J C Fernando passes away on the 18th of April 2023. Speedy

J C Fernando passes away on the 18^th of April 2023

Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale

(please read all the comments from his colleagues)

This is the 49^th Member of our Batch to depart, the last being Cecil Saverimuttu in January this year. Most of this article is derived from ND’s blog post of the 20^th of October 2020.

On my many visits to Sri Lanka, I always made it a point to drop in on JC and Sura, and we had so many memorable and enjoyable evenings. I spent a lot of time refusing his constant efforts to refill my glass of Gin and Tonic! Sadly, Covid stopped me from visiting him during his final illness. He shall remain etched in my memory as a sincere and loving friend.

As most of you know, JC suffered a disabling stroke which left him with significant right-sided weakness and dysphasia. He lost his independence and was totally reliant on carers but, most of all,  on his beloved wife Suranganie or Sura as we know her. Her courage and fortitude were legendary, and his loss will leave a big hole in her life. But knowing her and having communicated with her regularly, I know she will have the strength of character to overcome this tremendous loss. In this, she will have the support of their two daughters and their families.

“Janaka Chandana Fernando (J.C)– the name raises a smile on everyone’s face. He is a force of nature that brings happiness to everyone around him. Gregarious, sociable and flamboyant are all descriptions that come to mind to portray a person we have all come to know and love since our medical school days. He had that irrepressible bohemian flair which was associated with medical students of the 1960s. In our citadel in Kynsey Road, no one epitomised the era more than JC. He enjoyed its trappings abundantly. Being from that great institution, Royal College, he knew the large contingent from that school that filled our batch and almost filled the rest of the Faculty of Medicine. JC became a part of the Faculty sooner than most”. 

“Many will remember JC arriving at the Faculty cycle shed every morning in his Honda 50 motorcycle. The Canteen was his first port of call for the customary Tea-Punt. He was a popular guy in our batch, spoke with everyone, and was friendly. With his affable ways, JC made friends with the girls more easily. This made the rest of the boys envious. JC was never shy to speak his mind, and with his loud voice, he stood out in a crowd. Born to blush unseen, we always made fun of his jet-black skin, which he accepted with civility. For his regal demeanour, I often called him the ‘Dark Knight’. All through medical school, he wore white shirts and trousers. This enhanced the contrast no end”. Note by Speedy.  I used to call him Kalu Maththaya, and he in turn responded with “Oya Kaluma Kalu Mahaththaya!

JC was tenacious, competitive and single-minded. He knew what he wanted and did what was necessary to achieve his goals. Once he had an idea in his head, there was no letting go of it. He is often frank and candid, and this attracted controversy. In any argument, He was persuasive. JC was never a pushover and fought his corner to the very end. These are characteristics of competitive sportsmen, as indeed a sportsman he was, excelling in Athletics at Royal. Despite all this, he was charming, helpful, kind, and well-liked.

Gaining entrance to the Faculty of Medicine in the 1960s was a gargantuan task. The available spaces were limited. There were hordes of applicants, and the competition was fierce. To gain entrance to the Faculty of Medicine demanded much more than intelligence and the Midas touch. JC was one of several fine sportsmen and women in our batch who had the grit, determination and strength of character to be successful.

He had tremendous enthusiasm for social events in medical school. Being a fine musician, many of us got to know JC at social functions. We sang and danced at the memorable and raucous evening booze-ups in the Men’s Common Room. My abiding memory at these events is the lithe figure of the ‘Dark Knight’ strumming his guitar, singing in graphic detail the itchy tale of “the dance of the phthirus pubis”. His signature song was “Saima cut wela” a tragic tale of a beginner’s hangover and an effective home remedy. He sang “Suranganee-ta malu genawa”, tempting fate long before they became a pair!! He capped it all with an enduring contribution to the Final year trip making the days brighter and the nights merrier.

Both Sura and JC, after a stint in the UK, forged successful careers in Hong Kong. There his work in Orthopaedic Surgery flourished, and he was greatly valued and respected. The demanding concerns for their two daughters' education eventually curtailed those happy times.

We all recognise our batch as a tribe, and the deep friendships are akin to a form of tribalism. Both JC and Sura are faithful to the tribe and their old friends. They have been enthusiastic, generous and hospitable entertainers to the multitude of winter visitors from our batch and our medical community in Colombo. They have had a fascinating life together, working in several countries and enjoying a good social life. Their two daughters have done them proud. 

JC has had a rewarding professional career. We have enjoyed his company, humanity and joie de vivre. Rarely boring or predictable, sometimes outrageous, JC was excellent company. Through his achievements, he has made his mark in the history of that great school. His was a good life well lived, and he has left fond memories which will always be treasured”.

Acknowledgements: I thank Nihal D Amarasekera (ND) for permission to use his blog article. ND was keen to express his appreciation to JC while he was still with us. I also know that JC was very touched by it.

Ref: https://colombomedgrads1962.blogspot.com/search?q=J+C+Fernando