Shanti: She lived the spirit of her name fully

By Dr Daniel Thiagarajah
Bishop in Jaffna of the JDCSI

(October 29, Jaffna, Sri Lanka Guardian) Two generations of the Jaffna College alumni have fond recollections and warm reminiscences of Shantakumari Vignarajah; one as the schoolmate at Jaffna College and the other as the campus guru of those who entered the University of Jaffna and more particularly her students in English. Being what she has been to those with whom she interacted as friend, schoolmate and lecturer, these memories will not only be cherished and held precious but also valued as guidelines in their own lives because Shanti, as she was affectionately called, was the very embodiment of spontaneous role model leadership that was quite natural to her. There is also an intermediate generation of undergraduates on whom she made very rich impacts. They were her peers at the University of Kelaniya where she obtained her Baccalaureate in Arts specializing in English. Many a Kelaniya University staff and undergraduate saw in Shanti Rajadurai a highly spirited and warm Jaffna Girl who interacted with the greatest of ease amidst the university community.

The views and goals she held dear to her were such, she was able to dovetail them into a positive consensus focused on the larger good of the community. This is also what she practiced at the Jaffna University and it was in that spirit she developed from her Kindergarten years to University Entrance at Jaffna College.

At Jaffna College as a student she could be defined as “always a leader” and equally, a perpetual follower. This perpetuity denotes a strong, determined bundle of values, moral, ethical and spiritual that was held sacrosanct by her. She was always a leader because she could discern the right from the wrong, good from the bad and the real from the false and this enabled her to take strong decisions all along in her life even during her adolescent years.

The values she held and followed were akin to luminescent markers of her faith and no path would be beyond such people to traverse in pursuit of their ideals. Such people inspire others to attempt great things either in their service to humanity or to seek to lead others towards the faith they hold precious or both as they reach out with their dedicated commitment to the good of the community. A granddaughter of one of our workers, Mr Vinayagam a humble much-loved gentleman who took up mission work late in his life, a daughter of Mr and Mrs Rajadurai good citizens of the Vaddukoddai community, Shanti met her partner in life Vignarajah while at school. Together their lives developed along the ideal track supportive of whatever each undertook and conscious of being an example of the highest precepts and guidance a community expects from two young people who
have committed themselves to each other of their own volition somewhat early in life in respect of traditions and customs of our people.

During these times when more and more young people seek their own partners and also the influence that impacts us from our own Diaspora mostly in the West, we have to be grateful for Shanti and Vigna for having been excellent role models in this respect.

Marriage is a sacred commitment and Shanti and Vigna have shown to our community how they have raised their family and the values instilled in their children, what they have contributed to this great institution the way they have conducted their lives, the principles they held high and the contribution each has made to the community especially in the fields of education and law.

I have not had the privilege of knowing Shanti as a student but as a lecturer at the Jaffna University, I was quite familiar with the work she was doing there. I have also heard a great deal about her especially as a brilliant student at Jaffna College and one who excelled in the classroom and the sports field and several extra curricular activities in which she had participated.

Both Vignarajah and Shanti could have set their sails towards many a green port anywhere in the world and made their mark in law and education. Despite such an opportunity being within their grasp, they opted to stay back and serve their own people; English is crucial to our needs as much as law in respect of our rights. In both they have been faithful servants.

In the ordinary course of life expectancy, Shanti departing from us is somewhat premature. We do not like to part from those who are special to us and one can be conscious of the immense pain that causes us when someone dear to us take the final bow. But as the pain begins to disappear and as we realize the inevitability of mortal life, we begin to glow with joy and gratitude about people like Shanti who have been a blessing to all of us.

I share these heartfelt sentiments with Vigna, their children and all those dear and near to them with a sense of joy and gratitude for having known this family and having been richly impacted by every member of it. Shanti lived the spirit of her name fully.

-Sri Lanka Guardian