Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of Sri Lanka founder Sri Lankabhimanya Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, passed away at the age of 92 while undergoing treatment in a hospital last week. Born on November 5, 1931 in the South, Dr. Ahangamage Tudor Ariyaratne received his primary education from the village school, secondary education from Mahinda College in Galle and higher education from the Vidyodaya University.
He was a former high school teacher at Nalanda College and conducted the first shramadana work camp in 1958 which eventually led to the establishment of the largest non-government organisation in Sri Lanka, called Sarvodaya, which literally means “Awakening for All”.
The main hallmark of Dr. Ariyaratne was the fact that he had all the attributes to become a politician, but he never became one. His name was a household word, his popularity knew no bounds and he moved with and among the common people through his Sarvodaya Movement. He could easily have won an election at national level. Instead, he focused his energies on improving the lot of the masses without expecting anything in return. That showed his calibre more than anything else.
Although he never turned to politics, all Sri Lankan leaders and even some international leaders were very close to him. Sometimes he would give them advice and offer his astute views on local socio-political developments. Nevertheless, there were politicians apprehensive of the grassroots reach of the Sarvodaya Movement who tried to sabotage his work. He even faced assassination threats on a few occasions.
But he was undaunted by these challenges and continued to serve the masses. In the process, Sarvodaya became the largest Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Sri Lanka. He was indeed an authority on grassroots development and many here and abroad sought his views on that subject. A devout Buddhist, he also abhorred war and actively worked for peace. He was regularly featured in the media, giving his opinions on various subjects.
Dr. Ariyaratne was often called “Sri Lanka’s Gandhi,” a fitting title in many ways for a man who has won the Gandhi Peace Prize (1996) for his work in peacemaking and village development. Although the Nobel Peace Prize eluded him, his leading of peace marches and meditations, his ability to quieten angry masses through his personal example and his helping to build hundreds of homes have led to him being likened to US Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King and former US President Jimmy Carter.
While those impressive comparisons are valid, Dr. Ariyaratne was very much his own man, who has made a tangible difference for millions of people through the Sarvodaya Movement. Since his work on the Sarvodaya Shramadana movement began in 1958, he has created a unique, nationwide brand of “development from the bottom up,” with an enviable track record of success. His belief in Gandhian principles of non-violence, rural development, and self-sacrifice, has shaped the Sarvodaya Movement in ways that forge a significant link between secular principles of development and Buddhist ideals of selflessness and compassion.
Based on the concept of ‘sharing of labour, thought and energy for the awakening of all’ the organisation energised people in more than 14,000 villages to rediscover their power to rebuild their own communities. They built over 5,000 pre-schools, community health centers, libraries, and cottage industries. Sarvodaya also spearheaded the establishment of thousands of village banks, which have given banking access to poor villagers. Sarvodaya also built thousands of wells and toilets and promoted biodiversity and solar energy.
While rooted in Buddhism and other ancient Sri Lankan traditions, the Sarvodaya movement is open to anyone, regardless of religious and cultural divides. At the core of Sarvodaya is a belief in one another and the power of community. Not surprisingly, this was also the motto of Dr. Ariyaratne.
Dr. Ariyaratne received many national and international awards in recognition of his commitment to the nation and its people. He received the highest national award, the Sri Lankabhimanya Award, from the President of Sri Lanka in 2007 and many International awards such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award (Philippines) 1969, King Baudouin Award for International Development (Belgium) 1982, Niwano Peace Prize (Japan) 1992, Hubert H. Humphrey Award, USA, 1996 and the Alan Shawn Feinstein World Hunger Award, Brown University, USA, 1986, for his contribution to Human Wellbeing and Peace.
Dr. Ariyaratne was also honoured with a Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) degree from the Sri Jayewardenepura University and a Doctor of Humanities (D.H.) degree from Amelio Aguinaldo College of Medicine in the Philippines.
The seven volumes to date of Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne Collected Works provide a comprehensive collection of his speeches and writings in more than 1,200 pages.
Dr. Ariyaratne’s demise leaves a huge void in the local and global community development sphere which will be very hard to fill even for his sons and other Sarvodaya leaders. His is a legacy that will resonate for decades, if not centuries, to come in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.
