Valuable lesson from a giant among archaeologists
The new decade dawned with the saddest news for me and for the entire heritage sector of Sri Lanka that Dr. Roland Silva had passed away in the early hours of January 1. Deshamanya VidyaJyothi Dr. Roland Silva was one of the foremost Asian experts in the conservation of historical monuments and sites and one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent archaeologists.
My interest in archaeology and history led me to attend various public lectures soon after I finished my A’Ls in 2013 and that’s where I first came to know Dr. Roland Silva at the National Trust. I would go and speak to various people at these lectures and Dr. Roland was one, whom I knew by this time was a significant person. I still remember the surprise when I spoke to him and mentioned my school. His response was ‘Ah I was the Head Prefect there in 1951!’ Having been a prefect myself, my excitement knew no bounds-so there was a Josephian archaeologist, and one of our Head Prefects at that!
Born in 1933 to a prominent entrepreneurial family in Giriulla, Dr. Roland began school at St. Joseph’s College Colombo 10, in 1939 and was the youngest boarder at that time. He was an all-rounder, excelling in studies and sports; he received a double promotion in the second and third standard to the fifth standard. He captained the College Athletics and Volleyball teams and was awarded the Head Prefectship by the Rector Rev. Fr. Peter Pillai.
My admiration only grew as over the years I came to know of his immense contribution to Sri Lanka. Apart from reaching the highest position in the field, the DirectorGeneral of the Department of Archaeology, his commitment and vision led to the founding of the Central Cultural Fund, the UNESCO-Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle project, the naming of our first UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the conservation of several Stupas to name a few. His work was not concentrated on Sri Lanka alone; he was regarded as one of the leading Conservators internationally having been the first non-European to hold the office of President of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in 1990, which is one of the three advisory bodies to UNESCO World Heritage Convention. He held this post for an unprecedented three consecutive terms till 1999 working tirelessly to set up national committees in African, Asian and Latin American countries to realize his vision of making ICOMOS truly a world body.
He was very pleased when I phoned him and told him of my selection for graduate studies in the Netherlands, where he too had obtained his PhD. When I visited him in his home in August 2019 before I left, although he was very weak, he gave me valuable advice: to always focus on my goals and work with them in sight, that there may be battles lost and won, but continue.
This last phrase is also the title of his commemorative volume, and I had always thought it was just a fancy title, but it was when he said it that I realized it was in fact his philosophy. Following the path of archaeology, I do not know if I can make it, but I will try. Like you said to me Dr Roland, ‘battles may be lost and won, but continue!’