Improvise, adapt and overcome

Improvise, Adapt and Overcome is the motto of Head Prefect of Lyceum International School Wattala, Chaniru Udukumbura, who believes that what you have been given, has been given to you for a reason. Perfect Prefect features Udukumbura who says the key is being yourself.

When it comes to people he admires, Barack Obama is on top of his list. Many praise Obama’s leadership calling it progressive. Obama is the fourth U.S. president to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Though some are sceptical about it, one needs to remember that he did, after all, eliminate Osama bin Laden. When he ran for president in 2008, his campaign slogan was “Change we can believe in.” He fulfilled this promise by ushering in many changes, some of them were excellent.

Uniqueness and originality

“You decide what your future will be. You are in control of your future. You can be the change. Take Barack Obama for example, I really admire him. He was the first African American to be elected as the 44th president of the United States. He got elected for two terms. I think Obama did a lot for his country,” said Udukumbura

When faced with adversity, Udukumbura remembers the words of another man he admires. An Adventurer named Bear Grylls. And those words are – ‘Improvise, Adapt and Overcome’. You have to take in your surroundings and understand exactly what situation you are in. And then adapt to it. You need to understand what the situation requires of you. Understand what you need to do. Then overcome. You do not need to do it all by yourself.

Udukumbura stated that what the world values are uniqueness and originality. You have been blessed with talents. They are your gifts. That is how you can be of service to society, not by becoming a copy of someone else.

“Be yourself. The world does not need people who copy others. The world needs people who want to be themselves. You need to have a backbone, be strong and stand up for what you believe in,” explained Udukumbura.

Technological advancements

During his younger days, Udukumbura wanted to become an Astronaut but now he has decided to focus on becoming a chemical engineer. He points out that in the recent past with the technological advancements there is a lot of scope in the fields of chemistry and biology.

Udukumbura highlighted the unrest in America and the Middle East when asked as to how he views the world. People were shocked to the core and dismayed when 9/11 happened, and now who could have anticipated this turn of events?

“With the threat of ISIS and Donald Trump’s wall, what will take place in the future is anyone’s guess. The situation in America and the Middle East is certainly a cause for concern. After 9/11 there were a lot of racist sentiments concerning Muslims. Now there is ISIS. So I think we need to believe in the better angels of our nature, put the past behind us and face the present with renewed optimism,” explained Udukumbura.

He also pointed out that what is happening in the world today is unfortunate - the US government is separating families who seek asylum in the US by crossing the border illegally. Dozens of parents have been split from their children. He has been moved emotionally when he heard of such stories – children, terrified crying out for their parents. Parents distraught and terrified not knowing what has become of their children. He asserted that this should never have happened.

Tough life

“When you take the outside world I am very interested in music. I love acting, reading and singing, basically the aesthetics. These interests of mine have taught me to improvise and adapt. It has taught me that you can be who you want to be. In the drama, you need to step into someone’s shoes instantaneously. You need to be in character. If for example, you are acting Macbeth you need to be Macbeth. That itself can be connected to Improvise, Adapt and Overcome. If you are doing something you have to give your 100 per cent and focus on that,” pointed out Udukumbura.

His message to the youth is that life is tough. It is not going to be easy facing the world after school. But as long as you have the support of those who are dearest to you, anything is possible. Also, you need to believe in yourself. If you have a particular goal, focus on that and put all of your strength into it.

“I love reading about Greek and Roman mythology. I love the Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan. It is how a young boy named Percy Jackson discovers he is the son of Poseidon. It is a story about demigods and their adventures. One lesson it teaches us is that what you have within you can also be used for good. My favourite myth is the myth of Perseus and the sea serpent. It has quite an interesting ending. But we cannot forget the myths of Hercules and Theseus. They are incredible stories as well. Percy Jackson teaches us that you can do anything you set your mind to. What you have within you, you have been given it for a reason,” explained Udukumbura.

He finally pointed out that Lyceum Wattala is the biggest of the Lyceum schools. It is a beautiful school with lots of greenery. It is superbly organized and the management is very supportive of the students.

“My alma mater provides not only education of the mind, but of the body and soul as well. It includes facilities such as fully equipped laboratories, a library well versed in any topic, a fully- fledged cricket ground, a synthetic track, two swimming pools, courts for a table and regular tennis, badminton, netball and basketball. We also have little friends, scouting, camping, along with numerous societies, clubs and non-physical activities. I’m prouder than can be expressed through words to be its Head Prefect,” said Udukumbura.