Premachandra Dissanayake – a principal who moulded a generation

This appreciation commemorates Mr. Premachandra Dissanayake’s 90th birth anniversary on June 5, 1934. He was born in Kuliyapitiya and peacefully passed away at the age of 86 four years ago.He received his bilingual education at Central College, Kuliyapitiya (CCK), excelling both in academic and non- academic activities and became the school’s head prefect in 1954. Entering the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, he received his BA degree in 1959 and MA later. He Joined his almamater for his first teaching appointment and produced many excellent scholars.

His services as a School Inspector at Galgamuwa and headmaster at Nagollagoda and Baragedara schools are fondly remembered even today. Following a short spell at the Kuliyapitiya Education office and the Technical College, he became principal of CCK. at the request of parents and late Minister Lionel Jayatillake transforming the school into what it is today.

Appachchi served CCK for 16 years as the principal helping the school one of the best in the Island. His clear vision and mission and hard work with a dedicated team of handpicked teachers worked wonders marking positive changes in students and the people of the area. Essentially, he moulded a generation with an excellent education, strict discipline, and humane qualities. He was duly rewarded both locally and nationally and the Presidential Award he received as the best past pupil of CCK was close to his heart.

I remember how he politely turned down the invitation to become Director of Education for the Kurunegala District since he was passionate about serving CCK and the area he was born in. He sported an elegant Sinhala national dress and cycled to school leaving his MG car at home. He lived a simple life, observed the five precepts and was a teetotaler and vegetarian.

A lover of Sinhala, English, history, and traditions, he set an example even picking trash in public places, leading by example, and envisioned four precepts for the school – cleanliness, orderliness, humility and dedication. He pioneered offering flowers with betel leaves instead of the usual leaf tobacco because of the harmful addictive effects of tobacco, a practice which was widely emulated at the time.

Being a student at CCK under him, I saw the dignified, calm, confident and efficient way he ran the school. He had good reading and writing skills and was well read in Sinhala, English, Pali, and Sanskrit. Reading was his passion and his personal library at our Kuliyapitiya Mahagedara bear testimony to that. He published several books on various topics.

A farmer at heart, he was involved in growing paddy and coconuts and I cherish the serenity of his paddy fields. Thanks to his guidance, my elder brother graduated from the Peradeniya medical faculty and my two sisters and I followed suit from the Colombo Medical Faculty. Appachchi never bragged about his four children becoming doctors and would have been content seeing us as decent, disciplined and service oriented human beings.

Appachchi had an excellent family life. Amma’s understanding of his worth and his appreciations of her hard work providing us a comfortable home was beyond belief. We never saw them being intolerant of each other by word, deed or thought. They had 56 long years of exemplary marriage.

Apart from Buddhist philosophy he was nourished by two great philosophers, Dr. J. Krishnamurti and Dr. E.W. Adikaram.

His death created an immeasurable void in our lives and on society at large. Dear Appachchi, your caring touch and invaluable advice is missed every day. You have left many fragrant memories with amma, aiya, akka, nangi and me. May you attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.

Dr Dheerachandra Dissanayake