CoMSAA Newsletter

CoMSAA 2011	05:36 (2 hours ago)

Dear Alumni,

Herewith forwarding the 2nd Newsletter for this year.

Please enjoy.

BR

Dr. Sumithra Tissera

Joint Secretary CoMSAA

Click on:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?hl=en&tab=wm&pli=1#inbox/FMfcgxwDrvCSTKNgkxVjdlhkmWGkvSWT?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1

Colombo Medical School Alumni Association

Faculty of Medicine
University of Colombo
Sri Lanka

comsaa2011@gmail.com

www.comsaa.org

Attachments 

Indra and Rani Anandasabapathy in Sri Lanka

Indra and Rani Anandasabapathy are on an extended holiday in Sri Lanka. We hosted them to lunch today at our Battaramulla home.

L - R: Sanath Lama, Gnaniss, Pram, Indra, Lucky

Reflections from my Rocking Chair

By Nihal D Amerasekera

My soul delights in the stillness as I rest in the comfort of the chintz cushions and the gracious curves of my rocking chair. As the autumn wind and rain batter my windows I recline in my chair at peace with myself. There is often an urge to return to the dim and distant past. It gives me a soothing warmth to rummage through the archives of my mind to recover my very first childhood memory. My earliest recollections are of Bogawantalawa. It is a small town in a valley in the Central Province surrounded by mountains of tea estates.We were there from 1942-46 where my father was a Government Servant. It was a troubled time. World War II was raging across Europe and the Far-East. Somehow my little town seemed untouched by its cruelty and horrors. As a kid I was bemused to see an occasional convoy of jeeps and trucks carrying military men waving rifles.

We lived in a quaint upstairs house with a small rear garden.  At the front there were many rose bushes that were always in bloom. Our neighbour was a Tamil family. Their little girl was about my age. She came over to play with me. It seems I was more fluent in Tamil than Sinhala and wish I had kept it up. The house backed on to a hill. St Mary’s School on the hill had a large playground where my little friend and I often played. Next to the school was MrCherian, the headmaster’s house. He was a kindly man with jet black skin. He was often clad in a verti. His wife was a skinny lady with a Colgate smile. She was my mother’s closest companion.

In Bogawantalawa the rain was never faraway. I remember the cloudy skies and the rolling mist that covered the surrounding hills. People always wore mufflers and sweaters and carried umbrellas. The raincoat was a ‘must have’ accessory. There were many European planters riding noisy Motor Bikes. The only shop I remember is Maskeliya Stores on the High Street.It had lots of sweets on display. This was also the biggest shop in town where people did their weekly shopping. It gives me such great pleasure to see the shop has survived the ravages of time and is still open to business as shown in the Google Map of the area.

As I remember the evenings were peaceful beyond belief. Very often my mother and Mrs Cherian went out for walks on the gravel road in front of our house. There were times I joined them.The road meanderedthrough a lonely pine forest.I recall the primeval silence except for our chatter. My mother spoke in Tamil to her friend. We never met anyone on that winding road that went upto KehelgamuOya. This is a fast-flowing river with a temper and a simmering rage. There was a deafening noise of a multitude of rapids, water-falls and swirling currents. Therewasa footbridge across the river, a sentinel, which stood calm and serene despite the mayhem down below. One cannot get any closer to nature than this. Despite the years I can still recall the utter loneliness of the place with not a soul in sight.

When so much time has passed it is hard to find the earliest memory.There are no date stamps for the myriad of images that emerge at random. It is impossible to tease them out.There is a single memory that comes to the forefront of my thoughts.I was then about 4 years old and seated by an upstairs window fascinated by a storm that blew across the valley.The thunder and lightening were frightening. Rain fell in bucket loads. I watched in awe as the road was turned into a river.It is such a simple childhood memory of the splendour and the power of nature.

Servants of the Government were moved every 4 years what was euphemistically called transfers. All our possessions were loaded into a lorry and we bade farewell to our friends. As the sunset on our lives in the valley there was a new dawn in Nugegoda. We never returned to Bogawantalawa again.Since I retired, with time on my hands, there are always flashbacks of times past.  Occasionally those early wistful memories stillwakeup bringing joy to my soul.I enjoy the hustle and bustle and the bright city lightsin London.Time and again there are remindersof the peaceful existence in this rural idyll thatdistils the real meaning of life.

I have lived longer in Britain than in Sri Lanka but the memories of home and family and friends seem such a strong pull even after nearly half a century in exile. I have left a part of me in that beautiful island of my dreams.

AGM of CoMSAA

 

The 9^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of CoMSAA is scheduled to be held on Friday 15^th 

November 2019 at 6.00 pm at the Boardroom of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo. 

Herewith attaching the following documents for your reference;

1.      Minutes of the 8^th AGM

2.      Resolutions to be presented at the AGM

3.      Agenda for the 9^th AGM

Looking forward to seeing you all at the AGM

Thank you

Best Regards

Dr. Sumithra Tissera  

Co Secretary CoMSAA

Colombo Medical School Alumni Association

Faculty of Medicine
University of Colombo
Sri Lanka

comsaa2011@gmail.com

www.comsaa.org

3 Attachments

RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions to be included in the constitution, sent by Prof. SarojJayasinghe, discussed and accepted at the Council and forwarded for the approval of the CoMSAA Membership

1.      Extension of Membership to Medical Consultants/ Doctors working in the Ministry of Health and other Units attached to the MoH, who are directly involved in teaching students from the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo. Will not have voting powers.

2.      Allow formation of chapters in other countries where there are medical doctors who have passed out from the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo. All members of such foreign chapters should firstly be a member of the parent body, CoMSAA in Sri Lanka

AGENDA

Agenda of the 9^th Annual General Meeting of CoMSAA

15^thNovember 2019 at 6.00 pm

At the Board room, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo 08

Agenda

6.00pm	National Anthem
6.05pm	Welcome address by Dr. IyanthiAbeyewickreme - PresidentCoMSAA
6.10pm	Confirmation of Minutes of the 8th Annual General Meeting
6.15pm	Matters arising from Minutes
6.25pm	Annual Report - Dr. GayaniRanaweera (Joint-Secretary)
6.35pm	Treasurer’s Report –DrSahanGuruge (Treasurer)
6.45pm	Address by the outgoing President –Dr. IyanthiAbeyewickreme
6.55pm	Induction of the Incoming President, Awarding the President’s and Past President’s Medals
7.00pm	Election of office bearers for 2019/2020
7.05pm	Address by the incoming president- Vidyajothi Prof. Rezvi Sheriff
7.15pm	Resolutions
7.25pm	Vote of thanks
7.30pm	Refreshments

Minutes

Minutes of the 8^thAnnual General Meeting

Colombo Medical School Alumni Association (CoMSAA)

The 8^th AGM of CoMSAA was held on 2^ndNovember 2018, at 6pm, at the Board Room of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo

The following members attended the meeting

1.      Prof.  Jennifer Perera

2.      Dr. Iyanthi Abeyewickreme

3.      Dr. Sumithra Tissera

4.      Prof. Sudarshini Wasalathanthri

5.      Dr. B.J.C Perera

6.      Dr. L. Abeyagunawardene

7.      Dr. Christo Fernando

8.      Dr. G Shanthilal de Silva

9.      Dr. Sanath Goonesekara

10.  Dr. K Rajendra

11.  Dr. J Dayasena

12.  Dr. Pramilla Senanayake

13.  Dr. Sujatha Samarakoon

14.  Dr. Sarath Samarage

15.  Dr. Ranjan Dias

16.  Dr. Gayani Ranaweera

17.  Dr. Harshima Wijesinghe

18.  Dr. R Abeyewickreme

19.  Dr. Sahan Guruge

20.  Dr. AD Wariyapola

21.  Prof. A Kaluarachchi

22.  Prof. Anoja Fernando

23.  Prof. AH Sheriffdeen

Excuses

1.      Prof. Piyanjali de Zoysa

2.      Dr. Dayan Rajapaksha

3.      Dr. Chamila Dalpadatu

4.      Dr. Sarath Gamini de Silva

The meeting commenced with the NationalAnthem.

Prof. Jennifer Perera welcomed the members.

Minutes of the 7^th AGM held on 17^th November 2017, were presented, and proposed by Dr. Sumithra Tissera&confirmed byDr. Pramilla Senanayake.

Annual report 2017/2018was read by Dr Sumithra Tissera, Joint Secretary CoMSAA. She gave a very comprehensive report on the many activities undertaken during the year.

The treasurer’s report and the audited accounts for the financial year (2017/2018) were presented by Dr. Sahan Guruge.

Item	Amount in Rs.
Total assets 01.10.2017	8,020,328.88
Total assets 30.09.2018	8,726,040.01
Annual session income	2,622,500.00
Annual session expenditure	1,666,640.00
Profits from Annual Session	905,860.00
Total FD’s held by CoMSAA	5,575,334.97

                                   

Prof. Jennifer Perera addressed the gathering as the outgoing President and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo. She briefly summarized the activities undertaken by CoMSAA during the year and also shared some activities undertaken by the Faculty. She thankedindividual CoMSAA members and batches who have extended their support to raise money for the building project and reminded everyone that the Faculty will be celebrating 150 years of its existence in 2020. She said that many activities are lined up to build the image of the Faculty both here and abroad. Some of the activities would be; International Medical Conference, Medical Exhibition, A commemorative walk, An International Quiz and a Cultural event. She invited all alumni to join in the celebrations.

She thanked all the Executive Members of the Council for all their support extended to her to make the year a success. She also extended her sincere thanks to the academic and non-academic staff of the Faculty of Medicine for theirenthusiastic cooperation, all well-wishers and alumni who supported by their generous donations andtheir presence at the CoMSAA activities.

A special mention was made of Mr. Laskhan Darshana, the demonstrator attached to the Dean’s Office for all his help during the year.

President,Dr. Iyanthi Abeyewickremethen addressed the gathering.She thanked the membership for electing her as the new president for 2018/2019. She then thanked the outgoing president and the council for all their contributions.Dr Abeyewickreme said that she will try to uphold the momentum created by the previous presidents and the executive councils. She emphasized the need to increase the membership and she said that she will try to realize the goal of making it 1000 before the end of her tenure.Dr Abeyewickreme requested the support of the membership in all activities of CoMSAA and thanked them for their presence.

Next she introduced the new council and invited the membership to co-opt as members.

Matters arising from the minutes

Prof. Athula Kaluarachchi, said that since the inception of CoMSAA in 2011, we were providing financial assistance of Rs. 2000.00 per student. But due to the rising cost of living (CoL), he requested the new council to look in to this matter and if finances permit to increase the amount provided to a student.

Prof. AH Sheriffdeen seconded the suggestion and said that it was better that all students who benefited from any assistance from CoMSAA should receive the same amount of financial aid.  He also requested to see the amounts given by individual donors through CoMSAA at the moment and try to match the highest amount provided.

Resolutions

Proposed Amendment

Article 1V: membership

Any graduate of a recognized university who is/ has been a permanent member of the academic staff of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo and confirmed service for five years or more

Will be changed hereafter to;

Any graduate of a recognized university who is/ has been a permanent member of the academic staff of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo and confirmed service for three years or more

The proposed amendment to the constitution was presented and approved by the members present.

Vote of thanks was delivered by the newly elected Secretary Dr. Gayani Ranaweera.

She thanked the Past President and the outgoing committee for a very successful year and all the hard work done over the past year and the sponsors for all their support.

She also thanked the members for electing us to the 2018/2019 committee and expressed her gratitude to the participants for attending the AGM and invited those present to enjoy the refreshments.

The AGM concluded with the faculty song. 

Dr.Sumithra Tissera

Joint Secretary - CoMSAA

Nim Him Sevva sung by Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale and Shantha Gunasekara

This is an all time favourite that Amaradeva (Sinhala) had made hugely popular. Also, Nimal Mendis sang the English version - "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"). Both had been sung by many since then. You will recall that our own Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale has already done both as his own versions and I had the pleasure of posting them on the blog. Now, Speedy is accompanied by Shantha Gunasekara in this third version with musical backing by Speedy himself on his Yamaha Genos. This is a superb combination and I have heard them singing other songs together. I like them very much. I am sure all viewers of the blog too will like them. So, let's listen and enjoy!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgcOGex97E0 

ITN Meet your doctor 2019-09-28

Featured here is Sanath Lama on ITN "Meet your doctor"



https://youtu.be/7PTquLG1msc

Dr. Ananda Soysa has passed away

CoMSAA 2011	17:19 (2 hours ago)
.

Dear Alumni,

It is with much sadness that we announce the demise of Deshabandu Dr. Ananda Soysa, Retired ENT Surgeon, and beloved husband of Emeritus Professor Priyani Soysa, at the age of Ninety Eight, on 12^th October 2019.

The remains are kept at AF Raymond Parlour for viewing from today (13^th) 1pm.

Cremation will be on 14^th October, 5 pm at the General Cemetery, Borella.

May he attain the supreme bliss of nibbana!

Dr Sumithra Tissera

Co Secretary CoMSAA    

Colombo Medical School Alumni Association

Faculty of Medicine
University of Colombo
Sri Lanka

comsaa2011@gmail.com

www.comsaa.org

Are Machines going to take over Man?

By Zita Perera Subasinghe

No, it’s not Zita preaching doom and gloom, but this conundrum has been bothering humans in the last few decades and books have been written about it. Films have been made, and they’ve been phenomenal box office successes. Remember AI?

The Industrial Revolution in the past nearly two centuries made man resort to the ease and speed of machines to do the hard and heavy jobs. Fine! Why shouldn’t they?

But with the birth of information technology and its rapid expansion in the latter half of the last century onwards, and its phenomenal success in the last two decades, made it possible for a new generation of machines and especially computer technology to surpass man in efficiency, speed and the intricacy and complexity of what they are capable of doing.

Machines for leisure, fitness, and machines for cooking and automobiles for speedy, efficient transport have been with us for at least a century. Now we are looking at self-drive cars!

Aren’t we worried about climate change? Well, a new breed of machines focusses on rescuing the planet’s ecosystem, and they’ll look upon concerned humans with benign disinterest.

Sounds like science fiction? No! And there’s going to be autonomous weapons systems which do not need human intervention. And they are not just going to be ‘terminators’. They will be able to discriminate right from wrong, friend from foe, and make a good judgement on whether it is assailant or opponent justly and humanely and take action just like a human soldier would.

Our relationship with technology is changing! We can conduct a basic conversation with Alexa about day to day matters, and Siri will answer our IT questions and give advice.  One problem though! We have potential surveillance devices in our homes.

Drones are to be used to detect speeding motorists even if our GPS helpfully warns us ‘Speed check drone ahead’! Invisible eyes are watching us! Are our digital servants turning into digital masters?

Well, it is up to us to some extent. And they will never take over humans in compassion, love, companionship, forgiveness and oh yes, creativity! A human being easily surpasses a robot or drone in these qualities,I like to think!