ISSN: 1391 - 0531
Sunday March 16, 2008
Vol. 42 - No 42
Plus  

The Guru who was ready to share his knowledge

Nissanka Wijesundera

I knew Nissanka Wijesundera since 1959 when my father was in charge of the Peradeniya Police, where he lived in the vicinity, in a large manor house at Meewathura, situated in a hilly environment with a picturesque serenity opposite the Peradeniya Campus by the side of the old Gampola road. The many hues of the colourful blossoms that bloomed in the garden of the house are still vivid in my mind.

The very first day when I met him in flesh and blood, at the police station located then at Penideniya, I still remember with some nostalgia, the smart young man then, a cub-prosecutor, Nissanka, who spoke to my father in perfect English.

I came to know Nissanka well during the time I functioned as the OIC of the Peradeniya police station. Nissanka was offered a diplomatic post in Australia, and he did his best to make a placement for me too in the same office abroad. I learned a good deal about his life story, at that time. Since then our friendship lasted a period of 20 years and continued till his demise. I can still remember how he assisted me although he was appearing for the defence, when I was confronted with an intricate legal problem, while conducting a case of' obstruction to the police, at the Magistrate's Court in Kandy. As a lawyer he helped the police in critical situations but never shirked his duties and responsibilities.

He led by example and we called him the Guru for his capacity to explain the intricacies of the law in the simplest manner.

By Sarath Dhanapala, Ex-A.S.P.

 
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