Karuna de Silva of Laklooms

The 90th birth anniversary of Mrs. Karuna de Silva, the widow of Mr. M.S. (Samarasiri) de Silva, who founded the Ceylon Trade Exchange group of companies, falls on Jan. 18 and her daughter, Nilupul, aware of my friendship with her parents requested me to write something about her mother who passed away recently. At the time of her death, Karuna was a few weeks short of her 90th birthday. I am very glad to write this tribute having enjoyed the friendship of both MS and Karuna over a very long period of time.

As I have written in this newspaper on previous occasions, MS is one of a few journalists of my generation who, spurning the security of paid employment, struck out as a successful entrepreneur in the middle of the last century. Having cut his teeth in the old Times of Ceylon and later Radio Ceylon, he accepted an appointment as a press officer in the Government Information Department giving up that job to set himself up in business.

It is well known in newspaper circles that MS did very well at the Trade Exchange (Ceylon) Ltd. he founded but less well known that Laklooms, one of the country’s early hand loom and batik industry which was a part of his business group and success was very much Karuna’s brainchild. She not only conceptualized what became a successful enterprise but ran and managed it mostly on her own. This despite other demands on her time as wife and mother.

Karuna had her reservations when MS, with the entrepreneurial genes reputed to be in the blood of those born south of the Bentara river, decided to give up his government job to strike out on his own. But her husband, a committed leftist all his life, who as a schoolboy had interpreted a speech made by Pieter Keuneman, the veteran Communistm at a political meeting in MS’ home district from English to Sinhala, had the assurance of Minister T.B. Ilangaratne that he could have his job back if things did not work out.

Things did work out and MS, among the first Ceylonese to do business with China, was a great success. He pioneered the import of Chinese made bicycles to this country, competing very effectively price wise with British brands like Raleigh that led the market at the time. He once exported a shipment of coconut seedlings to Cuba.

Karuna not only added to MS’s empire with Laklooms but carved out a place for herself as a successful woman entrepreneur at a time they were less common than today. She was a founder member the Women’s Chamber or Commerce and Industry (WCCI) and a letter written to the bereaved family after Karuna’s death called her “a remarkable founder and guiding light” to the Chamber.

“Her passion, dedication and tireless efforts in shaping and nurturing tis organization has left an indelible mark on us all,” the letter said. “Her unwavering commitment to empower women in the realms of industry and commerce has touched countless lives and will continue to inspire generations to come.”

MS de Silva died prematurely at age 70-years and his family believes that stress arising from his battles with a bank, which he eventually won, when hard times hit him may have led to this. Karuna who shared his success during the good times stood solidly by his side when the situation reversed. She did a lot to keep his memory alive after his death.A vice-president of the Dharmavijaya Foundation, she was also an active member of the All Ceylon Women’s Buddhist Congress.

Manik de Silva