Convocation - 1967

I must confess that this is the first and only picture that I have seen of the 1967 Convocation in Peradeniya. I was not there to receive my degree certificate in person due to unavoidable circumstances. I still remember how I was almost forced to be "on call" not only for the medical wards, but to some other units as well, that particular day at Colombo South Hospital where I did my Internship. We had many Peradeniya graduates who wanted to make use of the rare opportunity to go back to Peradeniya where they had spent five years as medical students. Among them were Adiel Anghie, Chandana Bopitiya, Philomena Perera, Dayanithi Tharmakulasingham, Shanthi Karalasingham, Rita Saverimuttu. So, I reluctantly agreed not only to stay back, but to cover up for others. However, a week or so later, I went to Plate Studios and got a picture of myself dressed in full academic garb! As some of you have seen, it has a special place on the walls of my study at home.

Anyway, getting back to this picture, I think I can recognise the late Christie Karunakaran and Clement de Silva (who too graduated with us although they were in the senior batch), Yankee Bala, the late Dawne de Silva, Sura, Rajasooriyar, VPH Rajapaksa, Kusuma, Chandra Silva, Chirasri, Pram and JC. I may be wrong. Most of them are mere guesses.