The words he spoke as YMCA speaker still reverberate

C. S. Dharmarajah, a veteran journalist at the Times of Ceylon and Observer, passed away recently.

An active member of the YMCA, he became the Speaker of the YMCA Forum in 1952, three years before I became the Speaker.

He presided at many public lectures and debates at the YMCA Forum during his tenure as Speaker. Among them, a lecture on “Western Democracy in East and Ceylon” was delivered by C. Suntharalingam, a vigorous and enthusiastic MP of his time.

Another public debate he presided -- “That women should be debarred from politics” -- was led by N.K Choksy QC along with advocates Corbet Jayawardene and Izzadeen Mohamed for the proposition. The opposition was led by Vivienne Goonawardene and included two other women members. A packed audience which was estimated to be more than 1,300 witnessed the battle with much interest.

Presiding at the commemoration meeting at the YMCA on the death of Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake, Dharmarajah said:

“We are assembled here today to pay homage to the memory of the greatest Ceylonese that mother Lanka has produced. The Right Hon. D.S. Senanayake is no more with us. Orphaned as we are, we can no longer look to him for wise guidance and statesmanlike leadership. It was his lovable and magnetic personality that shaped for posterity the destiny of Sri Lanka, as no man has ever done before. In him we found a true friend of all communities and of all faiths.”

Once the finals of the oratorical contest were judged by Opposition Leader S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, Solicitor General T.S. Fernando QC and Advocate C.V. Ranawake. Speaker Dharmarajah welcoming Mr. Bandaranaike said he who was born into life in the lap of luxury and opulence had discarded ease and indolence to serve the common man.

“The scion of a family that belonged to what is popularly termed as the upper socialstratum; he has grown up as an advocate and champion of the poor and oppressed. Tutored in the environment of our then imperialist masters, he shines as the foremost nationalist of our country. An aristocrat by birth, he has turned out to be a socialist by conviction.”

His tenure as Speaker of the Forum ended with the 87th session dinner where J.R. Jayewardene, Minister of Finance, was the chief guest with N.E. Weerasooria QC and E.B. Wikramanayake QC as guests of honour.

Dharmarajah possessed a positive and creative outlook on life and generated enthusiasm into anything he undertook.