Regrettably, only four from our batch attended.
I leave it to you to identify the four in the group.
Lalitha Mendis in blue and black (with shawl)
Revo, Mangala and Larina. Standing in green shirt is Ranjith Abeywickrama who was an year senior to us.
Mangala and Iyanthi (Ranjith Abeywickrama's wife).
In green dress is the present Dean of the Colombo Medical Faculty and SLMA President Prof. Jennifer Perera. In the foreground in bluish saree is Nilani Sugathapala (Gajaweera) our senior batch.
Iyanthi and Ranjith Abeywickrama, myself and Sarath Gamini de Silva (Physician)
Mangala with the Drahamans.
Pram (standing) with Prof. Sheriffdeen, Prof. Chandrika Wijeratne and Dr Mrs. Pallewela (probably the most senior participant at this year's gathering)
Prof. Athula Kaluarachchi (President elect of CoMSAA) and Prof. Jennifer Perera
Pram making her presentation on "Trials, Tribulations and Joys of Sex"
Dr. Philip Veerasingham (Retd. General Surgeon) at extreme right with his family. Philip administers the only other batch blog for 1960 Entrants (also called the "Three hundred batch"). Please take a look when you have time by clicking on: http://1960medicalbatchcolombo.blogspot.com/
Thank you Luckey for posting these photos of the COMSA do. How I wish I was there.!!. .My present state of health and mind does not permit me to do so!! Nice to see the "FOURSOME" and 2 SPOUSES!! Kinidest regards to ALL
ReplyDeleteOnce again for keeping us upto date ot the goings on COMSA front.
Razaque.
In spite of all my efforts (sending out the Flyer well in advance of the date by personal e-mail to all members, publicity given in the blog, taking and circulating photographs, sending out the CoMSAA newsletter even to non-members, regular reminders and CoMSAA news items etc.,) we had only four from our batch at this year's CoMSAA Reunion. As you yourself will concede, this is very unsatisfactory.
ReplyDeleteI know that some have opted not to join our Alumni Association in spite of repeated attempts and coaxing by a few. But please be reminded that even non-members are eligible to attend. This concession is granted mainly to provide an incentive for them to join CoMSAA
1960 Entrants (commonly called the "Three Hundred Batch" or 1965 Batch) celebrated their 50th Anniversary of graduation in July this year on a grand scale. Ours is due in 2017 (don't forget that we graduated in 1967).
I write with the assumption that out of a batch of 166, I can at least reach
108 of you by e-mail (I have that many e-mail addresses on paper!). Of this group, some inboxes remain "full" and their e-mails bounce back. Some check e-mails whenever they feel like it! I am mindful of the fact that 28 have already passed away. I personally know that quite a few are not in the best of health and unable to make use of air travel. Some are disabled or bedridden and unable to communicate.
It is with much regret that I pen these lines to warn my dear colleagues that in the absence of any support or encouragement except from a handful, I too might lose interest one of these days.
Lucky
DeleteI am not quite clear. Are you unhappy with the poor attendance and support for CoMSAA, the lack of support for the Blog or is it both.
As for the Blog you are doing a marvellous job and I cant think of anyone else who could do it better. Support for the Blog will always remain as it is now - many read and just a handful will comment and contribute. Doing my school website for 20 years I can say that support is inadequate for the amount of work one has to put in to keep it alive. It is a labour of love. Nevertheless it does have an important function of keeping many of us in contact and able to express views about matters that concern us all.
Those of us who live in exile have lived nearly 50 years away from home and have extended families and a busy life . Many belong to different communities, groups and organisations and life is full. I personally like to keep in contact with batchmates via the blog but CoMSAA is a bridge too far, although I endorse fully its aims and commitment.
I sincerely hope you will continue to provide this useful function and we all realise nothing is forever. Thank you is not a big enough word to express our appreciation.
ND
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYou do try Lucky and that is all one can do. I am on holiday in Dublin at the moment and I am coming to SL in October and just couldn't come twice on short time. I am sure there are others abroad too who have personal reasons for coming at a different time and find it difficult to combine things. I am curious as to why more of our colleagues based in SL were not able to attend.
ReplyDeleteAmen -- Aameen - in Arabic, Mahen.
ReplyDeleteCannot agree more. it is a shame on OUR BATCHMATES who are members of CoMSA in SL I have echoed the same sentiments in an e-mail to Luckey, Mahen!!
Luckey -- you do not have to 'tear your hair out' (sorry for the pun - couldn't help it. Its my 'dry sense ''of humour) on this score. You have gone beyond your call of DUTY and HONOUR to the Batch & tried YOUR BEST.
It is up to others to take heed of this & search their conscience and not let less than a handful to up-keep and prop this Blog, LEST, IT FALL ON ITS FACE.
I have said my piece and now its up to the rest of the Batch to TAKE NOTE and act sooner than later , if you at all log on to this Blog???.
This is me, "shooting from the hip"-----
RAZAQUE.
.
I have had a flood of responses to my rather controversial e-mail dated 16 September 2015 which I also posted on the blog. Judging by the number of responses that I received within the first 48 hours itself, I can come to the conclusion that many members of the batch read my e-mails and also visit the blog although they don't contribute.
ReplyDeleteRegarding ND's opening query, it is both. I am not too happy with the poor attendance at the CoMSAA Reunion as well as the lack of support for the Blog. I have said repeatedly that the blog was started during the build up to our 50th Anniversary celebrations. So, both are closely intertwined.
In hindsight, I feel that I should have mentioned that it was primarily aimed at members of the batch who are based in Sri Lanka. I do understand the difficulties of those who are domiciled abroad to attend CoMSAA events with other personal commitments and family events coming up all year round.
My biggest problem however is that I am unable to maintain a regular dialogue with at least the majority of batch members via e-mail or the blog.
Lucky
ReplyDeleteWhat you see is what you get.
Nothing more and nothing less.
That is the sad situation we have to put up with. It is so easy to write an email. No stamp needed and no need to visit a postbox. Just a click of the rodent and it's gone. But even then many prefer to remain silent.
Take heart that there are many out there who read every word in the Blog silently. The rest must make up for it, comment and contribute.
ND
It is great to see my friend Revo after a long time. So pleased to see him look so well. We last met in my house a couple of years ago - listened to all those Malay songs after a few whiskys. Good to see Pram too and wish I heard her speech!! One never stops learning!! I remember Lalitha Mendis from Medical College days. She looks just the same - elegant.
ReplyDelete"Tempus Fugit"
ND
My apologies to Lama. I did recognise your smile. It is great to see you. What comes easily to mind is our final year trip and those memorable antics. I will not delve into it any further!! You do look well and I wish you a happy and a long retirement. The last time I spoke to you on the phone you were in Brighton. Let us hope we have the good fortune to meet again.
ReplyDeleteND
Although Sanath Lama has officially retired, he continues to teach students at the Rajarata Medical Faculty. The following lines have been reproduced from an old post on this very same blog (see under the "News" label/category).
ReplyDelete"It is indeed a noble gesture on the part of our distinguished colleague Sanath Lamabadusuriya to have taken a decision to help out. Accordingly, Sanath will be spending alternate weeks in Rajarata, Monday to Friday. He has responded to the many requests from there considering the fact that there is not a single senior teacher for Paediatrics. Sanath's decision to teach the deserving students in Rajarata is all the more creditable because there had been many requests from the Malabe Teaching Hospital (a private institution that was started by former MP Dr. Neville Fernando) for his services. It is a known fact that students at Malabe are much more privileged and come from affluent homes unlike the relatively poor students in Rajarata".
Is the Malabe outfit, as you say. Luckey is one for the privileged & affluent few??. Does that mean the students are "failures who were not selected to other Med State Med Schools"?????
DeleteI am glad that Sanath has decided to help out the Rajarata Med School.and I am sure it will be much appreciated by those folk & does good for his "next life in ELYSIUM"!!!.
You all know what my views are as regards Private Medicine???
Razaque
Indeed it was great to see some known faces, although the numbers were small- but,quality not quantity! I have no hard feelings at all towards those who have opted out of active involvement with the Blog and related events as that is a choice they have made. It does not mean that they have obliterated memories but just a recognition that time has passed and their lives are filled with the need to deal with more immediate and relevant things. I always said that a sign of a true friendship is when you are able to pick up from where you left, however long that may have been, and the ability to respond when help is needed. In my "picture gallery of life", the 1962-1967 series lies far far behind the thousands of pictures that happened since but I am able to lift that album and gaze at those old pictures with a smile on my face as I recall those memorable times!
ReplyDeleteLucky, is it possible to publish at least a synopsis of Pram;s talk on the Joys, Trials and Tribulations of sex in the Blog?
ReplyDeleteOur astrologer Shiva Raj Baba Ji is a renowned world astrologer in California, USA.
ReplyDeleteBest Psychic Astrologer in California | Best Indian Astrologer in California | Black Magic Removal in California |Negative Energy Removal in California | Best Business Problems in California |Best Husband Wife Disputes In Californa| Love Marraige Problem Solution in California| Best Indian astrologer in Florida