Boralugoda Ralahamy lived long to witness the heroic deeds of his brave son and take pride of the achievements of his illustrious off-spring. Philip in his life time was able to witness even the last vestiges of colonial rule removed in our country.

While at Ananda College, Philip and his brother Robert took up residence at the house of T.B. Jayah, a statesman involved in the freedom struggle who was a teacher at Ananda. While being there Philip came into contact with Anagarika Dharmapala, Walisinghe Harischandra and John de Silva at the residence of W.A. Silva and he was inspired by their patriotism.

After passing London Matriculation from Ananda, Philip joined the University College and followed a course in economics. As a young student Philip attended the meetings of National Congress but later became a sympathiser of "Young Lanka League" a radical organisation led by Victor Corea, A.E. Gunasinghe and C.H.Z. Fernando.

Boralugoda Ralahamy now wanted to send his brilliant son to England to become a Barrister-at-law. But Philip went to United States. He studied two years at the University of Illinois and then at the University of Wisconsin and obtained a doctorate in agricultural economics.

While in Untied States Philip studied at the feet of Scot Nearing the pioneer Professor in socialism. He also worked in collaboration with Indian socialists Jayaprakash Narayan Seyed Hussain, J.B. Kumarappa and the Mexican revolutionary Jesu Vase Gonsales. In New York he participated in trade union struggles and once some Negro workers in the city carried a huge photograph of Philip in a procession for leading them to win their demands.

In 1928 Philip came to England and participated in the activities of the Indian League with Krishnon Menon. He organised anti-imperialist activities with Jomo Kenyata of Kenya, Tuan Malacca of Malaya and Ram Goolam of Mauritius. Philip was a fascinating speaker who expounded socialism attacking the imperialist machinery at Hyde Park Corner used to reverberate with his thunderous voice.

At this time there was a revolt against the rule of Alphonsus in Spain. Philip undertook to take some secret documents to the rebels in Spain risking his own life. He went alone, crossed the Pyranese range on foot with only a map in his hand and accomplished the task. This is now a legend.

The British government had impounded his passport because of his anti-imperialist and socialist activities. It was only after the intervention of Sir D.B. Jayatilleke at the request of Boralugoda Ralahamy that Philip was allowed to return to Sri Lanka.

Philip landed in Sri Lanka on November 01, 1932 and began to organise a broad-based movement against the colonial set up.

When the LSSP was formed on December 18, 1935, Philip pushed Colvin to be the first President. Nevertheless all were conscious that Philip was the leader of the movement. (Dr. N.M. Perera - "Philip Gunawardene; The Father of Socialism in Ceylon" - 1972, reprinted in "Daily News" - January 13, 1999).

Philip was a dynamo of activity and he was the directing force of the LSSP. People were attracted by his fire-brand speeches that mesmerised the audience. They were taken up by his charismatic personality and sincerity of purpose.

In 1936 State Council elections Philip comfortably won Avissawella defeating the Speaker Forrester Obeysekera and N.M. won Ruvanwella. N.M. has expressed that if not for Philip he would not have contested Ruvanwella and if not for the support he got from Philip and Robert he would not have won.

At this time N.M. took the lead from Philip whom he admired to the point of hero worship. (Charlles Wesley Erwin "Philip Gunawardene - Making of a Revolutionary", Page 34). The political duo Philip and N.M. vociferously championed the cause of the underpriviledged in the State Council. The reactionary forces who now got alarmed tried to suppress the Samasamaja movement. They sent thugs to break up the LSSP meetings. But Philip and his brother Robert used their brains and brawn and with the assistance of harbour workers made those hirelings run for their lives.

During the World War II (1939-45), the colonial government proscribed the LSSP and imprisoned its leaders Philip, N.M., Colvin and Edmund Samarakkodi. On April 05, 1942 when the Japanese bombed Colombo, the LSSP leaders broke the jail and escaped to India. In India Philip lived under the assumed name Gurusamy and later his wife Kusuma fled to India and joined him there. Their eldest son was born in India and they named him as Indika.

After some time, the Samasamaja leaders were arrested in India and in 1943 brought back to Sri Lanka. They were sentenced to six months imprisonment for breaking the jail. In the prison Philip husked coconuts and learned to rattan chairs. When the War was over in 1945, the LSSP leaders were unconditionally released.

Philip was not an ideological dissectionist and he had a pragmatic approach in politics. He was prepared to take lessons of history. In 1956, the VLSSP led by Philip joined hands with the SLFP led by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike to form the MEP to bring about a social order through the ballot. The MEP was returned to power in the general elections 1956.

As the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Co-operatives in the MEP government (1956-59) Philip forged ahead with a radical agenda. He introduced the Paddy Lands Act to emancipate the tenant farmer and increase the yield, Multi-purpose Co-operative Scheme to ensure proper distribution of produce and the Co-operative Bank which was later re-named as the Peoples' Bank to uplift rural masses.

Philip was the force behind the nationalisation of Bus transport and the Port. He was also instrumental in the take-over of British Air Force base at Katunayake and Naval basee in Trincomalee to remove the last shackles of colonial rule.

In 1965, Philip joined the national government of Dudley Senanayake and served as the Minister of Industries and Fisheries. He streamlined many public corporations from 1965 to 1970 to make them viable institutions. With the help of Soviet Union he developed Tyre and Steel Corporations. He improved Plywood Corporation with Rumanian aid. He got Japanese and Chinese aid to facilitate mechanised fishing industry. It was he who put Fisheries Corporation into operation.

Philip Gunawardene was man of vision. He realised that it was the general consensus among the people in Sri Lanka, that socialism should be effected by the democratic process.

Philip was man of stern moral rectitude. The District Judge who dismissed a defamation case filed against Philip by a senior D.I.G. declared that Philip was an embodiment of honesty and integrity.

The personal life of Philip epitomized the cream of high moral values found in our rich cultural heritage disciplined by Buddhist way of life.

Author : W T A Leslie Fernando (former High Court Judge)