Gethsie Shanmugam: The Story of a Silent Fighter

 

By Avishka Mario Senewiratne

“Well, I think you are more suitable somewhere else. I will send you to a much senior priest” said Fr. Noel Perera, the Primary School Principal of St. Joseph’s College to a young teacher who was being interviewed. This was in 1967. The young lady had applied to fill the vacancy of a primary teacher, but since she was unexpectedly asked to meet the Rector of SJC, Fr. W.L.A. Don Peter, she was not sure how her fate was going to change. During this time though there were plenty of lady teachers in the primary school, there was not more than one lady teacher in the Collegiate Section. Fr. Don Peter, being the strict administrator he was, meticulously interviewed her. The young teacher though nervous, was able to perform well in the interview and the next day she was recruited to teach English for the young Josephian teenagers. Fifty years later this young teacher was awarded the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Prize, Asia’s highest honour, for her services in counselling the downtrodden, the war widows and her humanitarian work for decades. Gethsi Shanmugam, has certainly led an exemplary life. Knowing and associating with her, I could not resist the temptation of writing her story through my personal research and interviews and paying my personal tribute to her at the same time. 

Early Life

Born in Nawalapitiya on December 29, 1934, Gnantheepam ‘Gethsie’ Marina Muthaya (pronounced Muthaiya), was the eldest surviving child of M.S.K. Muthaya and Rebecca Devāsirvadham. She was followed by two sisters and a brother. Being a daughter of the Chief Clerk in a British bungalow, she grew up pro-western. Young Gethsie had a very memorable childhood. However, things were cut short when her mother passed away when Gethsi was barely a teenager.  Things were not easy for her afterwards. However, being a devout Anglican, she had her faith strong and hopes high. She became a mother for her two younger siblings, giving her a firm sense of responsibility from a young age. It was during her teenage years that she learnt about the pain of the poor, the marginalized and those abused or harassed on the basis of race, faith, gender or caste. After finishing her secondary education at CMS Mowbray College, Kandy, young Gethsi decided to pursue in the noble profession of teaching. Two years later in 1956, she passed out as a first-class double trained teacher from the Department of Education. She was specialised in psychology at the same time. 

Gethsie Shanmugam,  1960

Young Gethsie received her first teaching appointment from her own alma mater. During this time, she had to go to Nallur for some training. Over there she met and soon started a passionate relationship with a young man from Jaffna called Muthuwelu Shanmugam. He was a Hindu and she was an Anglican. In 1961 the two of them married in Jaffna. Within a few years, two daughters were born. The four of them lived a very modest and happy life. After the birth of her first child, Gethsie had to give up her teaching. Soon they came and settled in Colombo. It was during this time she joined SJC. 

With her husband 

At the staff of SJC

She often told me of how she learnt the value of discipline during these early years. The reason was the strict but efficient conduct maintained in SJC at that time.  In 1971 one afternoon, Gethsie was called by Fr. Mervyn Weerakkody, the new Rector of SJC. Fr. Weerakkody assigned her to specialise in training English as a second language. This course was for two years. Gethsi would often tell me “I don’t know how good I was as an English teacher. The boys already knew the language better than me! Though I was to teach English, for most of the period we spoke on life education”. She further said, “I learnt to listen to them. They wanted someone to hear them out. Their problems, their stigmas. This inspired me. I knew I had something more than teaching”. It was during this time one of the most respected and celebrated priests who walked in the portals of SJC, made his comeback to the Josephian community. Fr. Justin Perera had inspired generations of old boys, especially in the 1940s and 1950s. Fr. Justin was a master counsellor. 

A man who saved thousands of suicidal lives. He had perfected the art of reading actions and minds. Young Gethsie had found a person who she could relate to. Fr. Justin became a close friend and associate of hers. While he spent all day listening to confessions and counselling, he would teach Gethsie what he had learnt. 

The young Josephians would find great consolation in her presence. She knew the art of talking to the youth. One day, a boy who could not face his family over some issue, ran into Gethsie asking her help. The boy had no where to go. Gethsie let the boy spend a few days in her house assisting his mental wellbeing and finally reconciliating him with his family. She never hesitated to help such helpless boys especially in the boarding who had serious personal issues regarding their identity and other mental traumas. The boys perceived her as an angel for their weariness and they found deep solace through her kind and gentle style of talking and comforting them. Even after her routine school hours she used to spend countless hours helping children. 

She was deeply put to the test when the racial riots occurred after the 1977 General Elections. Gethsie and her family lost their house. They had no where to go until two priests came and picked them up. They were Fr. Quintus Fernando, the Rector of SJC and Fr. Stanley Fernandopulle OMI. The two priests drove their van all around Colombo to pick all the teachers of the minority who were likely to be persecuted and hid them in the College Quarters for priests until the riot settled. What was more surprising was that Fr. Quintus did not take rest until these teachers had proper houses again. Through the intervention of his close friend, Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa, Fr. Quintus was able to purchase a flat for Gethsi and her family. Gethsie continues to live in this same apartment.

Gethsie Shanmugam with Dr. Quintus G. Fernando and Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1978

Gethsi continued her great work and her life took a serious U-Turn when Fr. Quintus asked her to follow a counselling course in psychology at Aquinas. It was during this time she met Fr. Mervyn Fernando, who was trying to establish the Subodhi Institute. 

The kind counsellor 

Fr. Mervyn of Subodhi was a pioneer in the Family Apostolate in Sri Lanka. When he established Subodhi in 1981, Gethsie was one of the very first volunteers. It was here that she started to play a pivotal role in shaping boys and girls from various places in the country. Guiding the youth is far from easy. It is an age where one tends to lose faith and try various things without much thinking or planning. Gethsie had to work with such young boys and girls. But with her self-effacing personality, her love and kindness, along with her sharp mind to read these youth, she was able to help them. With time she mastered the art of counselling and guiding the youth through their personal crises. Sadly, in August 1981, she lost her dear friend Fr. Justin. She, who was at his death bed, was left devastated for a long time.

In July 1983, Gethsie was put to the test again. This was the infamous Black July riots which impacted the entire island, especially the Tamil minority. Racism had raised it ugly head as selfish minds played their political games. Once again Gethsi and all the Tamil teachers were kept safe in the Josephian premises by the then Rector, Fr. Stanley Abeysekera. Schools were closed but these teachers and their families were safely protected. However, the stigma was too hard. Some had lost their homes and all belongings. Many reluctantly decided to leave the country. Gethsie had to make a tough choice as well. Hers was to stay. However, she discerned that her best hour was to come. To guide not just the youth but the marginalised and those victims of oppression. She prematurely retired from teaching in 1983. She once told me, “Avishka, I truly miss that Chapel. I used to kneel down there to be filled by the Spirit and pray for all those who needed me. I had a great bond with that lovely Chapel”.

With Fr. Stanley Abeysekera and Fr. Bonnie Fernandopulle, 1983

However, Fr. Stanley Abeysekera had new plans for her. Fr. Stanley was a true visionary. This was to start a standard scheme for counselling at SJC. The lead resource person for this was Fr. Mervyn Fernando. Gethsie Shanmugam, Sr. Janet Nethasinghe, and Fr. Joseph Benedict Fernando were the other members. This created a much-needed spiritual development in students. Their approach to integral education started to evolve. Gethsie was soon involved in counselling both teachers and students of St. Bridget’s Convent as well. This she continued till the mid-80s. On the other hand, she travelled extensively helping the poor and marginalised with her good friend Fr. Mervyn. With time she received much more training in psychology both locally and overseas. Her involvement with children from the streets and shanties was immense. She always had a way to navigate the lives of those poor girls and boys she met. 

With Fr. Mervyn Fernando in India c. 1980s

With the severe effects of the war in progress, she bravely travelled to the war zones where innocent women and children were mourning and suffering with the loss of their husbands and fathers. She felt empathetic. Her experiences in Colombo were now being tested. Step by step she approached these oppressed people and was able to be their most profound source of consolation. To them she was perceived as a mother of peace and serenity. This was what these poor souls had longed for. With great grit and courage, she was able to convert their sorrow and weariness to hope. She had answers for their countless questions. Soon she compiled a little booklet regarding the war widows and orphans. As a result of this publication, she was recruited as a Senior Programme Officer for the Red Barna, ‘Save the Children’ programme of Norway. 

She collaborated with some renowned psychologists and psychiatrists; and was highly involved in bringing practical solutions to rehabilitate these victims of war. Her steadfast vision was to re-instate hope and the sense of a future to these oppressed people. Her expertise in psychology and experiences before enabled her to fulfil this. With much success in these projects, Gethsie continued to travel to areas where the war was ongoing, risking her life, to lend her hand to the needy. She travelled throughout the Northern and Eastern Provinces. With all her social work in progress she continued to be a dedicated wife and a loving mother to her daughters. Truly, this is the beauty of Gethsie’s life.

Vellor, 1987

Gethsie was deeply interested to foster an early and basic education for the war affected children. While helping their mental health she advocated for child rights and was able to train others to do such social work. Apart from her work, she collaborated with the Batticaloa Organisation ESCO along with other colleagues to establish Snekatheepam. This was a pioneering safe house for children who had been victims of abuse and neglect. In 2004, she had to face a new challenge. Now Gethsi was seventy. The Boxing Day Tsunami had wrecked the lives of thousands in Sri Lanka. She did not hesitate to rehabilitate these victims. With her decades of experiences in hand, she trained eighty government teachers to carry on social work specially to heal minds.

After the war ended Gethsie left Red Barna. But her social work did not end. At 75, she was consulted by others to rehabilitate child soldiers and children physically and sexually abused during the war. She was instrumental in advising the care arrangements for the children of migrant workers. I could go on and on, writing about Gethsie Shanmugam’s service to mankind but it will surely result in a big book! One of her contemporaries at St. Joseph’s, Siva Loganathan, comments on her work as follows,

"As a teacher, the interest & love she bestowed on her students—> many past students continue to keep in touch with her.

Even during the war in Sri Lanka she took the risk of travelleing to affected areas to counsel those under the trauma of the war

Devoted to her family, took great care of her late husband for several years

Many Tamil teachers were “refugees” in the school premises after 1983 rioters.  Her pleasant and mature outlook helped in keeping us calm during that period."

Though she never expected any reward or awards in appreciation to her work, when the trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award announced her as a recipient for the year 2017, those who knew and associated were not surprised at all, for she deserved this award by all means. The foundation of the award said, “…the board of trustees recognises her compassion and courage in working under extreme conditions to rebuild war-scarred lives, her tireless efforts over four decades in building Sri Lanka’s capacity for psychological support, and her deep inspiring humanity in caring for women and children, war’s most vulnerable victims”.

Magsaysay Award Winner 2017

It was a Friday morning in 2018. My friends and I, the Senior Board of Prefects of St. Joseph’s College were to have our weekly meeting with Fr. Anton Ranjith (now Bishop Anton), our Vice-Rector. Soon Fr. Anton briefed us about one of our former teachers who had just been awarded a prestigious prize in Manila. We were to felicitate her at the Prize Giving. I was immediately curious to know about her story. I remember her climbing the stage of the Auditorium to collect her award from Fr. Travis Gabriel. She received a standing ovation! Soon I came to know her personally and was a regular visitor at her apartment in Anderson flats. Her apartment is an open-house. Always with food and drinks for guests like myself and a perfect environment to relax and have a good conversation. Frankly, I always felt her place was an ashram. 

We became closer during the latter days of my research in compiling the “Story of St. Joseph's College”. This was a very tough period in my life. I was bewildered to decide whether to publish or not to publish what would be my magnum opus (as of now). She taught me to stand my ground when I was to do the right thing despite the fact of how much opposition I would face. I owe a lot to Gethsie Shanmugam for teaching me to live with integrity, dignity and most importantly to be as humble as possible and never to despise people who would oppose me. Forgiveness is very hard, but she taught me that it was the best way of being a true human. Men and women of all ages have a lot to take from the glorious life of Gethsie Shanmugam. She always lived and worked for others, went after her dreams which was to serve others. Truly, she is a role model all of us must emulate. 

avishkamario@gmail.com 

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Special thanks to Robert Crusz and Siva Loganathan.

Reference

Galappatti, Ananda, 'Gethsie Shanmugam honoured for work with vulnerable Children's, Medium.com,  2016, retrieved from https://medium.com/@agalappatti/gethsie-shanmugam-honoured-for-work-with-vulnerable-children-in-sri-lanka-3635bdedaaa6

All photographs from the album of Gethsie Shanmugam.