stability was fundamental to sustainable growth and household welfare, while sound monetary policy remains essential for preserving economic confidence.
Looking beyond stabilisation, he argued that Sri Lanka must transition towards a broader economic transformation agenda. Sustainable growth, he noted, will depend on expanding productive capacity through investment, technological advancement, innovation, skills development and structural reforms.
Among the key constraints identified was the high cost of energy, which continues to affect competitiveness and investment attractiveness. Dr. Aturupane emphasised the importance of improving efficiency and affordability within the energy sector to enhance Sri Lanka’s business environment.
He further highlighted the social dimensions of the crisis, noting the rise in poverty and economic vulnerability among households. Strengthening social protection systems and ensuring inclusive growth, he argued, must remain central components of the national development agenda.
Another critical challenge identified was Sri Lanka’s demographic transition. With an ageing population, outward migration and evolving labour market dynamics, the country is increasingly confronting labour shortages in several sectors. Dr. Aturupane suggested that greater automation, increased labour-force participation and strategic workforce planning would be necessary to address these emerging realities.
Concluding his presentation, he emphasised the need to improve governance, strengthen institutions, enhance competitiveness and create an enabling environment for private sector investment. Sri Lanka’s future success, he noted, will depend on its ability to move decisively beyond crisis management towards a development model founded on resilience, innovation, productivity and inclusive growth.
Dr. Achinthya Koswatta reiterated the importance of policy consistency and predictability in fostering investment and industrial development. She observed that frequent policy changes create uncertainty and discourage long-term investment decisions, whereas stable and coherent policy frameworks build confidence and support sustainable economic transformation.
Meanwhile, Anushan Kapilan highlighted the substantial progress achieved in restoring macroeconomic stability following the recent crisis. He noted significant improvements in fiscal performance, including increased government revenue, reduced reliance on debt financing and a historically low fiscal deficit.
He further observed that public debt levels are declining faster than anticipated, economic growth has exceeded expectations and inflation has been brought under control more rapidly than forecast. Nevertheless, he cautioned that the recovery remains uneven, particularly within the industrial sector and that many households have yet to experience a meaningful improvement in living standards.
The seminar was expertly coordinated by Eng. Chamil Edirimuni, Vice President of the OPA and Chairman of the Seminars, Workshops and Programmes Committee, while the technical moderation and interactive discussion session were facilitated by Bhanu Wijeyaratne, Vice President of the OPA and Chairman of the National Issues Committee.
The event was attended by Tisara De Silva, President-Elect of the OPA, Eng. Ravi Rupasinghe, General Secretary, Past Presidents, members of the Executive Council, representatives of the General Forum and professionals representing a wide range of disciplines.
The seminar concluded with a vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives, reaffirming the importance of evidence-based policy dialogue, institutional collaboration and collective national commitment in advancing Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, resilience and sustainable growth.
Yes, for UK-based presenter and artiste Samantha Kay, home is where the heart – and the roots – are. And her roots run deep in Sri Lanka.
In an exclusive interview with The Island, Samantha says “I’m proud to be Sri Lankan. My mum is from Kandy and my dad is from Colombo, so Sri Lanka has always held a very special place in my heart.
“Whenever I visit Sri Lanka, I love spending time on the beautiful south coast, especially Hikkaduwa and Mirissa. It’s somewhere I always feel connected to my roots and completely at peace.”
Now living in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England, where, she says, she is lucky to be close to some of the UK’s most beautiful beaches, including the iconic Sandbanks, Samantha has built a career that refuses to fit into one box.
She is a radio presenter, podcast host, singer-songwriter, personal trainer and life coach.
“I genuinely love the variety because every role allows me to connect with people and, hopefully, make a positive difference in someone’s day.”
Of course, music has taken her far.
One of her proudest achievements, she says, was releasing a song with 90s music icon Angie Brown, which reached No. 9 in the UK Club Charts.
She also reached the final stages of The X Factor and performed at Wembley Stadium in front of thousands.
Beyond music, Samantha competed in bikini bodybuilding across the UK, winning several titles. “It taught me discipline, resilience and self-belief,” she recalls.
Today, her focus is on radio, podcasting and coaching women. Her podcast encourages people to live life on their own terms rather than feeling pressured to follow society’s expectations.
Says Samantha: “Whether someone is single, changing careers, travelling solo or simply trying to find their purpose, I want them to know that it’s never too late to create a life that feels authentic. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit into the box, maybe you were never meant to.”
Samantha Kay also spent a year in Dubai, performing at five-star hotels, including FIVE, and coaching at the iconic outdoor gym on Palm Jumeirah.
“I taught strength and conditioning classes, and hosted wellness retreats, combining my passion for music, health and inspiring others.”
However, with family matters calling her back to the UK, she made the choice to return. “Family comes first,” she says.
Looking ahead, Samantha plans to grow her radio and podcast work, release more music, and expand her wellness retreats.
“My biggest passion is helping people, especially women, build confidence and believe in themselves,” she says.
“Wherever my career takes me, I hope to continue inspiring others to live with courage, kindness and authenticity, while never forgetting my Sri Lankan roots.”
Current El Niño Status in Sri Lanka
A few showers may occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.
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