Prof. EOE Pereira’s legacy to the nation
Prof. EOE Pereira
Source:Island
(Excerpted from a speech made last week by his son, Lorenz Pereira, MA, Cambridge, at the Engineering Faculty of the University of Peradeniya)
My father would want me to humbly express his gratitude, appreciation and sincere thanks for this magnanimous gesture by the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Dr Udaya Dissanayake, professors, staff and students for inviting me and my wife here today to speak a few words about him. It’s a privilege and honor that I will forever cherish.
I remember very well walking these grounds with my father and other pioneers many times during the early construction days of the campus. They worked hard despite obstacles to establish this Faculty of Engineering at Peradeniya. Today standing here among you, I feel extremely emotional and sentimental. Please forgive me if I ramble incoherently.
My father would be delighted that I have been able to sneak in through the back door and, at long last, rub shoulders and be part of this elite engineering fraternity in this country, even for a brief moment.
To the young engineers here, I say you will be playing a key role in shaping our world for the next 50 years and beyond. Engineers are the architects of progress, the innovators who push the boundaries of what is possible, and the visionaries who transform ideas into reality. As we stand at the cusp of a new era of technological advancements and societal changes, engineers are at the cutting edge, leading the way in shaping the future of our world.
In the coming decades, engineers will be instrumental in addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity, from climate change and sustainable energy solutions to advancement in healthcare and transportation. With their expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills, engineers are at the forefront of developing innovative solutions that will shape the way we live, work, and interact with each other.
As we look to the future, it is clear that engineers have a critical role to play in building a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for all. By harnessing the power of technology, embracing creativity and collaboration, and upholding the highest standards of ethics and integrity, engineers have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on society and leave a legacy that will endure for generations to come.
So, to all the engineers out there, I urge you to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, to push the boundaries of what is possible, and to lead with passion, purpose, and integrity. The future is in your hands, and it is up to you to shape a world that is brighter, more innovative, and more sustainable for all.
Turning to my father, for the benefit of those who never met him, it is easy to talk about him for he was a very simple man, uncomplicated in the way he lived his life. I feel the best way to portray some of his qualities is by relating a relevant anecdote from his Cambridge days.
My father had one great disappointment in his life. It was the pain and emotional trauma that followed when he left this Faculty of Engineering and his beloved students to become Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya. He refused to accept the post on many occasions until one Sunday morning there was a knock on the front door of his bungalow at Peradeniya that changed his life thereafter.
Before I tell you why, let me relate a yarn about his time at Cambridge involving his friend Dudley Senanayake, later to become Prime Minister of Ceylon. Dudley and he were was stopped by the police whilst cycling, without lights at night. As Dudley was to later relate, the policeman had Dudley’s front wheel between his knees and his hands firmly on the handle bar. EOE made a break for it.
“What is your friend’s name?,” the cop asked. “I can’t tell you that,” Dudley answered without blinking an eye. “But my name is EOE Pereira, from Downing College”. The next day, two policemen appeared at my dad’s door and issued him a fine.
That, of course was an undergrad prank with absolutely no malice and a formidable foundation for an intimate life-long friendship between my father and Dudley Senanayake was laid at Cambridge.
Back to the knock on the front door. It was the Prime Minister of Ceylon, the Hon. Dudley Senanayake, who had come unannounced to persuade his old friend to accept the post of Vice Chancellor of the Peradeniya University “for the sake of the country.” My father finally accepted under much pressure, making a decision that he regretted and haunted him for the rest of his life.
The all-consuming passion of his life was, of course, teaching, not administration. He relished the dynamics of teaching and that magical chemistry of interaction between his students and himself. He was not a one-eyed single focused teacher, but an educator in the broad sense. He did not attempt to impose his ideas on others, but valued and without prejudice assessed another’s point of view. He never humiliated anyone due to their ignorance on any issue. For him teaching was a two-way process – to impart knowledge and to acquire knowledge.
I would not be standing here today, if the consideration of financial wealth was of any importance to my father. During the early stages of the emerging new Faculty of Engineering being built, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore visited Ceylon to study the highly successful socio-economic model in operation, and visited the new University of Ceylon in Peradeniya. He also visited the Faculty of Engineering then being built and was so impressed that he took my father aside and offered him an exceptional lucrative financial package to come over to Singapore and do the same.
In a most polite and humble manner Dad declined the generous offer of a “pot of gold” stating that he still has unfinished business at Peradeniya. He always believed that his “wealth” was not in the accumulation of financial assets, but in the investment in his students.
There was this other instance, where a blind student girl in one of the Halls of Residence became unfortunately pregnant by her boyfriend, also a student and also blind. The hall warden insisted on removing her from the hall and sending her in disgrace back to her village.
On hearing of the plight of this young rural student, my parents immediately drove to the hall, met the warden and ascertained the facts of the case. As a result, this unfortunate girl was invited to live with them at the Vice-Chancellor’s Lodge until an appropriate time to leave arrived. to leave. This humanitarian act by my parents possibly saved the lives of the young couple and set them on a proper course in life including a happy marriage.
The last few years of my father’s life was unpleasant in many ways, particularly having to cope with much continuous physical pain. He underwent a hip operation that was a total failure, resulting in a wound that never healed and confined him to a wheel-chair. Financially his only source of income was his meagre pension which barely sustained his family’s basic needs.
On hearing of my Father’s plight, President J R Jayawardene sent a Personal Assistant to visit my father. He was seated in his wheel-chair in the front verandah with his beloved pipe in his mouth. The official handed my father an envelope. He opened it, looked at what was inside and not showing any emotion closed the envelope and returned it to the official.
The President had sent dad a most generous cheque for one million rupees which was a substantial amount at that time. He said: “Please convey my sincere thanks to the president for his generosity that I highly value and appreciate. But, I am afraid that I am unable to accept money I have not earned.” When my mother later found out, she was furious.
The two great loves of my father’s life were his family and the Faculty of Engineering, and not necessarily in that order. As a father, he provided us with a home full of caring, love and encouragement at all times despite his three sons, letting him down badly in one not becoming an engineer. I, in particular, focused on sport a the expense of my studies. Many years after my father’s passing, I met Prof. Mahalingam when I visited the faculty. He came up to me and said, “you know Lorenz you thought that you were fooling your father pretending to study. Every time he passed you at your desk, the page was the same and often the book was upside down”. But Dad, never pulled me up, embarrassed or humiliated me. That was the essence of his character.
His bad habit was his pipe which was literally glued to his mouth and became an unmistakable additional feature sculpted on his face. All the titles he received, including the Vidya Jyothi, the road opposite the Engineering Faculty at Peradeniya being named after him, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s glowing reference to him in his autobiography etc. would have rested lightly on his shoulders.
Finally, and most importantly, what was his single most outstanding legacy? Some might say it was his contribution to establishing the Faculty of Engineering; also it may be said it was his overall contribution to education in Sri Lanka; others might say it was his human attributes of love, caring and kindness, or his total disinterest in seeking personal recognition and wealth.
To me it is none of the above. I have thought about it a lot, mainly in search of a lasting light to guide my own future. I did finally find that light. His entire life, at every level and on every possible occasion, was dedicated solely to ADDING VALUE TO THE LIVES OF OTHERS.
I leave you with that blessing from my father.
