Table of ContentsTable of Contents
| Foreword by NeiliyaPerera (N.U. Jayawardena Charitable Trust) | ii |
| Acknowledgements | iii |
| Photographs &Illustrations | iv |
| Family Trees | x |
| Chapter 1 Unchanging Hambantota The Family – Hambantota in Colonial Times – Persistent Poverty and Disease – Agriculture and Chena Cultivation – Hunting and Shooting with the International Elite | 1 |
| Chapter 2 NU’s Social Milieu Religious Background – Education and Illiteracy – The Consciousness of Caste – The Resthouse Culture | 13 |
| Chapter 3 Emancipation through Education The Colonial School System – Early Education at St.Mary’s – The Tangalle Connection – Devundara and Matara – The Importance of Railways | 23 |
| Chapter 4 Galle and St. Aloysius’ College Among the Jesuits – Studying in the Train – The Rail-Bus Phenomenon – The Influence of St.Aloysius’ and Its Teachers – NU’s Teachers – The Library and Reading Room – Cricket – NU’s Success | 33 |
| Chapter 5 The Lure of Government Service Underdevelopment and the Ruhuna Diaspora – The Passion for Education – The Clerical Service as aStepping Stone | 49 |
| Chapter 6 Early Employment and the Move to Colombo An Uncertain Future – Back to School – Early Days in Colombo – Colombo in the Late 1920s – Politics in the 1920s – NU’s Work Ethic | 57 |
| Chapter 7 Marriage to Gertrude Wickramasinghe Meeting at the Resthouse – The Wickramasinghe Clan – Gertrude Wickramasinghe – Girls’ Education | 67 |
| Chapter 8 Early Career and London Degree Studying for the B.Sc. (Econ.) – Aiming for a Higher Degree – Early Interest in Central Banking – Temporary Disappointments – Constitutional Reforms and New Vistas for NU – The Commercial Intelligence Unit | 75 |
| Chapter 9 The Banking Commission The Economic Depression of 1929-33 – The Chettiar Phenomenon – The Banking Commission – An “Invaluable Document” | 85 |
| Chapter 10 NU at the LSE NU in London – The LSE – The Economics Department – Robbins and Hayek – Business Administration – The Family Back Home | 95 |
| Chapter 11 Wartime in Sri Lanka NU and State – run Industries – Lecturing at University – Wartime Sri Lanka – The Japanese Attack on Sri Lanka – Oliver Goonetilleke – NU’s Career Advances – Another Career Landmark | 109 |
| Chapter 12 The Post-war Period and Independence Declining Terms of Trade – NU’s Link with Oliver Goonetilleke – Independence – Working with J.R.Jayewardene – Controller of Exchange – A Passion for Work – The Sterling Assets Agreements of 1948 & 1949 – The New Economic Order – Outmoded Systems | 121 |
| Chapter 13 The Central Bank NU’s Rise to the Top – John Exter’s Arrival – Economics of NU and John Exter – The Exter Report – Debate in Parliament – The Independence of the Bank – Department of Economic Research – Scholarships for Higher Education – The Research Library – Rewarding Merit – Socializing with the Exters – NU Succeeds Exter – Work and Discipline – More Travels and Negotiations Abroad – The Impending Fall | 135 |
| Chapter 14 Power Politics Politics and Kinship – Working with Uncles and Nephews – Tussle for Leadership – The Premier Stakes – Exchange Control Regulations – John Lionel Kotelawala – The Politics of Rice Subsidies – Kotelawala’s Turbulent Term in Office – Commission of Inquiry | 153 |
| Chapter 15 The Phoenix Rises Finding Solace in Religion and Community – Bouncing Back – Move to the Private Sector –The Fall of Kotelawala – Exoneration – NU the Senator | 165 |
| Epilogue | 179 |
| A Note about the Deshamanya N.U. Jayawardena Reading Room | 181 |
| Chronology | 182 |
| Bibliography | 185 |
| Photograph & Illustration Credits | 192 |
| Index | 193 |