A Lesson in Leadership from Ratmalana
The Rain-Soaked General: A Lesson in Leadership from Ratmalana In an era long before the instant gratification of SMS, WhatsApp, or email, life moved at the pace of a handwritten letter. Landlines were a rare luxury, and the arrival of a formal envelope from the college principal was an event of significant gravity. Such was the case during one long school vacation more than five decades ago, when a letter arrived requesting our presence for a special duty: welcoming a visiting head of state at the Colombo Airport, Ratmalana . The Journey to the Tarmac Dressed in crisp school uniforms, my brothers and I headed to college. The Principal, Mr H.C.L. De Silva , received us with a warmth that spoke of genuine appreciation. In those days, a principal’s rapport with his students and the leadership shown by senior prefects like my elder brother formed the backbone of the institution. We were bundled into a classic Route 102 (Lunawa – Kotahena) double-decker bus, ...