After Fifty Years - A tribute to Indra Anandasabapathy
by Nihal D. Amerasekera
Indra and I hail from that great institution on Baseline Road in full view of the Welikada Prison. We were berated by our teachers that if we don’t tread the straight and narrow path we may end-up in the ‘hotel’ in front of our gates. Despite the generous offer of free food and lodging in the ‘hotel’ opposite we managed to find gainful employment in a more salubrious place not too far from the noise and grime of Punchi Borella. Perhaps we missed out meeting some of the illustrious and colourful characters that walked the corridors of that ‘infamous hotel’.
Indra was always a clever, quiet and studious guy who
avoided the rough and tumble. Despite the dirt and stains of the laboratory
practicals, he managed to always be dressed immaculately in a brilliant white
unstained shirt and trouser. The creases on his well ironed trousers were
strikingly sharp and could slice a loaf of bread. He maintained this sartorial
elegance all through medical school. Who could forget his skill in identifying
the carpal bones while they were still in his pocket!!
We have kept in touch on ‘Facetime’ over the years seeing
ourselves grow older and wiser. Sometimes from Florida and at other times from his house in Staten Island, we have talked in all weathers. It is such a
pleasure to speak with Indra. I was thrilled when he said he was visiting
London and we decided to meet in Busaba off Oxford Street. It was indeed a
great pleasure to meet Rani for the first time. In the past I only knew her as
the creator of those wonderful paintings and the passionate gardener who maintained
an immaculate garden, indoors and out. They have a tremendous love of nature
and wildlife. Rani’s kindness and pleasant friendly manner made it a wonderful
meeting. We then proceeded to an Italian Coffee shop when Indra and Rani had
Devonshire Scones with clotted cream with the coffee. The conversation
continued from international politics, to Sri Lankan cricket and our lives in
retirement.
Indra still maintains the careful precision of an
anaesthetist waiting to wake us up. Although measured, Indra is a fine
raconteur and helped us enormously to reconnect and recall those great years at
school and the faculty. It was amazing that we remembered so much despite the
years. The enchantment of those years in old Ceylon still seems to haunt us.
Both Rani and Indra are kind and considerate and it was hard
for me to say goodbye. The tears welled up in my eyes as I hugged them. As I
write this note, their generous invitation to visit their home still rings in
my ears. What struck me most about Rani and Indra was their amiable honesty and
their modesty despite their many achievements. I wish them both good health and
happiness in the months and years to come. May we have the good fortune to meet
again.
Mahen,
ReplyDeleteThank you for publishing my tribute. The painting of the honourable gentleman was hard work. I just couldn't get the proportions right and had to use measurements. I just hope it is a true likeness. I know Rani is a fine professional artist and she would approve of my effort.
Thank you very much Nihal for your very precise tribute to Indra. I first came to know Indra in the Science Faculty at Thurstan Road, while following the six months course in Zoology, prior to entering the Medical Faculty. Later we worked together in the EPF Department of the Central Bank in the YMBA building in the Fort . our pay was Rs 5.00 per day and each of us received five, crisp brand new five rupee notes, freshly off the mint.
ReplyDeleteWe used to play soft ball cricket at Frazer Avenue, Dehiwela. Others who played with us were, Bertram Nana, Senarath J.,Janaka Wijetunge, Lucky Abey and a few others. Indra was a very accurate fast bowler who could have made it to the First X1, if he was so inclined.
Sometimes we studied together at his residence in Collingwood Place or at my residence down 42nd Lane, Wellawatte. In 1989, when I was on a family holiday in the US, we spent a few days in his luxurious house in Staten Island. I remember seeing a large dish antenna in his garden. Rani told me that he had it installed so as to watch cricket played in the Caribbean, but he never got down to it as he was kept busy with his anaesthetic practice. The last time I spoke to Russell Paul was from Indra's land line; during that call Russell confided in me few of his personal problems but I could not have predicted the tragic events that followed soon after.
I meet Indra and Rani regularly every month at the Library Restaurant of the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, during the lunches arranged by Pram, for the Forever62 Group.
Sanath,
DeleteThank you for the kind comment and your many anecdotes which enhances the note beyond measure. The names of batchmates bring numerous memories of happier times.
I had the opportunity to see the grassy square on Fraser avenue, Dehiwela, recently and it looked good. This and your reference to our playing cricket there reminded me of our departed friend Joel Fernando and Nimal Wimalasuriya who entered the Veterinary faculty , both of whom lived in the neighborhood.( Initium road ). The latter no one seems to know where he is these days.
DeleteNihal, thank you for your lovely tribute to your friend. I too can picture him in medical college days as a very properly dressed young man, always in white. He also had a reputation for a photographic memory and I would love to know whether it is true that he could quote any page from Cunnningam's Aanatomy book when asked to do so. He would apparently look up dreamily and just rattle off the contents and I am told that he “saw” the page and just read it!
ReplyDeleteI miss his what used to be more regular contributions to our blog. He still comments now and again but they tend to be short and telegraphic.
Thanks to Pram and her Forever 64 group, I have met Indra many times in Sri Lanka and at some of our Batch Reunions.
You have kept in touch with him and this is the way things go as we continue our journey, we maintain contact with some and not with others and this is completely natural. But I am always impressed at Batch reunions when we can “rewind” and exchange common memories. This is the type of Batch friendship I value, the ability to enjoy each others company and just dissolve whole periods of time and enjoy the moment.
I read Sanath’s comment also and it reminded me how I too had little study groups. I had one with Patas, Lubber and Vish for example at my place (in the small room at the back of the garage). We all benefitted from these as we usually start with an exchange of gossip before gettong down to the serious business of studying.
Those faculty study groups were enormously helpful to me. My clique was Revo Drahman, Nalin Nana and myself. I learnt from them much more than I was able to contribute. Sadly the distances, vast stretches of land and oceans separate us. Despite the ease of communication we haven't managed to keep in touch as we should, but our deep respect and affection for each other will always remain strong and enduring.
DeleteThe study groups provided entertainment . We had little time to enjoy outside of our faculty work. Scurrilous rumours and frivolous gossip lit up the beginnings, and the intervals of those intense periods of study. Nana had a tremendous memory with quick recall. After several decades, we reminisced at leisure when we met in his palace. This had an orange grove and a swimming pool and was in Corona, California. I met Revo on my many visits to SL . He entertained myself, Cassim, Manik De Silva (Sunna's brother) and JG with a sumptuous Malay feast and plenty of amber nectar that enhanced our chit chat. Such meetings aren't possible anymore but those memories will remain in my archives that I visit so often.
DeleteI forgot to comment on your portrait painting. It is really good and you have managed to achieve one of the most difficult things in portrait painting and that is to capture the personality. Well done!
ReplyDeleteMahen,
DeleteThank you. I am so pleased this has come out well.
Excellent capture of my husband in the painting and also in the article. Thank you . I always see Indra smiling while chatting away to you over the phone. Your regular catch ups make him very happy. I am so glad that your friendship goes on while being continents away. Hope we get to see you soon.
ReplyDeleteHello Rani,
DeleteSo lovely to see you on our blog and many thanks for those kind comments. Indra is a rare gem. I have always felt tributes have an important place when written when the recipient is able to know what a person thinks of him/her. My very best wishes to you both.
I have to say my memory was good during med. school days, not exceptional .
ReplyDeleteDear Indra, Mahendra, Nihal et al, comments have appeared regarding Indra's memory. I would like to relate a personal experience. In 1971 the MRCP Part 1 examination was conducted for the first time in Ceylon. The venue was the lecture theatre of the. Administrative Building of the Colombo Medical Faculty. About 70 of us sat for the examination. Sharp at 2.30 pm, a white Caucasian from the British Council, opened a sealed package. The same paper was being released at the same time in many centers world wide. The paper consisted of 60 MCQs with five responses for each question of the True/False type with negative marks for wrong answers. (total of 300 questions). The duration was for three hours. The first person to walk out after about 90 minutes , was the only candidate who was dressed in a full suite. I was the next person to walk out after about two hours.
ReplyDeleteThe next morning I recollected all 300 questions. Quite a lot of us passed the exam. As there was no question bank at that time, my paper was as valuable as gold dust! Later the billiards marker got hold of my paper, cyclostyled it without my permission and minted a lot of money!
Who was the first person in the suit Sanath? Pity you didn't make any money on your effort but look at the bright side, you helped a lot of people.
DeleteSanath et al : I sat the exam at the same time as Sanath. But I couldnt recall much. Just remembered my way home after the ordeal. Grateful to pass when I least expected.
DeleteSince my childhood I have loved an easy life. How I ended up studying medicine, one of the toughest professional journeys is an enigma even to me. After completing the MRCP I started a further arduous study of 5 years which was like doing another professional journey, as tough as those faculty days. I have no regrets whatsoever now, but how I drifted into radiology is a story I have told in this forum. I write this comment merely to show that whats happened to my life is completely out of character when all I wanted was an easy life.
ReplyDeleteThis enigmatic professional drift I must still call it the awesome force of destiny. Thank you Mahendra for the reminder.
DeleteND
Nihal, I can visualise you saying "The Awesome Force of Destiny" , one of your favourite quotes. I had a lovely long chat with Rajan "Patas" last evening for about 40 mins! We went through fond reccollections. We want to organise a small Zoom chat soon with a few batchmates. If anybody is interested in joining, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteThe other person in a suit was the person from the British Council
ReplyDeleteNihal
ReplyDeleteI remember Indra very well, he lived down Collinwood Place Wellawatte.I have been to his place a few times to do combined studies.He was a studious guy , neatly dressed,I looked a bit shabby when standing next to him, A keen cricket fan.In the second MB, we had a Physiology test and Indra topped the batch scoring 74 %.
Sanath
Marker had a lucrative side job ,printing medicine lecture notes and selling them to the students .When Prof Chanmugam asked a student who gave a clever answer at ward class, the name of the text book he read, Prof Billy Marker was the prompt reply.
Bora thank you for the kind comment. Indra was ever present for the inter-school cricket matches at Campbell Park as I recall. Thanks to marker I had a full set of Public Health notes including the jokes.
DeleteNihal
DeleteI missed commenting on your talent as an artist.Brilliant portrait of Indra.looks very real and easily identifiable.
Did Radiology have anything to do in developing your skills as an artist ?
Bora, perhaps he developed penetrating vision!
DeleteBora
DeleteThanks for the kind comment. Perhaps the intensive training to look at images closely and carefully helps me to draw close as possible to the original. It is a tribute to the wonderful 5 year radiology training which was well structured.
Nihal and Sanath
ReplyDeleteCorrection; Name of Text Book ; Medicine by Prof Billy Marker.
Nihal
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for the late comment as I had not been visiting the Blog these days.
Let me congratulate you for the excellent portrait painting of Indra.
Anyone could recognise him looking at the painting. Welldone !
As usual your write up is well appreciated.
Rani
I must admit that you showed me a portrait painting of Indra done by you at Swyries place the otherday and I was fascinated by it.
Mahendra
I have seen your lovely portrait paintings of yourself and your mothers in our Blog.
What talents ! Great artists !
Though I have done a lot of paintings for the Blog I cannot dream of painting portraits.
Chira
Chira Thank you for those encouraging comments. I hope these keep the Blog alive.
DeleteWelcome back Chira. We missed your presence in the blog
DeleteHi Nihal , This is Suri.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in responding to your blog entry. I simply didn't have the time to read your pen sketch , and the many comments .... Grandmotherly duties as well as domestic chores ( my domestic decided to take an early off for Deepawali... and who am I to question her actions ! )
The portrait of Indra is so life like. You have cought his benign expression so well. You feel like smiling back at it!
I didn't know that Indra too hailed from the great school that was the Brother School of Metho. . Ora et Labora !
Though being. K and distanced from A in the block,never being in the same Sig group or Clinical Appointment or Ward Class I got to know Indra quite well perhaps because he used haunt the cadaver I was assigned to.. I leave you to guess the reason. I assure you I was not the reason!
I agree wholeheartedly about all the lovely comments you have made about him, his quiet but endeariing personality, his spotless appearance,and gentle ways. I consider myself fortunate indeed to have him for a friend.
He has found a perfect partner in Rani. God bless them both
Dear Suri
ReplyDeleteThank you for such a generous comment on the portrait whilst being busy with your many commitments.
Mahendra A too was from my school as you well know.
Ah! if I'm to guess the reason for his haunts to your cadaver it may have been the presence of pretty Miss Kanagasabey. Just a wild guess!!
I have been immensely fortunate to have met Indra in my life's journey.
Hi Nihal
DeleteYou are spot on in your guess Perhaps it was not a well guarded secret as I thought !
Suri
Siri
DeleteBelieve me it was a wild guess. She was the first K to cross my mind. Perhaps it was telepathy!!
Sorry Suri that was me ND using my iPhone to reply with its silly autocorrection.
DeleteSusheila was relative of mine, Suri .
DeleteHello Nihal and everyone else. I'm sorry for the delayed response, but life seems to get in the way! Nihal, congratulations on the portrait and the write up about Indra. The portrait captures his facial expression really well. From your article, I gathered that you managed to see Indra and Rani rather recently. That must have been lovely. Indra was my first 'body partner.' (My family thought that moniker was rather suspicious!) During our first semester in the Anatomy Lab we were paired off with people who were seated far from us. After that it was the person sitting next to us, and J.C. Fernando became my body partner. All this time I thought that Indra was an alumnus of St. Peter's College! (Perhaps that was Ganesh.)
ReplyDeleteMahen, your idea of arranging a Zoom meeting is brilliant as we did during the days of the COVID lockdown. Reunions with the entire batch is impossible now, and at the mini reunions like 'Forever 62' we are only able to connect with the 'locals,' but not those who live across the oceans. Let's work on that. Finding a suitable date and time may be difficult, but not impossible.
Thanks Srianee. I met Indra and Rani a few years ago. Indra was at ST Peter’s early on in his life but decided on a better school to finish off in style as he did.
DeleteBora, the person who gave the response of "Medicine by Prof. Billy Marker" was brilliant. Do you remember who that was?
ReplyDeleteHi Srianee
ReplyDeleteGlad that you liked the story which was true but from a junior batch.I do not know the name.You must be anxiously awaiting the results.
Hi Bora, if you are referring to the results of the US Presidential elections, "anxious" is an understatement!! I am trying to distract myself by watching lighthearted comedies on my streaming services! (Staying away from depressing news.) I hope I don't have to hide under a rock after November 5th. I believe we have pledged not to discuss politics on this blog, but we can do that privately (email/WhatsApp). Thank you for your humorous stories; fact or fiction, they are always appreciated. Please keep them coming!
DeleteSrianee, we had to look around hard to cast our Ballot by Fax. Even Senkada on Union place did not have a working machine. Eventually thanks to Pram I ended up at a place called Alston on W.A.D. Ramanayake mawatte, near Gangaramaya temple .They faxed the forms over two trips , each vote taking half hour to fax. Fax machines are obviously on the way out, but the US government wants us to Fax , E-mail is not accepted, probably less secure.
DeleteA reminder to all, indeed a plea, to make use of the search function which appears as a long white bar below the Faculty photo at the top of the Blog. I typed - Indra- and then clicked on - serach- and all posts with the word Indra appeared for me to scroll down. It showed Indra and Rani's travellogues, his lovelly photos of plants and flowers and Rani's paintings and their daughter Sharmilla's work. PLEASE use this facility to trace previous posts. You can also check for any subject that interests you by using the "Post Category Index" on the Right side of blog posts. Indra was a prolific contributor a few years ago and I do hope he will resume soon!
ReplyDelete