CHIRASRI JAYAWEERA BANDARA HONOURED
by Mahendra Gonsalkorale
The award had the following statement.
“Your unwavering dedication and
expertise have transformed the field of Ophthalmology and earned deserved International
acclaim.
Your contribution is truly
remarkable, and as a Nation, we Thank you.”
She has received many awards during her
illustrious career.
The first from The
Lions Club in 1995/96 was an appreciation award for services
rendered to the “Sight for thousand
programme” and the second from The
Sri Lanka Eye
Donation Society in
2004, an award in recognition of
the invaluable services rendered to the society for grafting human
corneas for patients in Sri Lanka.
She received a President’s
Research award from Mrs Chandrika Kumaratunge in 2000. And In 2002, she was awarded
Honorary Fellowship of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka.
She delivered the Prestigious Dr
P. Sivasubramaniam Memorial Oration on 3. 9.
2011.
On International Women’s day 8. 3. 2012, she received an Outstanding
Health Professional Award from the
Sri Lanka Medical
Association.
Well done Chira, ColomboMedgrads1962 Salutes you.
Chira congratulations. This is great . Well done.Though I am in Uk , I always hear high praise of you from patients who have come to you. Love manil
ReplyDeleteMahendra
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for publishing this award and also my earlier achievements in Ophthalmology. I appreciate very much.
You are a power of strength to our Blog and I value your dedication. Thank you very much for keeping it alive. Long live our Blog.!
Chira
Manil
ReplyDeleteThank you vey mch for your comment. I appreciate very much.
Chira
Dear Chira
ReplyDeleteMany congratulation for this prestigious award and achievement. I remember from those distant days in our batch you were a quiet achiever and with all that so very modest. I often heard from Zita, your tremendous hard work and dedication and the part you have played in providing a fine Ophthalmology service in Sri Lanka. I am so pleased to know your efforts have been recognised.
Chira, we love your artwork which you displayed on our blog. Those colourful paintings of natures beauty brought and extra dimension to our blog. We hope you will find the time to show us more of your wonderful art.
Meanwhile, I wish you a long, healthy and happy retirement.
Dear Chira,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for your being the recipient of another prestigious award; you have brought honour not only for yourself and family but also to all of us of the 1962 group.
As I have said before, I knew you were destined for great things by the way you handled your anatomy dissection.
Having worked at the Gampaha hospital I’m aware that the Wickremaarachchi Veda dynasty was highly respected not only in the Gampaha region but all over SrLanka. There was a scion in STC who entered Medical School, perhaps Peradeniya.
Thank you Mahen for publishing this on the blog and also sustaining it despite immense odds. Commiserations on the loss of the Lord’s test match. Stokes’s valiant batting was some of the best I’ve seen. He should have got the Man of the Match award. Also I do not approve the Bairstow stumping. It’s in the same league as Mankading. I’m sure Stokes and his cohorts will come good in the next three tests.
Kumar
Esther and I were delighted to read about your prestigious award, it is a tribute to your dedication to your profession and the sacrifices you made in that respect.
DeleteOur sincere congratulations
David and Esther
Kumar
DeleteAn interesting digression. This is Ashes cricket at its best with close wins and controversies.
The "spirit of the game" is a casualty of the high stakes and the huge prestige they play for. No one should cry foul if one plays by the rules. Is sledging in the spirit of the game? The booing and verbal abuse of our visiting team in the Long Room of the Home of Cricket in the Spirit of the Game?
I was told Brendon McCallum got Murali out when he went to congratulate Sangakkara when he got his century. I haven’t checked the authenticity of this incident.
In this day and age it is best to play by the rules and be guided by the decisions of the umpires.
Well done to Australia for winning but its not over yet and there are 3 more tests. This is a good England team and have the players to win’em all.
Kumar
DeleteThank you very much for appreciating my work. I value it greatly.
So you remember our Anatomy dissecions. You are great.
Wishing you all the best.
Chira
David and Esther
DeleteThank you very much for your lovely appreciation. I value it greatly.
I must congratulate you on your great endevours. The Pearl Bay Water Park and Karting track in Battaramulla, the motor car and three wheeler tires and also Ecofriendly electric three wheelers. Well done !
Wishing you both and Eshan, all the best in your future endevours.
Chira
Chira, we are so proud of all your achievements and honors you have received. You deserve them.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and all the best.
Thanks for sharing the good news.
Nandi & Neelakshi
Nandi Aiya and Neelakshi
DeleteThank you very much for your lovely comment. I appreciate greatly.Are you visiting Sri Lanka in December as planned?
Neelakshi's friend Manel (Owlie) called me and Congratulated. me this evening.
Wishing you all the best.
Chira
Chira
Nihal
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the appreciation shown by you. I value it greatly. I must admit that I enjoyed my work specially surgery including corneal grafts. I used get so much pleasure on seeing the joy on their faces when they get vision after surgery. I was ready to go and do corneal grafts in the night as sometimes donor eyes are awailable in night.
Where painting is concerned 130 paintings of my paintings have been published by Mahendra in our Blog. What more can I paint?
Wishing you all the best.
Chira
.
It was good to read the many well deserved appreciatory comments on Chira's achievements. For those wishing to see earlier posts about her, please type Chirasri in the search bar at the top (below the introductory picture of the faculty) and click on "search" next to the same long serch bar and all will be revealed! You will need to access posts as they appear and when you reach the bottom, you will see "older posts", click on that and more will appear.
ReplyDeleteKumar, on the dismissal of Bairstow, I fully agree with you. It is legal but not in the spirit of the game. Another example is to run out a person who colla pses while making a run and couldn't make it to the crease on time- technically he is out but is it sporting? The test series is producing some unbelievable cricket.
Congratulations Chira, very well deserved for a life time's very delicate work!
ReplyDeleteMahendra, Nihal and Kumar, Bairstow's dismissal was similar to Mitchell Starc's catch; in both instances the rules were applied very rigidly. Although I am a fan of the Aussies, after watching Stokes' innings, it was deserving for the English team to have won the match. Stokes' innings is the most aggressive knock I have witnessed in a Test match. Nihal, I am aware that you live very close to Lords; were you at the match?
Lama
DeleteThank you very much for your lovely comment which I appreciate greatly.
If you could please read my reply to Nihal, I'd value it as I don't like to repeat it.
Wishing you all the best.
Chira.
Kumar
DeleteThe Wicremarachchi Health College was formed by Mr. Mihira Wickremarachchi the Optition. I checked with him today. He said that the Wickramarachchi Veda Dynasty is connected to him. Since you had mentioned it in your comment I checked with him.
Chira
Sanath L
DeleteI could hear the boos and the cheers in my flat but I wasn't at the game. Although I am an England supporter I feel the Australian's did brilliantly well to restrict the hosts without one of their star bowlers Nathan Lyons. As the teams are well matched the next three tests can go either way.
I firmly believe the visiting team should be treated with respect and sadly that was not the case.
Sanath
DeleteThere are long and heated debates within the Lords-MCC hierarchy about the distasteful incidents of last Sunday. The great worry for them is the loss of their status as an international venue for cricket. This I believe is decided by the ICC and the England and Wales Cricket Board. Cricket Australia has been vocal and have complained to Lords of the discomfiture and harassment experienced by some members of their team. The MCC have acted fast to suspend the members who fell short of good behaviour.
Presently the players walk through the long room of the pavilion and up the stairs to their dressing room. All the way they walk surrounded by the MCC members. There is now a chance for them to make a new stairway and a passage away from the members.
The “spirit of the game” died in the 1980’s when cricket began to be played for huge stakes and prestige. “Win at any cost” which is an unwritten rule of the shorter game including the IPL has slowly crept into test cricket. The so called “gentlemens’ game “ cannot comprehend or accept that cricket and the rest of world has moved on. I do wish the old values still prevailed.
As I lacked the cricketing skills I have been relegated to become a spectator since my early childhood. I have nevertheless enjoyed being in the side-lines immensely. One of my abiding memories has been the Wesley Vs St Joseph’s match on Darley Road around 1952/53. When Brian Claessen scored a century the Josephian captain, I think it was Ken Serpanchy walked upto him and shook his hand. We will never see the likes of that again.
My dear Chira
ReplyDeleteMy heartiest Congratulations on your recent Award in recognition of the invaluable service you have rendered to the nation in the field of Ophthalmology.
I am well aware of your dedication and commitment to your Speciality and the high standards you have always maintained.
You have brought honour not only to your self but also to the Batch of 62 and your Batchmates. You have also brought honour to our Beloved Alma Mater Methodist College.
I remember how thrilled I was when 3 Methodist College old girls were awarded the Outstanding Health Professional award by the SLMA .. Leela Karunaratne, you and myself . " We were given the privilege of following our College Motto " We scatter Light"
Warm Regards Suri
Suri
ReplyDeleteThank you ever so much for your lovely comment which I value greatly.
As our Methodist College Motto states we old girds have scattered light.
You in your speciality reaching your peak and Pram reaching her peak internationaly in the International Planned Parenthood Federation. Aren't we happy that we studied at Methodist College.
As batchmates we are proud of our achievements, for reaching our heights and bringing honour to our batch.
Chira.
Dear Nihal,
ReplyDeleteJust like you ,I am also an ardent cricket fan, but not talented enough to graduate beyond French Cricket under the Tamarind tree at Reid Avenue. Therefore I was unable to score a century in cricket and I am determined to score a century with my life. Currently I am 80 not out and sincerely hope that I won't be run out before that! I sincerely hope that you would be able to do the same.
Sanath
DeleteLet us hope so.
I have such fond memories watching cricket under the Mara trees at Campbell Park, in full view of the redbrick buildings at Reid Avenue, The breezy grounds at Mt Lavinia, with the smell of the Kirillapona Canal at St Peter's, hostile crowds at Darley Road, surrounded by beautiful hills at Asgiriya and Randles Hill.
I certainly don't mind batting as long as the runs keep coming and the cricket is interesting. Once a runner is needed to run for me I will retire hurt than carry on limping. Best wishes for a good long innings.
Test cricket has been given a new lease of life. This series is breath taking and gripping. It epitomises the spirit and fascination of Test Cricket, for me the best form of cricket. These side issues won't detract from the overall spirit of the game. Rules are rules and if you break t hem, you must accept the consequences. But there is also a special aspect of Cricket which is time-honoured, so much so that the expression "you are not playing cricket" has crept in to common usage. It is this aspect which has sadly been compromised in the Bairstow issue. But disrespectand bad behaviour can never be condones, whatver side is affected. Crciket should remain a true "Gentleman's game".
ReplyDeleteI know this has nothing to do with Chira's achievement but this is the beauty of blog communication! If Chira played cricket ;we used to play as kids in our days long past in Nugegoda, but I cannot recall how well she played!
Dear Chira, Congratulations on this great honor (American spelling!) as well as all your other achievements over your illustrious career. Your dedication to your patients is legendary. We are all proud of you!
ReplyDeleteI apologize for my belated congratulatory comment but I have been juggling many demands on my time and energy. Who said retirement is boring? Also, so much is going on around me. At the moment I am watching exciting tennis at Wimbledon with the corner of my eye (good peripheral vision!) while typing this.
And to all you cricket fans, you'll have to explain what exactly happened at the test match. I have a vague idea, but I have no access to cricket on TV and I think it would not be good for my health to watch long test matches on TV!!
BTW, this question has been bothering me for a long time: Why are the Ashes called "The Ashes?" Is that only when Australia and England play each other? Please enlighten me.
In response to something that Mahen wrote, there are so many expressions in the English language that have their origins in cricket.
1) Simply not cricket
2) Someone is on a sticky wicket
3) Bowled over
4) Someone had "A good innings"
5) Someone is "Batting on"
That is all I can think of. Please add to this list. 😀
Hi Bunter
DeleteWhat about being " stumped " by a query ? That sounds like cricket doesn't it
Suri
already mentioned in my reply Suri
DeleteSrianee, the term Ashes originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at the Oval, which was it's first win on English soil. The obituary stated that English cricket has died and that "the body would be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia".Subsequently the bails were burnt, it's ashes put into a small perfume bottle and taken to Australia.
ReplyDeleteAshes are played for only between Australia and England. Currently it is been played in England and Australia, who are the current holders are leading 2-nil, and the third Test's 3rd day's play will commence in another 2 hours and 15 minutes time. In an Ashes series five Test matches are played and each Test match is played over five days.
Good to see you back in spite of your hectic schedule Srianee. The Bairstow incident was as follows. Bairstow was stumped by Australia wicket-keeper Alex Carey during England’s fourth-innings run-chase. Carey threw down the stumps as Bairstow ventured out of his crease to chat to Ben Stokes, believing the ball to be dead at the end of the over Technically, the ball was not "dead" and Bairstow wandered out of his crease well after the ball was collected by the keeper. Aussie captain refused to withdraw his appeal and the third unpire's decision was maintined, i.e., he was declared out. Rule Law 20.1.2 further elaborates: “The ball shall be considered dead when it is clear to the bowler’s end umpire that the fielding side and both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.”. This is the position taken by England. It is controversial. The rule is really there to allow a batter to be out stumped if he does not get his foot back in time after playing a shot and missing the ball so that the wicket keeper can stump him. These days, competition is so strong that "Ruth" is given a back seat!
ReplyDeleteAs for ashes,the term 'Ashes' was first used after England lost to Australia - for the first time on home soil - at The Oval on 29th August 1882. A day later, the Sporting Times carried a mock obituary of English cricket which concluded that: "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia". A few weeks later, an English team, captained by the Hon Ivo Bligh [later Lord Darnley], set off to tour Australia, with Bligh vowing to return with "the ashes"; his Australian counterpart, WL Murdoch, similarly vowed to defend them.
As well as playing three scheduled matches against the Australian national side, Bligh and the amateur players in his team participated in many social matches. It was after one such match, at the Rupertswood Estate outside Melbourne on Christmas Eve 1882, that Bligh was given the small terracotta urn as a symbol of the ashes that he had travelled to Australia to regain.
I can't think of any more additions to your imaginative list but if I do, I shall let you know.
More phrases: "To be stumped" (No idea how to solve a problem"
ReplyDelete"To hit someone for a six" - shock or unexpected surprise.
"Off one's own bat" - your mistake, cannot blame another.
I am sure Sanath and Nihal will come out with more.
Srianee, there also very interesting positions for fielding; long leg, short leg, fine leg, short fine leg, square leg, third man, short third man, deep third man, cover, short-cover, deep-cover mid- off, mid-on, short mid-off, long mid -off, short mid-on, long mid-on,sillymid-on,silly mid-off, mid wicket, short mid-wicket, long mid-wicket, slip, gully, wicket keeper, long bye and 12th man, etc.
ReplyDeleteDifferent types of deliveries; googly, Chinaman, Doosra, carrom ball, long hop, yorker, full toss etc.
Fair play- When Sri Lanka toured New Zealand few years ago, Muralitharan left his crease to congratulate Kumar Sangakkara for scoring a century. The New Zealand captain, Brendon McCallum, ran Murali out and the umpire upheld the decision. Brendon M. is the current coach of England. Many years later Brendon apologised and said he regretted very much for his impulsive act.
ReplyDeleteI have mentioned this in my Speedy interview with Chira but like to note again that Chira is the personI have known longest among Batch mates. I lived in Melder place Nugegoda as a young boy and Chira'also was at Melder Place as a young girl. The children from both families usedto play together and have a lot of fun! We played cricket, rounders, all sorts of other games and even had short plays performed on a dining table as a platform. I lost contact when we moved out and later met again as medicsl students
ReplyDeleteSrianee
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your lovely comment which I appreciate greatly Good. to hear from you though late.
I must apologize to you for not replying earlier as I had not visited the Blog lately.
All the best Srianee.
Chira
Mahendra
ReplyDeleteYes, we have known eachother from the time we were kids. Living close to eachother.we had great fun as kids from both families played together. .
I still remember how your sister,.brothers,my brother, sister and myself staged a play on our 8 seater dining table ! What sweet memories !
All the best.
Chira
Chira
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on receiving the prestigious award,we are proud of your achievements.Apologies for the delayed response.I was out of touch with the Blog for a while.
When Royal College played St. Joseph's College at Reid Avenue in 1955, RC was cruising to victory when rain intervened. However, the Josephian captain decided to continue to play, to enable RC to achieve a well deserved victory. It was an example of sportsmanship at the highest level. The captain of RC was Ranjith de Silva (son of Professor BLT de Silva, Professor of Botany), who later became a surgeon. The captain of SJC was Mahinda de Silva who later specialised in Dermatology and Allergic diseases. I think both of them were in the in the same batch at the Colombo Medical Faculty.
ReplyDeleteChira. This is great. I always knew that your patents thought the world of you . And it’s not once But over and over youhave proved by receiving award after award that you are one of the greatest people in the world. I know you will go from strength to strength . Theruvan Saranai love manil
ReplyDeleteBora
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for appreciating my work and award. Nice to hear from you. May I appologise to you for my delayed reply as I had not visited the Blog for sometime.
Wishing you all the best.
Chira
Manil
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the lovely comment, I appreciate greatly.
With love
Chira