Remembrance Day (6)- Harsha Boralessa

Remembrance Day (6)

STOP PRESS
The news just reached us that Berty Nanayakkara has passed away. While we await more details, please join me in extending our deepest sympathies to his  family

Still thinking of you

By Harsha Boralessa

Thilak Dayaratne

He was a very sincere and loyal person. It was in the first year of medical school that we got to know each other and  soon became close friends. Even now I can still fondly recall our Saturday nights at the Savoy Hotel drinking Lion Lager.

While Thilak was a quiet person compared to the rest of the batch, he had a nice sense of humour and would make us laugh with his storytelling skills, some of which have rubbed on me. What a great raconteur. Thilak’s narrative of a tea estate manager (a typical Brown Sahib) who would dress up for Saturday night supper was a classic. The creeper (the trainee planter) was shocked when, quite by chance, he caught sight of his boss undressing.  First to come off was the DJ, soon followed by the black tie, dress shirt and finally, trousers. All that was left was the amude (loin cloth) ! The junior was struggling to contain his laughter. An unforgettable story – thoroughly amusing.

Thilak was a gifted musician and a talented artist. He would keep the party going with his songs, particularly after a few drinks.  His dancing skills were limited, but he got away with it by convincing whoever he was dancing with that his moves were the latest routines from Veville de Kauwe’s  School of Dancing.

A very honest and honourable person whom I miss very much. 

“Johnny” Chandrasiri

He was very studious and attentive at lectures. He made detailed notes, which he would unselfishly share with us.

Towards the end of our final year, I invited him to form a study group with Kumar G and myself. We were very impressed with Johnny’s surgical knowledge and clear explanations. During the last four months of our final year, he became our unofficial roommate. Kumar and I benefitted immensely from the study sessions. Johnny, we are ever so grateful to you. 

Suren Iyer

Suren was a caring GP who was well thought of and respected by his colleagues and much loved by his patients. A fun-loving, cheerful character, Suren was gregarious, generous, and hospitable.

He and Sweeney were such a loving couple. He used to compose romantic poems and leave them under Sweeney’s pillow, which delighted her and gave her sweet dreams.

They were very enthusiastic dancers. I still remember the couple dancing the rumba at the Visakha Balls in the UK and how elegantly they moved to Keerthi Pascal’s hit, “Kandula.” This was one of their favourite songs.

He was very fond of our batch. At the 2018 Negombo reunion, he danced all night despite an episode of angina relieved by a GTN spray.   

Suren: we still love you and feel your absence at the Sri Lankan Dances in London.

JC  Fernando

I knew JC from the STC Prep School Days in the early 1950s. He was a superb athlete who started as a sprinter and ended up as the Public Schools 400-meter Champion. He also captained the Royal College Athletic Team in 1958.

During our medical school days, JC would often give me a lift on the pillion of his Honda bike from Kynsey Road to the junction of  Havelock Road and Dickman’s Road. He always insisted that we enjoy a cup of tea and punt before commencing the journey. A  very popular member of our batch. The life and soul of the party - - he would entertain us with his baila dancing and singing.  JC’s version of CT’s “mee amba wanaya” provided plenty of joy and laughter at parties and dances.

I shared a room with JC during our internship at the LRH. He took great pride in keeping the room tidy – his bed was always meticulously made up. Occasionally one of our batch mates (yet to qualify) used to enter our room with his girlfriend during our off weekends. To JC’s irritation, they would always make a mess of his bed.  JC used to complain that it was always his bed that was chosen for play. I used to think to myself, “Probably JC, the lady, was attracted by your after-shave lotion”. 

JC, you are unforgettable.