Gifted with a beaming visage, Lalith Athulathmudali P.C. was a colossus, a visionary, intellectual and a legal luminary. Quick wilted, and composed he left an indelible foot-print on the post-independence political history of Sri Lanka.
Born in Colombo on November 26, 1936 to a distinguished family, his father D.D.N. Athulathmudali, an advocate and a member of the then State Council and Srimanee Girlie Samarasekera Athulathmudali, he had his primary education at Ladies College Colombo 7 and St.John’s College, Panadura and later entered Colombo Royal College where he distinguished himself in studies and sports alike.
He joined the prestigious Oxford University, London to pursue his higher studies and obtained Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and Master of Arts (Honours) and Bachelor of Civil Law degrees with flying colours. He was also Barister at law of the Grays Inn.
The Peradeniya and the Sri Jayewardenepura Universities conferred on him Doctor of Laws. He also held the enviable positions such as Treasurer, Secretary, Librarian and President of the Oxford Union and was the founder of Oxford Buddhist Association. Athulathmudali was the second Asian to hold such eminent positions. He holds Master of laws from Harward University and was also a lecturer of law at Edinburgh, Hebrew, Alahabadh and Singapore Universities.
Having returned to the country, Athulathmudali commanded a lucrative practice at Hulftsdorp and at the provincial courts.
He plunged headlong into politics in 1977 and was elected member of parliament for Ratmalana in the JRJ Regime and later held different ministerial portfolios such as Trade and Shipping Internal Security, Agriculture and Cooperatives and Education and Higher Education.
The Mahapola Scholarship program which was a boon to university students of low-income families and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority which he set up remain an eternal tribute to the organisational genius of this great man.
Had he lived, he would have turned 80 this year. It would not, however, be an easy task to fill the void left by him.
The irony of life is such that he fell victim to a bullet of an assassin on April 23, 1993 at a political rally at Kirullapone.
Translated by Michael Kittanpahuwa.