Sri Lankan voice on global stage: Meeting with Prof. Patrick Mendis

At the University of London, I met for the first time a man whose life story reads like a modern epic: Prof. Patrick Mendis. It was deeply personal.

- By Uwin Ariyaratna

Like Prof. Mendis, I am an alumnus of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ). In 2019, I was honoured to receive The Patrick Mendis Prize at our university's general convocation. I am also proud to be the first and, so far, the only student in the history of USJ to receive both The Patrick Mendis Prize and The Walpola Rahula Memorial Award.

Prof. Mendis established his prize in 1994. It has been awarded annually to the most outstanding student among over 1,200 candidates from 12 departments at the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce. To meet the very person whose name graces that prestigious prize was both gratifying and inspiring.

Remarkable life story

During his lecture at the University of London, Prof. Mendis spoke passionately about his diplomatic philosophy of “Trade for Peace,” rooted in the lessons of the Founding Fathers of America. He was accompanied by his wife, Prof. Antonina Luszczykiewicz-Mendis, a leading international relations scholar and currently a visiting professor at the University of Oxford.