1. What do you particularly remember about your experience at Ananda College?

I joined Ananda College in the midst of my ordinary level examination and studied there for 4
years of my life. Before entering Ananda College, I studied at a school in my home town,
Dharmashoka College Ambalangoda which was also a Sinhala Buddhist school. My parents
are teachers and I received my primary education from schools situated in villages. The training
that one receives upon his entrance to society, the citizen education, I got from Ananda College,
be it from interactions with my colleagues’, my Principal Col. G. W. Rajapaksha, my first
class-teacher Mr. Bertie Fernando, who was also the master in charge of the College cadet
platoon who sadly is now not among us now, my well respected, well received and socially
very popular Buddhism teacher Ven. Kotagama Vachi were individuals who were prominent
figures in Sri Lankan society, and their influence made us capable and well equipped
individuals prepared to enter society. Furthermore, as a student who came from a village
background, I got to meet members from social standards I was not acquainted with. Ananda
College consisted of children from various societal classes, it was not entirely individuals who
have spent all of their lives in Colombo. For example, a lot of my peers had come to college
from Dharmaraja College Kandy, Rahula College Galle and also Dharmashoka College
Ambalangoda. Not only Sinhalese children either, I know not if you were aware, but I
remember during my time at College that the President of the Buddhist Society was a Muslim
boy who later joined the forces. Not only in those aspects but also as a Sportsmen for College.
As a member of the College cadet platoon, I entered my first camp as a senior cadet in the year
1966 and we won the Herman Loose Trophy. I was appointed sergeant in the year 1969 and
we became island 2nd. I also represented the college swimming team. I received my swimming
skills from my village and when I swam for College, we did not have a swimming pool and
only swam at scheduled practices held twice a week at the St. Josephs College Swimming pool.
We competed against students from schools like Royal College who swam twice a day for
training and despite our lack of certain resources we went up against them in intense
competition quite well. I was further exposed to society as a Prefect for College and am well
known as most probably the only student who was ever given the badge of a Prefect having
only been at College for 2 years. Today certain figures in politics having spent their entire lives
at Ananda College have never set foot in the room separated for College Prefects. I was very
fortunate and my talents took me a great deal forward within College which tells us that Ananda
College had an atmosphere that allowed talented people to come forward despite however long
a time you had been at College, therefore it was a pool of opportunities. Ananda College led
me to my career and helped me reach the greatest rank no citizen of this nation have ever
received. It paved my way to the leadership I rendered in solving the greatest humanitarian
issue this nation has ever face. Ananda College is the institution that provided me the influence
and strength to do everything in my life.
2. Would you have termed yourself a studious child?
I was not an exceptional academic at College, mainly because while I was at Dharmashoka
College Ambalangoda I was a member of the Junior Cadet platoon and pledged to myself that
I would not leave to Ananda until camp was over. While at Dharamashoka, in my younger days
I was quite the stellar pupil but with my diversion to Sport I lost great touch with academia. In
my first term test of my ordinary level year at Dharamashoka my class average was 2.5 which
to my knowledge must be a record at that school. But at Ananda College, under the teaching
of Bertie Fernando who taught us Geometry and Algebra I was able to score the highest in the
section without the assistance of private tuition. I halted my sport to face the ordinary level
exam well and passed alongside individuals like Rajitha Senarathna who to my knowledge also
received my results. I had five bench mates that year 3 of whom became doctors and 2 of whom
became dental surgeons, I was quite the athlete and led my life towards that direction. During
my advanced level examination period I completely disregarded my studies because I was to
face the final interview to qualify into the army and therefore spent those years preparing to
pass because the interview only selected 12 people at the time, today they select close to 300
students. People may believe that life in the forces are all about playing sports and carrying a
gun in uniform, but the process has a lot of studying in place and can be equated to the effort
put into receiving a degree from college. My I had two brothers, my elder brother is an engineer
and that led my parents to want me to become a doctor. While that never became a reality, I
had the best ordinary level examination results in the family.
3. What clubs and societies had the most outstanding effect on you at Ananda College?
I was never too involved in the activities of Clubs and Societies. I contributed towards the work
of the Buddhist association out of the spirit of my country and race but I was not an active
member. I was a member of the Science Union and helped out with the exhibition they organize
annually. However, as a Prefect I contributed toward everything at school.
4. What was your experience as a cadet at Ananda College? If you were to pinpoint one
factor that sets the cadet corps of Ananda College apart from other things what would it
be?
My life was very much cantered in the Cadet Platoon. I believe Ananda has one of the best
platoons in the country. When we won Herman Loose in 1966, we wore the green uniform you
witness today, which at the time was not made available to everyone because back in the day,
cadets and men of the forces wore the khaki T Shirt. However, college funding made us
outstanding. My cadet career heavily influenced my appointment as a prefect alongside being
appointed as the captain of the college swimming team. The College Cadet Platoon was crucial
in maintaining discipline. During the big match we were given responsibility of observing and
sustaining college disciplinary standards and of course we were heavily prioritized at any
sporting event as everyone was earnest to witness the march-past. Additionally, cadets were
very well respected by all parties within school.
5. What other recollections do you have about Sports at Ananda College?
I was very much involved with Swimming at Ananda College. I initiated the Water Polo sport
within college. I was the Captain of the Swimming team for two years of my life. In the sports
meet I competed in the Gamunu house & I was also the House Captain. While at Dharmashoka,
I was the under 14 champions in high jump and at Ananda College I once out of sheer
spontaneity while in uniform participated in the event and emerged 3rd. I honestly did not have
time to participate more extensively in athletics due to so many other commitments. But great
athletes at college made their way to the forces.
6. Who were the notable individuals you may have encountered at Ananda College and
why?
Col. G. W. Rajapaksa was the individual who taught us the core values of discipline, be it how
to wear your shirt to how one must trim their hair. The master in charge of the platoon Mr.
Bertie Fernando was also a huge influence in my life. There were also so many exceptional
students who studies alongside myself as well. Sunil Wettamuni was one of my peers who went
on to lead the national cricket team as captain. Jayantha Wickramasinghe the owner of
Informatics was also one of my classmates. Sanjeewa Senanayake was the son of the Inspector
General of Police at the time which led to our connection with a very wide society even while
at school.
7. What fond memories do you have of your time as a Prefect in Ananda College and what
lessons did you learn there that you still hold dear?
As a Prefect we were responsible for the wellbeing of all the children, they use to call us ayya,
and we treated them like they were members of our own families. Whenever there were any
events at school Prefects were always be there to assist. We also used to attend events that took
place in other schools be it exhibitions what not. I in my schooling days have had no affairs
with any girl regardless however often we attended these events. Sports paved the way to
creating many friendships beyond the walls of college. The train rides were quite memorable,
Imithiaz Bakeer Marker used to come with us on the Ruhunu Kumari. In certain instances,
during cadet camps, I may have gotten into a few fights, while discipline stands above all our
young vigour always found its way out somehow. The Prefects’ Guild was a collective of the
best students at college, a collective of the best in every field. But I have also stepped beyond
the school code of discipline and jumped out of school to meet with friends at punchi borella.
8. If you were to summarize your time at Ananda College into one word what would it be
and why?
Its difficult to summarize everything to one word, but if I were to describe it in one word, I
would say amazing. I say that because what I gained as an individual by being in Ananda
College was outstanding. Part of my life was brought within College and I was successful
student within Ananda and that led to being successful citizen in Sri Lanka. If I have
achieved some kind of success in this nation, Ananda College provided me with a great
foundation to achieve that kind of success which is why it was amazing.

9. Would you care to share with a generation of young Anandians your journey from being a
son of Mother Ananda to being the first Field Marshall of the Sri Lanka Army?
My career in the forces is twofold on the one hand it is a job and on the other it is a service. 40
years of my life have been in the forces. I didn’t even face my advanced level examinations
properly because of my choice to be in the military. My military journey consisted of two
terrorist incidents in the south, 1970-71 and the 1989 issue. The Northern crisis went on for 30
years & when I joined the forces this country had no wars. We only saw the military as a
ceremonial organization. But after joining the army the circumstances were detrimental. A lot
of Anandians died due to the war. The atmosphere was brutal and very challenging. When
Prabhakaran made his first appearance, I was a lieutenant with two stars on my uniform and
then I grew up with the army. I have studied many courses nationally as well as internationally,
with many sleepless nights and a lot of hard work. My relationship with my daughters is very
distant and therefore a military life was very personally intrusive but at the same time it was
very competitive. The structure is that like a pyramid wherein only one can reach the top, the
best of the best having made many sacrifices. I never took the backdoor in my time in service,
never requested for political privileges, I had no intention of getting into politics but the
circumstances that came about with the end of the war demanded me to be a politician.
10. What key values did you glean from your time at College that all Anandians should hold
dear?
The atmosphere is a Sinhala Buddhism is present within Ananda College and that must be
developed. It is a place with a lot of children from the middle class which means they are not
all endowed with everything and the atmosphere suits this kind of people. All my class mates
were from a middle-class background and upbringing, not everyone was elite. Ananda College
is therefore an amazing place to get to know your self-better and understand life better. The
teachers are also individuals who come from various backgrounds making the atmosphere
diverse and full of wisdom. Everything one receives to build up life in every aspect can be
nurtured within Ananda College.
11. Who was an exceptional teacher you encountered while at Ananda?
I already told you of my past in Dharmashoka College Ambalangoda, I was a sporty young
man and I was quite often a nuisance to my teachers at that school. But both Principals I met
at Ananda College created an atmosphere that was ideal for a school going boy. My cadet
master Mr. Bertie Fernando was the teacher I had a very close relationship with. My swimming
coach Eddison Silva was also a teacher I interacted quite often as the captain of College
swimming. I encountered so many teachers, I can’t remember everyone’s names, it was over
50 years ago. There was a teacher call Kabral involved with cadet activity, my English Teacher
Ginige during ordinary level are all names that flow to me upon trying to remember.

12. Anandians have always proven themselves to be leaders be it political, military, cooperate
par society, or religious what advice in closing would you give to this generation of
aspiring Anandian leaders?
Ananda is a place that provides the foundation for any students to go anywhere they want in
life. The atmosphere required to help a student reach any social standard is embedded within
College. Politically while I received the highest mandate in the Gamapaha district the next two
candidates Nalaka Godahewa and Prasanna Ranathunga were Anandians, the candidate who
won in Kaluthara Rajitha Senarathna was also an Anandians, the President is an Anandain.
Even in sport, while I was at school the opening batsmen of the national schools cricket team
were Anandians, Tissa Wettamuni & Ananda Jayathilake. Now more than in the past, the
facilities are greater making the atmosphere more profound. We didn’t have a playground nor
a swimming pool. My brother was in hostel, I stayed in residences around the area, but I never
stayed anywhere too long.
13. What would be your advice to a young Anandian, who carries the determination of making
his way through the forces of Sri Lanka as you very successfully have in your life?
The difference between the military and other institutions is that the military demands a special
kind of discipline. In the force, one will come across two books of rules, one we call the
constitution of the stat and the other is the rule book of the force. That rulebook can direct an
individual to imprisonment, punishment etc. Military Judiciary can even verdict death
sentences. Therefore, it is a place with extreme discipline. The army might have power, but the
power is not to seem exceptional among the general public, harm the public or overpower
anyone but to serve and protect. The citizenry of this country is multi-racial and everyone has
to be protected according to the law. One must respect seniors and subject to commands. The
country has changed now, back in the day if you are a young individual in the force, probably
a lieutenant with two stars, you will be divided into groups of 25 and four such groups will be
put together and called a company. Such companies will be commanded by a captain or a major
and you will be subordinate to them. In certain instances, you will be made to pay the salary to
all one hundred of them from wherever the money is distributed. In my day if there is money
leftover at the end of the distribution, he in charge of the activity will face punishment.
Accountability of any individual was very fiercely focused on back then. Today is not so.
Today even some senior officers have been involved in stealing a great deal of money. If you
plan to enter the force you must try and aspire to live by the principles of our past. Anandians
have been both successful and unsuccessful in their attempts. Most recruits to the military do
not come from very privileged households, most of Ananda is very middle class. Some children
try to create things their parents never had like houses, cars etc. Those who left the force early
failed in these attempts. I built my first small home in 2001. I have never lived their and today
it has fallen apart. I built the home I reside in after I left the force. Therefore, when in the
military one must remember to maintain the balance between one’s personal and military life.
The service a member of the army is expected to provide to the nation and its people is difficult
to achieve if those who enter the force, join purely with intention of personal gain. Individual
fulfilment as well as military progress also must go hand in hand. Anyone willing to put in the
hard work and sacrifice can do well in the force. Just because we are not at war now does not
mean that the lack of mass conflict is guaranteed.