Uthum Herat
Amal Uthum Herat (15 September 1957 - 23 October 2009) born in Colombo, Sri Lanka was Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and Alternate Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund.[1][2]
Dr. Amal Uthum Herat | |
---|---|
Deputy Governor Central Bank of Sri Lanka | |
In office 27 May 2009 – 23 October 2009 | |
Preceded by | Ranee Jayamaha |
Succeeded by | Priyantha Fernando |
Alternate Executive Director International Monetary Fund | |
Personal details | |
Born | 15 September 1957 |
Died | 23 October 2009 52) | (aged
Alma mater | S. Thomas' Preparatory School, Kollupitiya, S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia, University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Purdue University |
Profession | Economist |
School education
Uthum Herat received his early education at St. Thomas' Preparatory School in Kollupitiya and St Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia. He was a school prefect[3] a member of the English Debating and Drama Societies, (with Chanaka Amaratunga, RD Gunaratne and Richard de Zoysa), a member of the Classical Quiz competition team which won the National competition (with Rohan Edirisinghe, Richard de Zoysa, RD Gunaratne, Chanaka Amaratunga and Devaka Fernando)[4][5] a member of the Science Quiz team which reached the semi-finals of the national competition (with RD Gunaratne Professor Chandu de Silva and Devaka Fernando). He was a committee member of the English Drama Society, represented the college in Chess, was secretary of the Chess Club and was awarded colours in Chess in 1975.[6] other classmates included Russell de Mel and Duleep Goonewardena .[7] His teachers included D.S. Jayasekera,[8] ECK Abayasekera[9] and Duleep De Chickera. Ivan Corea[10] recollects Hearts contributions as a member of the Student Christian Movement. Herat was awarded the Bishop's Senior Divinity Prize and the HL Wendt Memorial Scholarship and served as Secretary of the Student Christian Movement.[11]
University education
Herat entered the university of Jaffna but transferred to the University of Sri Jayawardenapura and was awarded a BSc degree with first class honours by the University of Sri Jayawardenapura. He was later awarded MSc and PhD from Purdue University in the United States.
Career with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Herat was one of Sri Lanka's leading figures in the world of banking. Having served the Central Bank of Sri Lanka with distinction for 26 years he was appointed Deputy Governor, the highest office for a career central banker in Sri Lanka, on 27 May 2009.[12]
As Deputy Governor, Herat was in charge of financial system stability, and chaired the Financial Stability Committee, and also served on many key committees within the Central Bank including the Monetary Policy Committee and Foreign Exchange Management Committee. He was also the ex-officio Chairman of the Credit Information Bureau of Sri Lanka and the National Payment Council.
Prior to his appointment as Deputy Governor, Herat worked in the Statistics Department, and the Economic Research Department. While in Economic Research Department, he served as the Head of International Finance, Head of Money and Banking, Deputy Director, Additional Director, and as Director of Economic Research. In 2004, Herat was released to the International Monetary Fund to serve as Alternate Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Sri Lanka. Upon his return to the Bank in 2007, Herat assumed office as Assistant Governor in charge of Bank Supervision Department, Supervision of Non-Bank Financial Institutions Department, Financial Stability Departments and several operational departments within the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.[13]
Dr. Herat was also the Chairman of the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL) since July 2009.[14]
He was a much loved and deeply respected official of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32]
Author
Uthum Herat was an author on financial matters writing for both national and international magazines and newspapers - in the areas of monetary policy, foreign exchange market, financial sector reforms, money laundering, Central Bank independence, economic growth, exchange rate, financial market deployment, unemployment and savings and investments.
He was an educator, sharing his expertise with university students in Sri Lanka - Dr. Herat was a visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo and the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka, SEACEN Research and Training Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka. He was also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in the United Kingdom.
Lay preacher
Herat was a committed Christian and a man of faith.[33] He was a Lay Preacher at the Methodist Church in Mount Lavinia. Church life was an integral part of Dr Herat, over the years he had led the Youth Fellowship, he was also General Superintendent of the Sunday School.[34] In April 1974 he represented St.Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia in a dramatised act of Easter Worship, ' Breakdown and Breakthrough,' directed by Gillian Todd and held at the Anglican Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour, in Colombo.[35]
Death
At the age of 52, having been hospitalized after a stroke, Uthum Herat died on 23 October 2009 at a private hospital in Colombo. He is remembered not only for his service as a central banker but also for his charitable work in Sri Lanka.
References
- "Dr Uthum Herat the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Passed Away". Central Bank. 23 October 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
- "IMF Executive Directors Directory:Amal Uthum Herat". Bank Information Center. September 2007. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
- "School prefects". Tyretracks.com. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
- Rohan Edirisinghe: Those memorable days in the 1970's St Thomas' College Mount Lavinia, in The History of the Old Boys' Association, MD Gunasena &Co 1985 page 172
- "Funeral Oration delivered by [http://www.cmb.ac.lk/academic/Science/Departments/Chemistry/RD/rd.htm RD Gunaratne] at Thanksgiving Service Dr Uthum Herat". tyretracks.com. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
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: External link in
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- Centenary Issue S Thomas'College Magazine Term 1 1976
- "D.S.Jayasekera-Unassuming in disposition, he walked tall.Daily Mirror, 24 August 2006". tyretracks.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
- "D.S.Jayasekera-Unassuming in disposition, he walked tall.Daily Mirror, 24 August 2006". tyretracks.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
- "Funeral Oration delivered by [http://www.cmb.ac.lk/academic/Science/Departments/Chemistry/RD/rd.htm RD Gunaratne] at Thanksgiving Service Dr Uthum Herat". tyretracks.com. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
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- "Tribute Dr. Uthum Heart (1957-2009) Daily News Tuesday, 10 November 2009". dailynews.lk. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
- Centenary Issue S Thomas'College Magazine Term 1 1976
- "Four new Deputy Governors of the Central Bank". Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. 5 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
- "Dr Uthum Herat the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Passed Away". Central Bank. 23 October 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
- "IBSL gets new Chairman and Vice Chairman". Sunday Observer, Sri Lanka. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- http://pdfs.island.lk/2009/10/29/p10.pdf Appreciation - Thank You Uthum Aiya (Nelun Herat) The Island Sri Lanka
- http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=66169 In Appreciation of Dr. Uthum Herat - Central Bank of Sri Lanka - Daily Mirror Sri Lanka
- http://en-gb.www.mozilla.com/en-GB/firefox/central/ Dr Amal Uthum Herat – a rare intellect - Financial Times/Sunday Times Sri Lanka
- http://www.sundaytimes.lk/091108/Plus/plus_07.html A man who lived after the manner of his name "Uthum" - Sunday Times Sri Lanka
- http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/10/fea31.asp Tribute - Dr. Uthum Herat (1957-2009) Daily News Sri Lanka
- http://sundaytimes.lk/091101/Plus/plus_06.html He would not have lived his life any other way - Sunday Times Sri Lanka
- http://www.nation.lk/2009/11/29/letters.htm Archived 2009-12-03 at the Wayback Machine Dr.Amal Uthum Herat - Minisun atharey deviyek - The Nation Sri Lanka
- http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2009/11/22/appreciation-4/ Appreciation - Dr.Uthum Herat - Sunday Leader Sri Lanka
- http://www.island.lk/2009/11/15/features12.html An Appreciation - Uthum Herat - The Island Sri Lanka
- http://www.island.lk/2009/11/22/features7.html Appreciation - Uthum Herat, PhD,FCMA - Sunday Island Sri Lanka
- http://www.nation.lk/2009/11/01/letters.htm A superior human being standing above all - The Nation Sri Lanka
- http://bandaragama.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/1583/ Uthum Herat, Homo economicus la excepción (1957-2009)
- http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=259645669 Sri Lanka Deputy Central Governor Passes Away - Lanka Business Online
- http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=65680 Dr.Herat No More - Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka
- http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/10/25/main_Obituaries.asp Obituary of Dr.Uthum Herat in the Sunday Observer, Sri Lanka
- http://sundaytimes.lk/091025/FinancialTimes/ft18.html Top Central Bank Official Dies - Sunday Times, Sri Lanka
- http://sundaytimes.lk/090405/FinancialTimes/ft340.html Four New Deputy Governors of the Central Bank - Sunday Times Sri Lanka
- http://sundaytimes.lk/090329/News/sundaytimesnews_14.html Many Changes at Central Bank - Sunday Times Sri Lanka
- "Tribute: Dr. Uthum Herat (1957-2009)". Daily News, Sri Lanka. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
- "A man who lived after the manner of his name "Uthum"". Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. 8 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
- "Lasting Tribute:Dr.Uthum Herat". Associated Northcliffe Digital Limited, London, UK. October 2009. Archived from the original on 2012-08-04. Retrieved 2009-11-08.