Remembering a great scholar

July 25 was Cumaratunga Munidasa day. The day was of special significance this year since it marked the 125th birth anniversary of one of Sri Lanka’s most eminent scholars.

The highlight at this year’s ceremony was the launch of a scholarship to be awarded to the student gaining the highest marks for Sinhala language and literature island-wide at the GCE O-Level examination. This was in view of Cumaratunga Munidasa’s deep interest and commitment towards a ‘pure’ Sinhala language.

The winner was Ayodya Ratnayake, a student of Newstead Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Negombo who received the scholarship from President Mahind Rajapaksa at the ceremony held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

The ‘Cumaratunga Munidasa Sisuvarama’ scholarship entitles her to Rs. 1,000 monthly until she completes her A-Level studies. In addition, as a token of appreciation for obtaining the best results for Sinhala language at her O-Level examinations , ‘Ada Derana’ presented her with a HP laptop and the National Savings Bank opened an ‘Ithuru Mithuru’ account worth Rs. 100,000 which Ayodya will be able to withdraw from after three years for her higher studies.

Speaking on behalf of the Cumaratunga Munidasa Foundation, Gevindu Cumaratunga was very appreciative of the cooperation given by the two institutions towards making the scholarship really meaningful. “It also showed the appreciation of the great service rendered by my grandfather towards the Sinhala language.”  

It was a deserving award for Ayodya who had first studied at Horagasmulla Primary School and moved over to Newstead having done well at the Year Five Scholarship Examination. At the O-Level examination, she has collected eight As and a B pass. She has selected mathematics for her Advanced Level.

Unique intellectual

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a message issued for the occasion, described Cumaratunga Munidasa as “a unique intellectual who enriched the Sinhala language in more than one way.”  

“He polished the rough styles used in the Sinhala language by the introduction of new meaningful words. He proved that Sinhala was rich enough to learn and teach the new sciences. He created a whole heap of new idioms. He edited the old classics. He set up the ‘hela havula’ movement.

“Through all these he had encouraged those who wanted to use Sinhala as a working language and made the task so easy for Sinhala to be made the official language in 1956. He should be given the credit for making the language that was restricted to the servants in the high class Colombo families reach the high position of becoming the state language,” the President’s message stated.

The President referred to the host of books he has written including ‘Magul Kema,’ ‘Hath Pana,’ ‘Heen Seraya,’ ‘Shiksha Margaya’ and ‘Kumara’ Gee which helped mould the young minds.  Through these works, he very cleverly instilled into the minds of the children the values that should be built and preserved. His service in making the children feel proud of their nation was remarkable.

About him

Cumaratunga Munidasa (1887-1944) was born at Dikwella – 12th of 13 offspring of an ayurvedic physician. He became a trained teacher, inspector of schools, and principal of training colleges. Around 1930, he settled down as full-time man of letters.

He interpreted most of the Sinhala classics and edited the text of ‘Kavsilumina.’ His original writings include poems, short stories, dramas and books on learned subjects.

His writings for children have been greatly appreciated. The first reader, ‘Kiyawana Nuwana’ is a very simple and thoughtful work written to make the child want to read over and over again. He had such readers for every class. ‘Kumara Gee’ is another fine collection of poems.

As C. A. Gunawardena mentions in the ‘Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka,’ he firmly believed that the development of language was essential to promote creative thinking and to remove colonial shackles, and that those educated only through English were likely to look down on what was national.