S. M. L. Marikkar
Encyclopedia
Seyed Mohamed Lebbe Marikar, CCS
(June 29, 1939) was a Sri Lanka
n civil servant and diplomat
. He was a former Permanent Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka
.
when Ceylon was under British
colonial rule. His parents named him after his paternal grandfather S.M.L. Marikar, the British colonial Governor Sir
Henry Arthur Blake
's representative to the Kandy district.
Ahmed as he is affectionately referred to by friends and family, attended Trinity College, Kandy
, an Anglican missionary school, for both his primary and secondary education. He gained entry into the University of Ceylon
, Peradeniya Campus along with college mate Jayantha Dhanapala
( one of Sri Lanka's former ambassador to the United States of America), Dr
Sarath Amunugama
and N. G. Perera.
(CCS) exam and passed the competitive exam. His first placement was that of Assistant Government Agent
in Kandy. Thereafter he was then assigned as an Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence
, in the capital Colombo
. Around this time period, the government of Sri Lanka provided him with the opportunity to complete a graduate degree at Syracuse University
, in the United States of America.
In the mid 1970s he was appointed to the position of First Secretary to the Embassy of Sri Lanka, in Rome
, Italy and the alternate Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations). Upon completion of his tenure in 1979, he returned to Sri Lanka to accept the position of Additional Secretary and subsequently Permanent Secretary
to the then President of Sri Lanka
, Junius Richard Jayewardene
. He was in this position until 1989.
Ceylon Civil Service
The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...
(June 29, 1939) was a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n civil servant and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. He was a former Permanent Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
The Presidential Secretariat is the office of the President of Sri Lanka. It provides the administrative and institutional framework for the exercise of the duties, responsibilities and powers vested in the President by the Constitution....
.
Early life and education
Born to Mohamed Abdul Sathar Marikar and Fathima Sinnetamby Badurdeen on June 29, 1939, in the hill-town of KandyKandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
when Ceylon was under British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial rule. His parents named him after his paternal grandfather S.M.L. Marikar, the British colonial Governor Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Henry Arthur Blake
Henry Arthur Blake
Sir Henry Arthur Blake GCMG, DL was a British colonial administrator, Governor of Hong Kong from 1898 to 1903.-Early life and career:...
's representative to the Kandy district.
Ahmed as he is affectionately referred to by friends and family, attended Trinity College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy
Trinity College, Kandy founded in 1872 by Anglican missionaries, is an Independent elite private boys’ school providing primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka...
, an Anglican missionary school, for both his primary and secondary education. He gained entry into the University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
, Peradeniya Campus along with college mate Jayantha Dhanapala
Jayantha Dhanapala
Professor Jayantha Dhanapala is a member of the Board of Sponsors of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and a governing board member of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Dr. Dhanapala was Sri Lanka's official candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations,...
( one of Sri Lanka's former ambassador to the United States of America), Dr
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Sarath Amunugama
Sarath Amunugama (politician)
Sarath Leelananda Bandara Amunugama , MP, SLAS is a Sri Lankan politician and civil servant. He was the Cabinet Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning until April 2010...
and N. G. Perera.
Career
Upon graduation with first class honors from the University of Ceylon, Ahmed Marikar sat for the Ceylon Civil ServiceCeylon Civil Service
The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...
(CCS) exam and passed the competitive exam. His first placement was that of Assistant Government Agent
Government Agent
A function called Government Agent exist or existed in the past in several countries, such as* Sri Lanka - see Government Agent * Canada - see Government Agent...
in Kandy. Thereafter he was then assigned as an Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka that conducts and manages Sri Lanka's relations with other countries...
, in the capital Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. Around this time period, the government of Sri Lanka provided him with the opportunity to complete a graduate degree at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, in the United States of America.
In the mid 1970s he was appointed to the position of First Secretary to the Embassy of Sri Lanka, in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy and the alternate Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
of the United Nations). Upon completion of his tenure in 1979, he returned to Sri Lanka to accept the position of Additional Secretary and subsequently Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
to the then President of Sri Lanka
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
, Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene
Junius Richard Jayewardene , famously abbreviated in Sri Lanka as JR, was the first executive President of Sri Lanka, serving from 1978 till 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence...
. He was in this position until 1989.