Pandikoralalage Sunil Chandra de Silva (An appreciation of a friend in two storylines) – by Rudra de Zoysa
Hardly anyone called him Sunil or Chandra or Pandikoralalage at Royal. From the Principal to the peon, we just called him PSC. I was his classmate in Form 5 (well over 65 years ago) and my first story about PSC is dated 1955.
I clearly recall every moment because I was sitting next to PSC. We were in the same Latin class and our regular teacher Mr. E.F.C. Pereira (EFC) was absent. Mr. Thevadasan (Theva) was acting for EFC. To test our knowledge and pass away the time Theva asked us to state the gender of some Latin names and objects. Now, for the question and why it was directed at PSC I will never know – probably Theva had some previous issues with PSC. The format is as follows: – Theva names an object in Latin and we had to repeat the name of the object, state the plural of the object in Latin and most importantly state the gender of the object and finally the meaning. The question for PSC went something like this – “Silva (a formal address in class only) what is mensa?” PSC stood up and all what PSC had to say to answer the question was “mensa; mensae; neuter; table”. PSC got the first two terms right but stalled at the word “neuter”. I went down below my desk ostensibly to tie-up my shoe laces and prompted the word “neuter” to PSC. Oh no! PSC’s answer was “Sir, we have to lift the table cloth and see”. The whole class erupted in laughter but Theva was fuming at his ears. Theva advanced menacingly and punched PSC on the shoulder. There is a spot in the shoulder area that delivers excruciating pain and Theva found this spot. Theva then asked me to provide the answer and I did. Other masters would have grinned and got on with the job but Theva lost out and was confirmed as a bully – “Anger is a short madness” (Horace). PSC was the hero.
The following day during the very first period the Principal’s peon came in to the class room and announced that the Principal, Mr. Dudley K G de Silva, wanted to see PSC immediately. No one could guess that PSC had gone home the previous afternoon after getting hit by Theva, cut off a mass of hair, placed it in his box of instruments (we all had those metal boxes) with his name clearly written on a piece of paper and left the box in the Principal’s office well before classes started for the day. Very soon I was asked to go down to the Principal’s office to verify PSC’s story. I thought to myself that PSC was enormously hilarious and very brave. Nothing more happened to PSC but rumour has it that Theva was spoken to by the Principal. I think this is where PSC’s interest in human rights all started.
Fast forward to 1972 or 1973 – a full 17 or 18 years after the first story. I was working for the World Bank in Africa and was on my way to Tokyo on some business. I thought I will stop over in Sri Lanka for a few days. I was told by the Immigration Officer at the Colombo airport that I will have to get my clearance to leave Sri Lanka again only after permission to do so was given by the “Competent Authority”. I learned later that this process was mainly to prevent JVP activists fleeing the country. Permission to leave the country was only after the “Competent Authority” signed and stamped my passport! On inquiry I was told by the Immigration Officer that the “Competent Authority” was one Mr. P.S. C de Silva of the Attorney General’s Department. I could only smile.
A few days later I made contact with PSC and indicated that I would like to go to his office and have my passport endorsed by him. He knew I was staying at my mother’s house in Kynsey Terrace. That same evening PSC came to my mother’s house and stamped my passport. Now, what do you think of that service?
I will miss your humour and gallantry.
Dear PSC, I hope you attain Nirvana very soon.
Rudra de Zoysa.
Gold Coast.
