S. Vedvanam - "Veda" as he was better known to us all

By Razaque Ahamat

I knew Veda, less well known as Sivakumar to his mates  at Med school, quite well as a good hearted, cheeky, and very cheerful batch mate. In the subsequent years our families became very close. When I was DMO at Ittapana, he visited me and spent a night with me when he came to attend a blood donor session at Matugama. He was so friendly and his classless nature was such  that he had a long jaw with my "home help" man in Tamil, which my 'house-keeper, never forgot . That night we went out to dinner at Beruwela Beach Hotel and the next day he was off to Matugama. Then in subsequent years we got together again in the Blood Services fraternity.

I was in London in 1975, fairly well settled when he came to UK. I went to Heathrow Airport to meet him on his arrival and he stayed with us  at my place at St.George's Hospital Medical School doctor's residence at Tooting London for a while till he found a suitable career posting at St.Alban,s, Herts  When his wife Dhushyanthi and his children joined him in UK, our families moved very closely till my move to Scotland  in 1984. Whenever we visited Sri Lanka, we never failed to see up his Mum for which he was ever  so grateful.Then on we lost contact till Dhushy got in touch with us some years later to pass on the news that he was not in the best of health..

On receiving the sad news from Luckey Abey, we got in touch with Dhushy, and had  a long chat with her. It transpired that he had recovered quite well from major surgery in 2013 and was up and about despite his other ailments!!!! He had gone to the Town Centre for his usual stroll and a spot of shopping when he had suffered a massive heart attack that took him away from us all for good!!! Both his children have followed him in his footsteps  into our profession and are me Members of respective Royal Colleges and both have moved on to be GP's .We wish them all, including Dhushy, our good wishes and best of good health for the future.

Sivakumar, better known to us as VEDA, will be long remembered for his always bright, cheerful, and good nature that  endeared him to us all. Of course his cheeky manner was also his characteristic demeanour that none of us can ever forget!!!.