The formidable mission of a social worker, politician

Today, in a society where moral values are disintegrating very rapidly, we very rarely come across decent people, who maintain their ethical standards. Such an important unique personality is Deshabandu, Indradasa Hettiarachchi, of Pokunuwita, Horana. Mr Hettiarachchi had been the former MP of Horana, as well as the District Minister of Kalutara District and presently, he is a member of Kalutara Bodhi Trust. 

He is a highly qualified and dignified personality to be called a decent personality with very high moral standards. 
In the political system of Sri Lanka, Mr Indradasa Hettiarachchi has served as a decent Parliamentarian for several decades, representing the Horana Electorate. His father was Mr Don Pedrick Hettiarachchi of Pokunuwita, Horana, who was a popular land proprietor and planter in the Kalutara District. 

Indradasa Hettiarachchi was born on October 13, 1927, and was the youngest son of the family. He received his primary education at Kulupana Primary School, very close to his ancestral home. 

His devotion to the Triple Gem paved the way for him to inculcate the essence of the Buddhist way of life and the values he had grasped from his parents and other elders

Later he joined Nalanda College and Ananda College in Colombo, for his secondary education and completed his further education at Pembroke Academy, Colombo. 

He attended the Sunday Dhamma School at the village temple, as a young boy and was closely associated with Maha Sangha. His devotion to the Triple Gem paved the way for him to inculcate the essence of the Buddhist way of life and the values he had grasped from his parents and other elders. He loved rural life and was very well respected by his relatives, neighbours and the village folk. 

Young Indradasa’s father wanted him to become a planter, in which field he had been very successful. He got the opportunity to serve as an Assistant Superintendent of the Palmgarden Estate in Ratnapura. 

Later, by following the plantation management strategies of his father and along with the partnership of his elder brothers, they established the Don Pedrick Estates Company, under his father’s name, for the smooth functioning of their plantations. By that time they owned tea, rubber and coconut plantations at Galathura, Neboda, Maputugala, Olaboduwa, Batuwita, Rathmalagoda and Hatton. 

The first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, D.S. Senanayake was a close friend of Don Pedrick Hettiarachchi. His guidance and well wishes led the young Indradasa to take up politics while getting involved in his plantation activities too. 

In 1947, he was initiated into politics and social services through the Village Development Council System. 
In 1948, he was elected, as the village council member for the Henegama ward, in the Horana Kumbuke Patthu Village Development Council, by popular vote. In a short period, the chairmanship of the Village Council fell vacant and Indradasa became the youngest Chairman of the Village Council. 

Being a very popular politician in village council affairs, Indradasa Hettiarachchi got the opportunity to enter mainstream politics in 1977. In the general election of 1978, he got the opportunity to contest the Horana electorate as a member of the then-Governing Party. He was elected as a Member of Parliament in the new Government. 

With the new Constitutional reforms of the Government in 1978, a new era of Governance was created in the country. On October 05, 1978, a set of 24 District Ministers were appointed for the 24 Districts. Mr Indradasa Hettiarachchi who was the Minister for Coconut Industries in the Government was appointed as the Kalutara District MP, in addition to his duties as the Minister of Coconut Industries. 

In 1989, the General Election was held under the Proportional Representation System. Mr Hettiarachchi contested in this General Election as a team member for Kalutara District. He won the election with a sweeping majority and ranked as the first in the list of Kalutara District Members of Parliament. Later he was appointed as the Minister of Coconut Industries and Crops Diversification. 

He retired from active politics in 1994
In honour of Mr Hettiarachchi’s political career, his formidable social services, and his devotion to the enrichment of activities related to Buddhism, he was awarded the Deshabandu title by President Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranaike in 2005. 

While maintaining his political point of view, Mr Hettiarachchi, following the footsteps of his beloved father, took a keen interest in the education of rural children. 

Young Indradasa’s father wanted him to become a planter, in which field he had been very successful. He got the opportunity to serve as an Assistant Superintendent of the Palmgarden Estate in Ratnapura

Later, Mr Hettiarachchi was invited by the Founder of Kalutara Bodhi Trust Sir Cyril De Zoysa, to become a Trustee of the organisation which he wholeheartedly accepted and pledged to serve the Trust. 

His involvement as a devout Buddhist, with a far-reaching vision, was very beneficial for the Bodhi Trust in organising and implementing Buddhist activities mainly concerned with Dhamma Education. 

In consultation with Maha Sangha, Mr Hettiarachchi has forwarded a large number of proposals for enhancing Buddhist activities and Dhamma Education. 

In parallel with this line of action, with the blessings and guidance of Maha Sangha, Mr Hettiarachchi brought to the notice of The Kalutara Bodhi Trust, a downward trend in the education of Samanera Bhikkus of the District. 
The cause of this unfortunate situation was identified as the inability of most of the Samanera Bhikkus to afford their education as a result of poverty. 

His involvement as a devout Buddhist, with a far-reaching vision, was very beneficial for the Bodhi Trust in organising and implementing Buddhist activities mainly concerned with Dhamma Education

The Bodhi Trust decided to take immediate action to address this situation in 2001, by allocating a grant to support the Samanera Bhikku education. In accordance with this decision, a project proposal was drawn up to give a helping hand to all Samanera Bhikkus residing in about 500 Buddhist Viharas in the Kalutara District. 

The proposal included an annual package consisting of textbooks, stationery and other learning materials. The robes and other paraphernalia too were provided as required. Since then, the programme has been carried out as an annual Religious event of Kalutara Bodhi Trust. As this project was a ‘’Caring for Samanera’’ programme, it was aptly named as “Samanera Kapakaru Project ‘’. Every year, several thousands of Buddhist Priests in Saffron Robes participate in these ‘Pooja’ events and the occasions have been very spectacular sights for Buddhist devotees as well as for the public. 

A large number of Bhikkus who benefited from the Samanera Kapakaru Project and the Pracheena Education Promotion scholarships Project have now completed their studies and are getting involved in Buddha Sasana activities in local temples and a few Bhikkus overseas, as well. 

Indradasa strongly believed that Dhamma School Education played a vital role in instilling decency and virtue in the younger generations of the country. He observed how around 8,000 teachers consisting of both retirees and young men and women volunteered to teach in Sunday Dhamma Schools. However, concerned about the fact that over half of the teachers lacked proper teacher training or vocational training, he initiated the Project for the Development of Dhamma School Teachers, under the sponsorship of the Kalutara Bodhi Trust. The project opened a window of opportunity for Dhamma school teachers to learn subjects such as foundations of educational psychology as well as new teaching techniques through regular workshops and seminars. 

A keen reader himself with great love and care for books, Indradasa Hettiarachchi stands by the belief that reading not only makes a full person but also a decent human being. Among his many duties, he carried out the development of libraries and the consequent habit of reading, two projects that stand prominent. 

In 1986, the Janasetha Foundation in Horana was selected as a long-term multipurpose project as part of the District Development Project commenced by the Government. As a result, Janasetha Public Library was declared open to the public in 1989, today known as Deshabandu Indradasa Hettiarachchi Library as a tribute to his unwavering determination. In 2008, under the guidance and patronage of Indradasa Hettiarachchi, the Kalutara Bodhi Gnana Library was handed over to the people, completed with a modern library system and multipurpose auditorium funded by the Kalutara Bodhi Trust. 

Services for the Public 
Mr Hettiarachchi very actively got involved in social services even after retirement from active politics. He aimed to support any programme leading to the empowerment of the masses, irrespective of political affiliations or any other social handicaps of the people. 

Serving as the Chairman of the Horana Base Hospital Development Society, he has initiated several welfare programmes for the resident patients as well as for the outpatients who regularly attend the medical specialists’ clinics. 

During the period spanning from 1977 to 1993, Mr Indradasa Hettiarachchi as the Member of Parliament for the Horana electorate and also as the Kalutara District Minister has done a colossal service for the public irrespective of political affiliations. His immaculate character, integrity, leadership and friendly mannerism will be remembered by all, forever. 

We wish him the best of health, and prosperous and long life by the merits of the Noble Triple Gem! 
The writer is a Former Secretary of, the Bodhignana Library Development Committee in Melbourne, Australia.