Shridath Ramphal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shridath Surendranath Ramphal
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Sir Shridath Ramphal in 2015
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| 2nd Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations | |
| In office 1 July 1975 – 30 June 1990 |
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| Head | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Arnold Smith |
| Succeeded by | Chief Emeka Anyaoku |
| 2nd Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana | |
| In office 1972–1975 |
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| Prime Minister | Forbes Burnham |
| Preceded by | Forbes Burnham |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Wills |
| 1st Assistant Attorney General of the West Indies Federation | |
| In office 3 January 1958 – 31 May 1962 |
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| Chancellor of the University of the West Indies | |
| In office 1989–2003 |
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| Preceded by | Allen Montgomery Lewis |
| Succeeded by | George Alleyne |
| Chancellor of the University of Warwick | |
| In office 1989–2002 |
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| Preceded by | Leslie Scarman, Baron Scarman |
| Succeeded by | Nick Scheele |
| Chancellor of the University of Guyana | |
| In office 1990–1992 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 October 1928 New Amsterdam, Berbice, British Guiana (present-day East Berbice-Corentyne, Guyana) |
| Died | 30 August 2024 (aged 95) |
| Spouse |
Lois Winifred King
(m. 1951; |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Harvard Law School |
| Alma mater | King's College London (LL.B., LL.M.) |
Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal (born October 3, 1928 – died August 30, 2024) was an important politician from Guyana. People often called him Sir Sonny Ramphal. He was the second Commonwealth Secretary-General, a big job he held for 15 years, from 1975 to 1990.
Before that, he was the foreign minister for Guyana from 1972 to 1975. He also worked as an assistant attorney general for the West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. Sir Shridath was also a member of the Earth Charter International Commission.
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Early Life and Education
Sir Shridath Ramphal was born in New Amsterdam, which was then called British Guiana. His family was Indo-Guyanese. One of his grandmothers came from British India. She left her home due to difficult cultural circumstances.
Ramphal went to schools in Georgetown. Later, he studied law at King's College London. He earned two law degrees there. In 1951, he became a lawyer in London. He also studied law for a year at Harvard Law School in the United States.
A Career in Law and Politics
Sir Shridath began his legal career in 1953. He worked in the Attorney-General's Office. He became the Solicitor-General. Then he was the Assistant Attorney-General for the West Indies Federation.
After working as a private lawyer in Jamaica, he returned to British Guiana in 1965. There, he became the Attorney General. This meant he was the chief legal advisor to the government.
Becoming a Minister
Two years later, he also became a Minister of State. This was in the Ministry of External Affairs. He later became the Minister of Justice in 1973. From 1972, he served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This role meant he handled Guyana's relationships with other countries.
In 1975, he left Guyana for a new, very important role. He became the Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Leading the Commonwealth
As the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Sir Shridath led a group of countries. These countries were mostly former parts of the British Empire. He worked to bring them together. He also helped them solve problems.
During his time, he played a big part in fighting against apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation. He helped push for economic actions against it.
In 1995, he also helped lead a group called the Commission on Global Governance. This group looked at big world issues. These included how countries work together and global security.
Roles in Education
Sir Shridath Ramphal also cared a lot about education. He served as the Chancellor for several universities. A Chancellor is like the head of a university.
- He was Chancellor of the University of Warwick from 1989 to 2002.
- He was Chancellor of the University of the West Indies from 1989 to 2003.
- He was Chancellor of the University of Guyana from 1990 to 1992.
Awards and Recognitions
Sir Shridath received many important awards and honors. These showed how much his work was valued.
- In 1966, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.
- In 1970, he was knighted by the Queen. This is why he was called "Sir".
- In 1990, he received a higher honor, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.
- He was also honored by Australia in 1982.
- In 1990, he received the Order of New Zealand, which is New Zealand's highest civilian honor.
- In 1992, he became a Member of the Order of the Caribbean Community.
- The Ramphal Building at the University of Warwick was named after him.
In 2002, he was given the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize. In 2003, he received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from the President of India. These awards recognized his work for peace and global cooperation.
Sir Shridath Ramphal passed away on August 30, 2024, at the age of 95.
