Forever on-board Craft ‘62
By
Zita Perera Subasinghe
This blog is about new entrants to the Colombo Medical Faculty of the University of Ceylon (as it was then known) in June 1962. There were a total of 166 in the batch (included 11 from Peradeniya).Please address all communications to: colmedgrads1962@gmail.com.You may bookmark this page for easier access later. Header image: Courtesy Prof. Rohan Jayasekara, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (2011 - 2014). Please use the search bar using a key word to access what interests you
Another beautiful poem by our talented poet (?poetess) Zita. She most certainly has the knack of rhyming poetry and it is always a pleasure to read her contributions. I just hope that those who don't take a few minutes to post a comment still do read and enjoy her wonderful poems. Thanks very much Zita, from one who is very muchon board Carft'62
ReplyDeleteThank you for your lovely poem bringing forward the loyalty and affection that was generated by our association in the batch more than half a century ago. I greatly admire your efforts to write poems, articles, comments and generate enthusiasm to keep our blog afloat. With all your commitments to the family I appreciate your making the time and effort.
ReplyDeleteIn this time of Covid when social gatherings are discouraged, Zoom and Blog are our only ways to keep in touch. We must cherish and value and support them. Somethings we appreciate more only when they are gone. It is true nothing is forever and perhaps we feel the blog has now run its course. I acknowledge the enormous efforts by Mahendra and Lucky to maintain and keep the Blog afloat. As the contributions and comments dry up there is a sense of foreboding. The blog is at the cross-roads. We are glad there has been enormous support for so many years and to the silent majority who read but never contribute. I have personally enjoyed enormously the blog and the many friendships it generated and maintained. Everyone has had the opportunity express their views without fear or favour. We never knew we had such talented people in the batch from brilliant poets, writers, artists, comedians, singers and musicians. The blog gave them the opportunity to shine and share their skills.
I am writing this off my own bat to drum up support to keep the blog alive. A blog like most things cannot just survive on goodwill alone. I am also eminently aware of the loss of energy with every passing year. Health issues can exert a huge drain on our time and ability. May be the time is not far way to bid the blog goodbye. Meanwhile do support our very own space in the ether with your comments and contributions.
Madame,Zita,
ReplyDeleteSome of your colleagues may be in the same boat.
I do not want to add anything to rock the boat.
Abu Hamid
From Dushyanthi Vedvanam.
ReplyDeleteIt was such a joy to read Zita’s poem ‘Forever on boardCraft’62’
It shows the solidarity and unity you have built amongst your batch mates and made much stronger with lockdown....the zoom meetings keeps the boat sailing. Yes there is love and joy among you and the fact that you have a place on the boat for your departed colleagues and their spouses too. You have couched your kind thoughts with great poetic skill. My congratulations.......keep the blog going to keep our spirits up.
Dear Zita,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this lovely tribute to "Batch 62!" When we were in Medical College it was not possible to find time to "hang out" with each other unless we were studying together or being tormented as a group by one of our professors! Now we are done with exams and the only books we read are the ones we want to read! Most of us have raised our families and perhaps are helping to raise grandkids, if we are fortunate enough to live close to them. (You can detect some self pity there!) Some of us have also been able to travel to the reunions that were organized by our colleagues in London and in Sri Lanka. In reality, I think large reunions in fancy locations may be a thing of the past. I have been lucky enough to connect with some of my "62 mates" whenever I have traveled to Sri Lanka. It is uncertain when I will be able to do that again. So for the present all we have is this Blog, to be able to connect with each other. I think we have got to know our friends a bit better because of this Blog, and also people like Dushy Vedavanam. I agree that we must try hard to keep it going. A special thank you to Lucky for having started it all. (I certainly hope you are feeling better!). Mahen, thank you for your enthusiasm and willingness to step in during Lucky's absence. (Also, thank you for nudging me to get back in, whenever I fall overboard and drift away!) Nihal and Zita, thank you for your frequent contributions, which keeps us engaged. And thanks to all the other friends, who comment and continue to keep this going, and all of us connected. Batch 62 Forever!
Thanks Zita for another great Poem. I wander if you and Speedy can compose some music to go with these words and maybe at one of our Zoom sessions teach us sing . Zita you have so many talents that many of us did not have a clue about certainly not me I confess. Would love to have heard you hear you sing and play the Piano. Yes we are and were a united batch. I recall after the famous Law -Medical match we all confessed to the mischief and we all took the punishment but above all the ladies then girls provided us with all the notes. Thats unity.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you Srianee and you Rajan on the blog. We need you to keep this going. Rajan, ou may recall that our study sessions in the back room of our garage at Edward lane began with a discussion of the opposite sex! Those were the days! And Srianee, discussion about you among colleagues usually centred around the well sculptured architecture of your bipedal support! Other recollections are well known examples of "pectorally forward centre of gravity" and the hind quarters of some saree clad ladies exhibiting a most becoming harmonious wobble while walking!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mahen! 🤣Crazy days! All I can say is that I am grateful that my bipedal support continue to hold me sturdily upright.
DeleteNihal, Srianee, Dushy,Rajan, Mahendra,
ReplyDeleteI thank you for your comments and I want to apologise to you for not being able to read them or reply to them upto now. Probably the day after this appeared, I was actually taken very ill with NSTE MI (non ST elevated MI) and had the full works of treatment in hospital. And after discharge after a week, I had a relapse and had to have more investigations and treatment. So I was in fact, in the 'boot' of my own invention of Craft'62 and it is a wonder I am here to tell the tale. Just shows us the reality of things at our age and that we have to appreciate and enjoy each day in front of us. I wish you all the best and promise that I'll be back with proper comments even this late. I am a firm believer of 'better late than never' In my case it could easily have been never, as my consultant told me it was a lucky escape. Take good care of yourselves and make use of our 'craft' as it hobbles on the water and let each of us add our bit of life into it! Zita
Zita,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that you have gone through a rough patch in recent days.Do all what the doctor ordered to prevent recurrences.Hope!you will have a smooth period of convalescence.
Zita, I am sorry you had to go through this very difficult experience, but I was happy to see your face this morning (Sep 13) at the Zoom meeting hosted by Mahen and presented by Indran Hensman. I saw from your comment on WhatsApp that you were very impressed, as I was. I hope you will continue on your path to recovery and get back to normal soon.
ReplyDelete