A Life of Service, Integrity, and Quiet Greatness
Eulogy for Deshamanya Bradman Weerakoon (1930–2025)
A Life of Service, Integrity, and Quiet Greatness
පැය කීපයකට පෙර කීර්තිමත් පරිපාලන නිළධාරියෙක් වූ බ්රැඩ්මන් වීරකෝන් මහත්මා අභාවප්රාප්ත විය. මේ ගුණකථන එතුමා ගැනය. ඉතා සැදැහැවත් බෞද්ධයෙකු වූ එතුමාට නිවන්සුව ලැබේවා!
Bhantee Upananda
07/07/25
Today, we gather in remembrance of one of Sri Lanka’s most distinguished sons—Deshamanya Bradman Weerakoon—a man whose very name became synonymous with unwavering public service, ethical leadership, and dignified humility.
Born on October 20, 1930, on the same day that cricketing legend Sir Don Bradman visited Colombo, he was aptly named by parents who perhaps sensed he would one day leave an equally legendary mark—not on a cricket pitch, but on the fabric of a nation.
Mr. Weerakoon’s career in the Sri Lankan civil service spanned over half a century. Joining the prestigious Ceylon Civil Service in 1954, he would go on to serve an astonishing nine Prime Ministers and Presidents—across divergent political ideologies—offering each the same hallmark qualities: integrity, discretion, intellect, and an unshakable commitment to the public good.
From his early years as Assistant Secretary to Prime Ministers such as Sir John Kotelawala and S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, to his later leadership as Permanent Secretary and Commissioner-General of Essential Services during national crises, Bradman Weerakoon was more than a bureaucrat. He was a steady hand during storms, a bridge across political divides, and a voice of reason in moments of national turmoil.
In times of peace and upheaval alike, he never allowed power or privilege to obscure principle. Whether organizing relief during the 1971 JVP insurrection in Ampara, overseeing vital operations during the 1983 anti-Tamil riots, or advising on international affairs, his decisions were driven by compassion, fairness, and foresight.
His influence extended beyond Sri Lanka. As Secretary-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), he championed reproductive health and human rights across continents. Yet wherever he served, he carried with him the quiet dignity of a civil servant shaped by Buddhist values and Gandhian ethics.
A Fulbright scholar, a prolific writer, and the author of the acclaimed memoir Rendering Unto Caesar, Mr. Weerakoon was not only a witness to history but a careful custodian of its truths. His words, like his actions, were never loud, but they resonated with wisdom earned through experience and reflection.
Awarded the Deshamanya, Sri Lanka’s second-highest national honor, Bradman Weerakoon lived a life that elevated the noble ideals of governance—honesty, service, and humility. He proved that one could walk the corridors of power without being corrupted by them.
Above all, he was a gentleman. Gentle in manner, yet firm in principle. Deeply respectful, and universally respected.
Today, as Sri Lanka and the world bid farewell to this extraordinary man, we do not merely mourn a loss—we celebrate a legacy. A legacy that reminds us what it means to serve, to lead without ego, and to live with purpose.
May his samsaric journey onward be filled with peace! May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbāna!
May his memory forever illuminate the path of service and civility.
And may future generations draw strength and inspiration from the life of Deshamanya Bradman Weerakoon—a true statesman of the people.
By Rev. Dr. Dedunupitiye Upananda