Padmini Goonewardena passes away
Padmini sat next to me in the Physiology Lecture theatre, with Gnanissara on my other side.
She did her internship in Ratnapura, and was part of the Exodus to the USA and worked as a Neonatologist in Turlock, California
Chirasri recalled a memory of Padmini in one of our Blog posts - "I used to travel in a private car and pick up late Priya and Kamini from Dickmans Road and Padmini from Isipathana Mawatha. During College days, we were in and out of our houses".
I last met Padmini at our 2017 Batch Reunion at Jetwing Hotel, Negombo. I was surprised to find her a keen dancer with a much more lively personality than I remembered her in our Batch days. The photo here is an extraction from a big group photo, and I apologise for the poor quality. If anybody has a recent, better photo, please send it to me, and I shall add it to this post.
May she Rest in Peace.
I am deeply saddened to hear that Padmini is no more. Her faculty photo brings her back to life. As I recall from our years in the faculty, she was a quiet girl. I do remember her walking the long corridors of GHC with her stethoscope round her neck and her visits to the canteen with friends. I hope and wish she has had a good and rewarding life in California.
ReplyDeleteI thank her for her contribution to the life of the faculty during those happy years.
May she have eternal peace
I was deeply saddened to learn of padmini's passing away. i too remember her as rather quiet young lady but also outspoken when she felt a defenseless colleague was being attacked. saw her jump to action and argue the case for the colleague
ReplyDeletesadly i had lost touch with her
may her soul rest in peace
pramilla
It's sad to hear of yet another batch mate leaving us. I remember Padmini as batch mate who kept very much to herself. She had a strong personality and was not afraid to express her views . I do remember that she had a benign nystagmus and we used to tease her saying she can nystagmatise us by gazing at us ! Sadly I have lost touch with her over the years. May her soul Rest in Peace.
ReplyDeleteSuri
I felt so sad to know that Padmini has passed away, even more sad to know how she ended her life.
ReplyDeleteAs Mahendra mentioned, we used to travel to Medical College in a private car, pickup Priya and Kamini from Dickmans Road and Padmini from Isipathana Road. All three of them has left us.
I was happy to meet her in 2017 during our batch reunion and I found her more lively and active.
We should be happy that we have our batch Blog to give us all these news.
We should be thankful to Lucky for Creating our Blog and thankful to Mahendra for looking keeping it alive.
Long live our Blog !
Chira
I forgot to add May she have eternal peace.
ReplyDeleteChira
I am also sad to hear of Pathmani's departure from us. Pathmani and I ended up together in the pre-clinical group assigned to Dr. Ernie Pieris at the end of our 2nd year in in Medical College. After that we often spent time studying together on the lawn, at our home in Rockwood Place. She got to know my family pretty well too. We were christened "Bunter and Hunter" by the annoying residents of the Bloem when they spotted us walking past their hostel. Being the oldest of several siblings, Pathmani was very concerned that her younger siblings stayed focused on their education. I believe she helped many of them get across to the US. We were also co-house officers for Dr. Balakumaran at Ratnapura Hospital. Unfortunately, once we left Ratnapura our paths diverged and we lost track of each other. Whenever we met at various reunions, however, we picked up where we left off. When I heard the story of how she had gone off for a drive on her own from the retirement community where she lived, I'm wondering if she broke some of their rules! I would not be surprised, because as Suri and Pramilla have commented she was a strong willed person. May she Rest in Peace.
ReplyDeleteWith that strange tendency we had as young adults, of re- christening our friends and batchmates, Padmini and Srianee, remained 'Hunter' and 'Bunter' to me, throughout most of my association with them. Although they were in a junior batch, I shared a van ride with Padmini and Priya for a short while. And next, had some some really memorable, fun years with Padmini and Srianee at Ratnapura Hospital, during which time Rosh played a key role as well. As noted by some, indeed Padmini was one who 'marched to the beat of a different, (and very interesting ) drummer'. I am sorry, I too had lost any contact with her.
ReplyDeleteShe will be remembered with happy, interesting, memories and a smile.
All good thoughts are sent to her family.
Saro Gooneratne
Hi Saro, good to "see" you on our blog. Thank you for rekindling some of the memories from our Ratnapura days. Yes, Padmini will be remembered for the unique person that she was.
DeleteDo "drop in" and check out our blog from time to time.
Can anyone shed light on her transition from Padmini to Pathmani? At the faculty she was most certainly Padmini.
ReplyDeleteIf she chose Pathology I can understand her becoming Path-mani! But she was a Neonatologist!
Mahen, I suspect that Padmini changed the spelling of her name, because Americans were mispronouncing it. Just a guess. (They may have been butchering it and pronouncing her name the same way as a note pad)
DeleteIn the wake of Lareef’s demise, Shanthy N’s note apprising me of Padmini G’s passing away, was harrowing. Although my acquaintance with her was slight , it rekindled memories of our guilded youth; the beaming visages, the gleaming tresses, the unfurrowed brows, the hurried gait, but above all , the joy, the laughter and the unceasing chatter. Whatever the bother we bounced back.
ReplyDeleteThose of us who remain , must seek solace in Dylan Thomas’s immortal poem,
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light……..
Kumar
From SHANTY NALLIAH
ReplyDeleteI met Padmini only at our batch reunion and re connected with her after we qualified. I used to call her mad hatter! She came and spent a day with me about 2 yrs ago and we had a good laugh. We used to chat on viber and she used to give me cookery recipes! I feel very sad the way she died. She had run into a farm and the farmer found her in her car! Don’t know after how many days? Her sister told me funeral took place 3 wks ago and her family in USA going to do a memorial service which will be on YouTube and she will send me the link and I’ll forward it to you to put in the blog. Ok? Thanks Speedy