“You have run your course well, my friend.”

A Tribute to Rajan Kadirgamar

| by the Rt Rev Dr Daniel Thiagarajah

(September 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I have just received the sad news of the passing away of my good friend Rajan Karirgamar last night in Canada. Although my physical condition from my hospital bed in Colombo is quite constraining, I owe this tribute to my good friend and share my heartfelt feelings with Mahila, their children and Rajan’s siblings, their families and friends.

Rajan Kadirgamar was an institution by himself, the longest served principal of Jaffna College and one who took deep interests in every aspect of Christian life of Jaffna College and the JDCSI.

He came to Jaffna as a student soon after the cessation of hostilities of the Second World War from Malaysia and quickly adjusted to settled life at Jaffna College along with his Malaysian peers such as Mr R Kanagaratnam and the late T Anandaratnam. They all became a great asset to the college community many of them excelling in sports especially Hockey and Soccer. Rajan was good at tennis.

Rajan had strong views and it was always a delight to listen to him with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the college and church and above all his ability to reminisce bringing back events and experiences that cherish and delight a conversation. He was also a god lay preacher.

But it was as a young Christian leader Rajan shone with his total commitment to the Student Christian Movement, the YMCA and the College choir. He developed a remarkable relationship with students and their parents and also kept refreshing the alumni relationships. Bishop Kulandran called him the Man of Letters because he kept in touch with the alumni and also the friends of Jaffna College and the church.

After retirement Rajan served as principal of the seminary at Maruthanamadam for sometime before electing to migrate to Canada.

Rajan had strong views and it was always a delight to listen to him with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the college and church and above all his ability to reminisce bringing back events and experiences that cherish and delight a conversation. He was also a god lay preacher.

It is my humble feeling that Rajan Kadirgamar should have stayed back in Sri Lanka and served his community for a man of such calibre and commitment is rare.

Because of my physical condition this tribute has to be brief at this point of time. Let me conclude expressing our gratitude to the service Rajan rendered to the community. My deeply felt greetings and blessings to all his dear ones. Rajan has run his course well.