(November 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) A self-effacing person, Kanapathy Nadarajah served in the 1980s and 1990s as Chairman of the Palmyrah Board, Sri Lanka, and on retirement migrated to Australia. On October 12, 2005 his children and grandchildren, remembering this was his birthday organised a party in his Sydney residence that evening. Overwhelmed by the love and affection showered by his loved ones never even for a moment did Nadarajah entertain the notion that the joy he experienced would be short lived. As he shuffled towards the birthday cake amidst laughter and cheer, the phone rang and a sad message was relayed to the party that Nadarajah’s younger brother, Rasathurai, had been shot at close range in Jaffna and succumbed to injuries. Dreadful news turned the party environment into sepulchral gloom, an otherwise calm Nadarajah slumped into the nearest chair.
Mr Kanapathy Rasathurai at the time of his death served as the principal of the Jaffna Central College, one of the leading educational institutions in the north. On the day in question he was to attend a celebration as chief guest that was to take place at the Veerasingham Hall around 4.00 pm.
To this lover of aesthetics, the occasion was more than religious - a cultural event to reflect the value of education and make offerings to Saraswathy, the goddess of learning. Being a paragon of punctuality, Rasathurai arrived in front of the hall a few minutes prior to the ceremony. As the chief guest started walking towards the venue, having parked his vehicle, three men moved towards him to carry out a fiat from Velupillai Prabhakaran, head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE). One of them pulled a revolver from his pocket and shot the chief guest at point blank range.
Rasathurai was born on the September 28, 1947 to Kanapathy, who led a very disciplined life, and his wife Mrs Sinnapillai Kanapathy, who instilled basic moral values into their children. Young Rasathurai was the fifth child in a family of six siblings, and always acknowledged the hardship his parents underwent to provide the best possible education to their children. After obtaining his early education at Manthuvil Roman Catholic School, he was sent to Chavakacheri Hindu College for his secondary studies.
Rasathurai was not born into an affluent family but he had hitched his wagon to a star and was determined to enter university. A punctilious approach to study and perseverance paved the way for him to realise his ambition. In the early 1970s he was selected to attend the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya.
At Peradeniya, he interacted with undergraduates coming from a myriad of cultural backgrounds, and forged life-long friendships with many. During his undergraduate days he displayed interest in disciplines like political science, literature and education. His debating and thespian skills were honed at the University Students Union and kindred societies. Many of Rasathurai’s university contemporaries looked back at his undergraduate days with a certain amount of nostalgia whenever they had reason to allude to his powerful intellect.
With the completion of his undergraduate studies leading to a Bachelor of Education degree, this assiduous student’s passion for learning didn’t come to an end. His commitment to his studies led to more academic qualifications, including a post graduate degree.
When it came to selecting a profession he opted to be a teacher. Rasathurai saw teaching as more than a mere job, but a vocation that provided an opportunity to instill great values into his students.
As a teacher and principal he served in several schools in various parts of Sri Lanka. However, his greatest challenge was when he was asked in 1996 to be principal of Jaffna Central College: A school founded in the early nineteenth century and given shape and direction under Rev. Peter Percival, an oriental scholar who arrived in the island in 1826. Jaffna Central College not only produced several leading professionals but also many who excelled in sports.
The suggestion that he should fill the vacancy for the position of principal at the Jaffna Central College in 1996 was seen as a challenge and a risk to him. It was only one year prior to the offer being made to Rasathurai that Jaffna Peninsula came under the control of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Most of the Central College buildings were either reduced to debris or in a dilapidated condition following constant shelling from the Jaffna fort where armed forces had billeted in the recent past. With sheer determination to restore the school to its past glory he assumed duties as principal on November 4, 1996. Though some of the locals questioned the wisdom of such decision, Rasathurai made it clear to them that he was prepared to stick his neck out for the sake of providing the younger generation with the best education.
He knew the people of the north and east always held the learned in high esteem. People from this area always spoke in glowing terms about Swami Vipulananda, Dr A.M.A Azeez and Prof. K. Kailasapathy, three great scholars of the past, all undoubtedly sons of this soil. Rasathurai was also aware that the ongoing ethnic conflict resulted in untold misery to the people, which in turn made many children abandon their studies and turn to anti-social activities. Following his new appointment, whenever time permitted he visited the houses of these children and persuaded them to resume their studies. Wherever possible he admitted them to his school or found an alternative place in a nearby school. Without sacrificing the lofty traditions associated with the position he held Rasathurai won the hearts of the Jaffna Central College students as well as the staff. Methods adopted by him to deal with fractious children or teachers skulking about in the corridors, with cigarette butts between fingers, were not harsh but judicious.
During his tenure of office as principal of the Jaffna Central College, he visited several developed countries to acquaint himself with modern teaching methods and strategies adopted to make the school environment congenial and equitable. These visits also allowed links to be forged with the past students scattered in various parts of the globe and enlist their assistance for projects connected to the development of the school.
On returning to Jaffna, after these visits, Rasathurai also appeared ahead of the local technocrats in comprehending scientific advancement in the west. This came to light when he suggested to the engineering community the need to address the issue of ergonomics prior to designing computer facilities.
In order to disseminate knowledge about information technology in the neglected Jaffna District, he encouraged both private and public sector employees to make use of the facilities provided by the school.
Using the funding from the government and past pupils he got restored the war ravaged school buildings to pristine condition. Not focussing solely on studies, he also promoted sports among his students. At the school assembly whenever he had to refer to sports, very often he reminded the students about N. Ethirveerasingham, an old student who won a gold medal for his country at the Asian Games held during the late 1950s.
Rasathurai held several honorary positions while serving as principal of Jaffna Central College.
It was a love for his people and country that dissuaded Rasathurai to go in search of greener pastures.
Therefore, it is understandable why there was so much grief at his funeral. Within minutes of this gruesome killing news spread like wild fire that the killers carried out the order of the LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, a person known for brutality and inveterate hatred for learning. The news also recalled in the minds of the Tamil people living in Sri Lanka about the killing of Charles Anandarajan, another principal of a leading Jaffna school twenty years ago, by the LTTE.
The shooting of Rasathurai, a teacher who always remained apolitical, was viewed by Tamil people as an attack on the values that society held as noble. However, Prabhakaran and his cohorts failed to pay heed to the sentiments of the people and as usual, hid behind an air of insouciance. Nevertheless the resentment and anger manifested by the young and old, men and women, rich and poor at the funeral of Rasathurai sent a message to the killers that they cannot obliterate the achievements of this great educationist.
 A self-effacing person, Kanapathy Nadarajah served in the 1980s a...){kind=link}
Post a Comment