posted November 21, 2005 07:21 AM         

It may be recalled that Rajadurai was shot and killed by the LTTE in Jaffna on October 12, 2005 while he was on his way to participate in the Navarathri Festival Cultural Programme at the Veerasingam Hall.

After the Pooja a meeting followed and the speakers remembered the late Principal’s contribution towards the education of the student community of Sri Lanka, especially in Jaffna.

One the speakers said that since he took over the Jaffna Central College in 1996, he worked selflessly and tirelessly for the upliftment of the school.

The school buildings were damaged due to war and he rebuilt them to the standard of the Canadian Schools, said a person who had visited Jaffna recently.

Jaffna Central College was the first school to introduce computer education in schools. He also let the students from other schools to obtain training on computers. Not only had that he permitted the bank employees and other public servants to make use of the computer facilities. He built several new buildings inside the school. Within a short period of time and managed to make the College one of the best in Sri Lanka.

Another speaker said that Mr. Rajadurai had told him that his family and friends wanted him to leave the country and join them abroad in view of the security situation. But he refused the offer saying that he wanted to serve his people in his motherland with the knowledge he gained from his education. The speaker reminded the audience, while all educationists were leaving the country for security reasons and seeking greener pasture, principals like Rajadurai remained in the country and served the students under trying conditions. In what way was it justifiable to kill such a great servant of the Nation?

A speaker who was a teacher to Mr. Rajaduari lamented that every morning when he opens the internet that there is news about at least one person being killed and he appealed to the gathering to raise their voice against these killings.

A lawyer speaking at the memorial meeting said that it gives great courage to see so many people gathered without fear to remember the slain Principal. As we live in a Democratic country like Canada we have to protest these killings openly unlike our people back home, who are living under constant threat and intimidation.

The memorial service concluded with the offering of food in accordance with the Tamilian tradition.