The Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo, covered in Part 4 of the Book, where Maithri, first had his legal education, (and this year celebrates its 75th Diamond Jubilee), was the next foundational institution to influence Maithri’s future professional career in law. The 1969 entering batch, of which Maithri was one, was extra-ordinarily talented as it turned out. We were the beneficiaries of being taught by some of the most brilliant professors and lecturers, of whom Professors, G.L Pieris, M. Sornarajah, Mark Cooray, Savithri Gunesekera, and Palitha Kohona gained international and global recognition. The book contains the many written recommendations by them of Maithri’s proficiencies, which, of course, speak to his sterling nature and character.
His struggles to complete higher education in law, both in England and Australia, are very sensitively explained by Maithri himself in his autobiographical chapter “Along the dusty road”. That such education finally led to a productive legal career, very much in line with his own established vision that law in its essence must be a vehicle to uplift the dispossessed, underprivileged, and the poor, is so very evident from Parts 7, 8 and 9 of the Book. The chapters in those Parts are precious. For they portray Maithri’s vision, approaches, and strategies, to undertake the gargantuan task of asserting and defending the rights of Australia’s First People (otherwise commonly known as “Aborigines”), whose struggles as a downtrodden indigenous people and victims of outright racism often fell outside the spectrum of a biased and insensitive legal system. His total dedication, foresight, strategy, and utilizing that very legal system in optimum ways to bring relief are aptly described by Australian First Nation’s leaders of Australia, like Barbara Flick, Justice Hamill of the New South Wales Supreme Court, and other legal luminaries in Australia, as well as his colleagues in Carrol & O’Dea, the law firm where he practices to this date. The Ten landmark cases described in Chapter 20 where Maithri was Lead Counsel, are demonstrative of Maithri’s deep commitment to the cause of Australia’s First People. That his invaluable professional contributions in this field, which led ultimately to the prestigious award of the Order of Australia must, by any measure, be considered one of the highest achievements by a Sri Lankan immigrant to Australia.
Maithri’s uniqueness, as it comes out from the book, is not merely as a talented legal professional, but also as someone who has made lasting contributions to Sinhala Literature, as a poet. He began writing poetry at a tender age and he never let up. His talents at writing poignant lyrics were so well recognized that they were set to music by some of Sri Lanka’s most famous musicians like Dr. Rohana Weerasinghe and sung by national treasures, like the late Pandit Amaradeva, to name a few. Part 11, “The Lyrical Lawyer” captures this extraordinary talent of Maithri. “The Lyrical Lawyer” is extremely befitting a title for the simple reason that the same inherent traits of Maithri that contributed to his success in the legal profession are the very same that comes out profoundly through his poetry.
From within all the phalanx of lawyers, the myriad life events, and tributes by highly recognized professionals that are put together in this Book, comes out the unique individual, best described by Maithri’s own daughter Ruvani who writes about her father: “Thathi’s work advocating for those whose voices may otherwise not be heard is something that fills me with great pride. He does not shy away from pursuing what is right, even when odds seemed stacked against him.” And even more poignantly stated by another talented Sri Lankan Lawyer in Australia, Tiru Vallal (who has also contributed to this Book), also from the 1969 batch, in a recent e-mail on the occasion of the Book launch in Sydney, that it is “a testimony to the qualities that sustained him [Maithri] throughout; humbleness, kindness, sincerity, intelligence, gratitude, leadership with benevolence, dignity and well-earned respect from the legal profession and the Australian community.” Beyond, Maithri indeed has successfully carried on the legacy of his parents and forefathers. In his “Ode to Mother” in a translated book of poetry “Whispers of the Heart” he writes:
“With a powerful determination
Laced with immense kindness
Carrying life’s burdens
Tenderly and lovingly
Your dreams and aspirations
Will bloom like flowers
The day your son is triumphant
Like a colorful painting.”
This book is about a unique professional who strode a path toward a vision and succeeded and led a life of purpose worthy of emulation. This is why it should be read.
Prof. Srilal Perera, USA