Sriani Basnayake Dissanayake passes away

Sriani Basnayake Dissanayake passes away. Feb 15, 2024

Pram and Nihal have just conveyed to me the sad news that Sriani Basnayake (nee Dissanayake) had passed away today.

16 Feb Message from Pram. Her remains lie at the A.F. Raymond Parlour on the 19th of February 2024 from 9.00 am, and the cremation will take place at 3.00 pm at the Anglican section, Borella Cemetry. A service at 2.30 at the parlour.

Sriani's husband Ralph Wickremaratne passed away last year. Sriani has not been too well for a few years. She was one of the few who migrated from the Peradeniya batch to Colombo.

This photo was taken at the 2012 Reunion Scientific Meeting. On that day, she kept us educated, informed and entertained with her presentation titled,  "What Prevents the Urge to Merge?" - The Problem of Non-Consummation. 

Her sense of humour was well recognised and she often contributed a lot of funny snippets to the Blog in its early days.

She is also well known for her work with the FPA (Family Planning Association) for over 30 years. She was a devout Christian. She is the 54th loss from our Batch

Sriani posted really funny articles on the Blog. I am sure she would have approved of me posting one of her jokes to illustrate her good nature and ability to see the funny side of things. Let us remember her for her professional contributions as well as her great sense of humour.

This is her story about the Baptist Bra.

A man walked into the women's department of Macy's in New York City. He told the saleslady, "I would like a Baptist bra for my wife, size 36B.".

With a quizzical look, the saleslady asked, "What kind of bra?"

He repeated, "A Baptist bra. She said to tell you that she wanted a Baptist bra and that you would know what she wanted."

"Ah, now I remember." said the saleslady, "We don't get as many requests for them as we used to. Most of our customers lately want the Catholic bra or the Salvation Army bra, or the Presbyterian type."

Confused and a little flustered, the man asked, "So what are the differences?"

The lady responded, "Well, it's really quite simple. The Catholic type supports the masses, the Salvation Army lifts up the fallen, and the Presbyterian type keeps them staunch and upright."

He mused at that for a moment and then asked, "So, what is the Baptist type for?"

"They," she replied, "make mountains out of molehills."

Sriani, we shall all miss you. - Mahendra Gonsalkorale.

Sriyani Basnayake -an appreciation Added on 17-02-2024

Dr Kumar Gunewardane

 “Like a bird singing in the rain,

Grateful memories will survive in times of sorrow" 

Tusitala: R.L.STEVENSON

The news of Sriayani’s passing away, though not totally unexpected, caused my wife Kanthi and me much grief.  She was a good friend to both of us, and we cherish many affectionate memories of her.

A welcome Peradeniya migrant to our ‘62 medical student group, she, in ND’s apt words, turned many heads. She had, in abundance, the fabled panache of Ladies College alumni. Pram’s photographic portrait does justice to her allure. Although somewhat reserved, she never displayed her elite background. Her father was the Inspector General of Police when that position was one of distinction and uprightness. 

I hardly knew her in Medical School, but this was a common failing of most of us who kept to our isolated groups. The reunions and the blog helped break these barricades.

Sriani B is, fifth from Right seated

The year of internship at the Mahamodera Hospital in Galle further eroded these barriers. It was indeed an “annee glorieuse”. While observing with amusement the riotous activities of the hoi polloi Sriani always maintained a dignity inherent to her. This was indeed an attribute of all our female colleagues. 

Our next encounter was in Townsville, North Queensland. Her sister Nirmala, another distinguished product of Ladies College, was married to Justin Labrooy, our local university's Foundation professor of medicine. We spent many joyous hours in their company. Both sisters had the endearing and rare quality of simplicity. N was a champion national athlete and also the holder of a doctorate from the University of Oxford. Sriyani was the chief of the family planning service in Colombo. Both were remarkably reticent of their achievements. 

Our standout memory of that time is S’s Reiki therapy for Kanthi’s migraine headaches. Reiki is an ancient Japanese technique of relaxing massages, and Kanthi derived significant benefits from her ministrations in the solitude of a quiet room. 

She was also a gracious host to us in her ancestral home in Borella. There, she introduced us to her nephew, to whom she was a foster mother. His father, the gifted surgeon Lakdasa (S’s brother) had passed away while attempting to rescue two drowning children. 

Sriyani’s brilliant lecture “What prevents the urge to merge” at one of our reunions has already been alluded to by others. Her wit and humour were amplified by many well-chosen slides, which made me inquire which medical journals she had resourced; she deftly sidestepped that one. Of course, they were from her leisure reading. On that occasion, she was accompanied by her husband Ralph Wickremaratne, a perfect gentle knight and sportsman. They were a flawless match.

We have lost a good friend and a gifted colleague. May God be with you. 

“Every blade in the field,

Every leaf in the forest,
Lays down its life in its season,
As beautifully as it was taken up.”

Henry David Thoreau 

“We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains.”

William Wordsworth

An appreciation by Nihal D Amarasekera (Photo sent by Pram)- 16/02/2024

I recall the time Sriani joined us from Peradeniya in our third year. She made heads turn by her immaculate dress sense and elegance. Sriani carried herself with such poise and dignity which gave an insight into her gilded life at home. Although rather reserved and steely at times, she was friendly and jolly. Sriani had a fund of funny stories and was delightful company.

She was a regular in the early days of the batch blog, and I remember with clarity some funny stories and interesting comments she posted. When I wrote about a maid who cared for me as a child, she wrote about her experiences too.

Sadly I never met her after the great dispersal of 1967. I never joined in any of the reunions in Sri Lanka. But I always received news about Sriani from her friend from Ladies College, Suvendrini Weerasekera. It was deeply upsetting to hear of her difficulties with her final illness, which she bore with great courage.

Sriani was a caring professional and served the people with great empathy and understanding.
May her Soul Rest in Peace.