Crux of a titanic legacy: Emeritus Professor Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya

Crux of a titanic legacy: A panegyric accolade to Emeritus Professor Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya

Dr LakKumar Fernando, senior paediatrician and one whose paediatric career was shaped by the man

Dr B. J. C. Perera, senior paediatrician and long-standing professional colleague of the man

( From https://www.sundaytimes.lk/260913/sunday-times-2/crux-of-a-titanic-legacy-a-panegyric-accolade-to-emeritus-professor-sanath-p-lamabadusuriya-656702.html)

There are some whose names become so deeply entwined with the history of a profession that it becomes impossible to provide a realistic account of it without acknowledging their superlative contributions. In Sri Lankan paediatrics, Emeritus Professor Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya undoubtedly occupies such a hallowed place. We could write reams about the man and still fall well short of doing justice to his sparkling career.

We write this appreciation not simply to recount the many positions he has held, the awards he has received or the extraordinary achievements. Those impressive accomplishments speak for themselves. We write because we believe that it is vital to honour great individuals while they are still amongst us.

Our reasons for writing this tribute come from two different but closely connected perspectives.

One of us, LakKumar Fernando, encountered Prof. Lamabadusuriya when he was a medical student. That influential encounter proved pivotal. Indeed, it would be no exaggeration to say that, had Dr LakKumar Fernando not encountered Prof. Lamabadusuriya during his early years as a medical student, he may not have become a paediatrician.

The other author, B.J.C. Perera, has known Prof. Lamabadusuriya as a senior student at the Colombo Medical Faculty, as a contemporary, a colleague and a fellow paediatrician. Their professional lives ran alongside for even more than a decade and a half, working together at Colombo’s Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children. Such a long association provides a unique opportunity to bear witness not only to the achievements of a great paediatrician but also to the person behind them: as a colleague, clinician, teacher, professional leader and, above all, as a close friend.

Thus, this tribute represents two generations and two perspectives: one from someone whose professional life was profoundly influenced by an inspiring teacher at a formative stage and the other from a close contemporary and colleague. Yet, despite these different perspectives, we arrive at the same conclusion. Prof. Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya is one of the truly great figures in the history of Sri Lankan paediatrics.

In 49 BC, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon and famously declared, “Alea iacta est”, which means “the die has been cast”. When Sanath Punsara Lamabadusuriya was born on December 30, 1942, into a family whose surname began with “Lama”, meaning child, perhaps the die was indeed cast. Destiny may well have decreed that he would become a paediatrician. Be that as it may, the rest is history.

His career has been extraordinary in both breadth and duration. Following his early training in Sri Lanka and subsequent exposure to paediatrics and paediatric gastroenterology in the United Kingdom, he returned to devote the greater part of his professional life to the advancement of paediatrics, medical education and child health in this country.

One of his most enduring contributions was his role as the founder professor and head of the Department of Paediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna. In a developing new faculty, he established foundations upon which generations of doctors and paediatricians would subsequently build their careers. He later served as senior professor and head of the Department of Paediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, and subsequently dean of that faculty. For many, reaching even one of these positions would represent the pinnacle of a professional life. For Prof. Lamabadusuriya, they were simply milestones in a larger journey.

He has been a clinician, teacher, researcher, mentor, examiner, administrator and leader. He contributed substantially to the development of postgraduate paediatric training in Sri Lanka and played an important role in shaping generations of paediatricians as Chairman of the Board of Study in Paediatrics and Chief Examiner for postgraduate examinations.

His leadership extended well beyond universities and hospitals. He served as President of the Sri Lanka Paediatric Association, President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association and subsequently President of the Asia Pacific Paediatric Association. His expertise was sought nationally and internationally, and he contributed to important initiatives relating to child health, immunisation and medical education, including work with the World Health Organisation.

The recognition he received internationally reflected the esteem in which he was held. His MBE, bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, was an exceptional recognition for a Sri Lankan medical professional. His academic distinctions and fellowships from leading medical institutions further testify to the international standing he achieved while remaining deeply committed to the development of medicine in Sri Lanka.

His contribution to research has also been remarkable, with approximately 140 publications in national and international peer-reviewed journals.

Another important, less widely known chapter of his career was his role as co-director of the Sri Lanka Cleft Lip and Palate Project, together with Dr Michael Mars of the UK. This collaboration resulted in the creation of the world’s largest database of unoperated cleft lips and palates, together with important benefits for affected children and families. He was also instrumental in establishing the Diploma course in Speech Therapy at the University of Kelaniya, which has since helped produce much-needed speech therapists for the country.

However, impressive as these achievements may be, neither academic degrees nor professional titles can adequately explain the true influence of Prof. Lamabadusuriya. The real legacy of a great teacher lies not in the positions he occupies but in the people he inspires. In that sense, Prof. Lamabadusuriya has inspired generations.

For some, he was a colleague who worked beside them at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, sharing the challenges and responsibilities of caring for sick children. For others, he was an accomplished academic whose teachings opened their eyes to the beauty, responsibility and intellectual challenge of paediatrics. For many, he was a mentor. For countless others, he became a standard against which the profession measured academic excellence, professional commitment and service.

The life story of Prof. Lamabadusuriya is also a reminder that the influence of a great teacher can change the course of an individual’s life. There are moments in the lives of young medical students when an encounter with an inspiring teacher determines the direction of an entire career. For one of us, Prof. Lamabadusuriya was precisely such an influence. That is one of the greatest gifts a teacher can give: not simply knowledge, but inspiration; not merely teaching a subject, but inspiring someone to dedicate his or her life to it.

Even more remarkable has been Prof. Lamabadusuriya’s continuing commitment to medicine and medical education beyond the years when most people would have chosen to retire. He retired on September 30, 2025, after an extraordinary 56 years and six months in academic paediatrics, during which he taught three generations of medical students and treated three generations of numerous Sri Lankan families. His service as a visiting senior professor and consultant at the Universities of Rajarata and Sabaragamuwa after his retirement from the Colombo faculty demonstrated that his commitment to teaching and developing paediatrics remained undiminished. The DSc awarded by Sabaragamuwa University and the Lifetime Achievement Award, with automatic induction into the Hall of Fame of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians in 2025, were fitting acknowledgements of a lifetime of extraordinary service.

Yet perhaps the greatest recognition does not come in the form of an award. It is found in the institutions he helped to build; in the generations of medical students and junior doctors he taught; in the paediatricians he trained and influenced; and in the colleagues who had the privilege of working alongside him. Ultimately, it is found in the countless children and families whose lives have benefited, directly or indirectly, from the contribution of one man over several decades.

As two paediatricians from different generations and different professional relationships with Prof. Lamabadusuriya, one as a person whose career in paediatrics was profoundly influenced by him and the other as a contemporary and long-standing colleague, we feel privileged to join our voices in paying this tribute.

We have both witnessed, in different ways, the extraordinary influence that one dedicated individual can have on a profession. In Sri Lanka, we sometimes tend to recognise our great teachers and pioneers only after they are no longer with us. We then write tributes, deliver memorial orations and recall the magnitude of their contributions. Perhaps we should do more while they are still here. We should celebrate greatness while we can still shake the hand of the person we honour. We should express our gratitude while they can hear it. We should tell them that their sacrifices mattered and that the generations who followed have not forgotten the foundations they laid.

Professor Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya has given an extraordinary lifetime to children, paediatrics, medical education, research and the development of the medical profession in Sri Lanka. For us, and for countless others, he represents much more than an eminent paediatrician. He represents a generation of physicians who believed that professional excellence carried with it a responsibility to teach, build institutions, mentor others and leave the profession stronger than they found it.

Both of us, the writers of this piece, have openly argued with the good professor about many things, sometimes even in public, but we have never raised our voices against each other. We believe that reasoning and courage need not be expressed at higher decibel levels. If evidence was provided to support a position, he would accept it, and we reciprocated in the same manner. Over the years, we have tacitly agreed even to disagree without being disagreeable. That perhaps reveals something important about the man. Behind the imposing academic credentials and formidable professional achievements was someone who remained approachable, reasonable and, above all, profoundly human.

Today, while we still have the privilege of doing so, we salute him.

Dear Professor, thank you for your lifetime of service. Thank you for the institutions you helped build. Thank you for the generations of doctors and paediatricians you have taught and inspired. Thank you for your leadership, scholarship and unwavering commitment to the children of Sri Lanka. Most importantly, thank you for reminding us, through your own life, what a lifetime in medicine can truly mean. This great man is not merely a distinguished paediatrician of Sri Lanka. He is part of the living history of our profession: a teacher, colleague, mentor and inspiration, whose legacy will continue to resonate through time immemorial.

So, from two colleagues privileged to know him from two very different stages of his remarkable journey, we offer our deepest respect, admiration and gratitude.

Long may Prof. Sanath P. Lamabadusuriya continue to inspire Sri Lankan paediatrics.

This tribute to our illustrious Batchmate was published in the Sunday Times. Sri Lanka.- Speedy -

Nithya Jayawickrema honoured

Nithya Jayawickrema honoured

The Honour bestowed on him was the Legend Award jointly presented by the Colonel Henry Olcott Sports Foundation and the Ananda College Old Boys' Association, at the "Olcott Cricket Tournament Old Boys Banquet", hosted by the Ananda College Old Boys' Association (ACOBA). This annual event, held on the 24th of January in 2026, honours Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, the founder of Ananda College and other prominent Buddhist schools in Sri Lanka.

Nithya was educated at Mahinda College, Galle, from kindergarten (1946) to medical college entry. He had represented the Mahinda College 1st eleven cricket team from 1956 to 1961. In 1956, under the famous D.H. De Silva, and in the following 3 years, 1957, 58 & 59, under the two well-known Amendra brothers, Sisira & Stanley. In his last year, 1960, in the annual big match “Lovers Quarrel”, he scored 77 & 32 runs as the vice captain of the Mahinda College cricket team. He was a stylish left-handed batter and a very good slip fielder.

Apart from cricket, he had represented his Alma Mater in many extracurricular activities, such as soccer and athletics, and was a member of the senior cadet platoon.

He was a brilliant student with a wide range of extracurricular activities. He was also Head Prefect. He entered the Peradeniya Medical Faculty in 1962 and later transferred to Colombo in 1963, as so many others did, to enrich our Batch.  He was a member of the Colombo University Cricket Team.  

Nithya Jayawickrama specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He decided to return home after specialisation and a long stint abroad. 

He practised at Apollo Hospital, where he headed its Fertility Centre.

He has served as a Doctor for over 50 years. He is well recognised as a humble and caring doctor.

This is the plaque he was awarded, the Legend Award jointly presented by the Colonel Henry Olcott Sports Foundation and the Ananda College Old Boys' Association. 

Our sincere congratulations to Nithya for this coveted award.

The Spouses of our Batchmates and their talents - Dhushyanthi Vedavanam

The Spouses of our Batchmates and their talents.

Featuring Dhushyanthi Vedavanam, wife of the late S.Vedavanam.

Mahendra “Speedy” Gonsalkorale.

Our Batch has been exceptional in so many ways. We have kept in touch with each other both electronically and, when possible, in person. Today, I would like to shift the focus to our batchmates' spouses. Many of them have stood out for their frequent presence at Reunions and for their contributions through comments on the Blog. Many are great achievers in their chosen fields and have distinguished themselves.

Dhushy,  Veda, Krishni & Tharan

Today, I want to focus on Dhushyanthi Vedavanam, the wife of the late Sivakumar Vedavanam or Veda, as we fondly called him, who passed away on 1st July 2015. Both her children are in the Medical profession. In subsequent posts, I shall feature some of the other spouses. 

Dhushy has attended many of our London reunions and frequently commented on the Blog. She thinks highly of our Batch, but as I discovered, she is also an amazing and talented person on her own right, as well as being a sensitive and loving human being.

I am delighted to post a short, illustrated article about her gardening expertise, one of her many talents. Dhushy is a well-accomplished and well-respected Gardner. She has won many awards and prizes. I am sure you will note her philosophical attitude to life when you read her story. I have not included the names of the wide range of flowers, fruits, and vegetables that appear, but I am sure Dhushy would be happy to answer any specific questions about them in response to comments.

Background:

In 1990, a small group of enthusiastic gardeners in Biddenham decided that the village needed an organisation which would give them the opportunity to share their love of gardening with like-minded people and provide a forum for increasing their knowledge through talks and demonstrations. The first meeting of the Biddenham Gardeners’ Association (the BGA) took place at the Village Hall in 1991.

Over the years, many different speakers have visited to present a wide range of gardening-related topics. Most talks are accompanied by a presentation, whilst some take the form of a practical demonstration. All of our speakers have a particular expertise, some are well known nationally and many have been Gold medal winners at RHS shows.

“In January 2025, we were lucky to have a video presentation by Dhushy about her garden at Rose View, Main Road, Biddenham. She presented the four seasons in her garden, but before starting this video she gave us some background to her love of gardening, how the garden has grown over the years since she came to Biddenham in 2004, that the interaction with the garden and her work in it gives her great pleasure, but that she also relishes the moments when she can sit down and contemplate the results”. Dhushy moved from Durham to Bedford in 2004 to be nearer her family. It took a year to clear the garden at Rose View, which was a mixture of clay and rubble, and in the last twenty years she has focused on colour in the garden, which attracts birds and pollinators. She has 22 standard roses, more than 55 dahlias and a huge number of other plants.

In the Winter, the Cosmos and Zinnias are cleared away, and the Climbing plants and perennials are mulched. The clematis, with its creamy-speckled bell flowers, attracts pollinators in winter. The garden's slow death this season is fascinating. In January, she removes the leaves of the Hellebores so they can regenerate. Hydrangeas and winter honeysuckle which provide colour in the garden during the winter are pruned in March. Viburnums flower in the winter and are a low maintenance plant. They need to be pruned lightly after flowering. Elephants ears turn purple in the winter, evergreen lavenders, winter flowering heather and heuchera hold the borders together, with the help of saxifragia, ferns, and fatsia. There is a long privet hedge in her garden which adds texture and is a haven for wild life. As the snowdrops break through, she looks forward to spring. There is a unique beauty in the winter garden.

In Spring snowdrops followed by daffodils, tulips and then peonies start the seasons, the tulips are planted in the borders and containers and combine well with late narcissi. There are yellow and purple crocuses, bluebells, hyacinths, alliums, irises, primroses, primulas, forget-me-nots, peonies, hellebores, cyclamen, camelias. The Braeburn apple blossom also adds colour.

The Summer is a busy and beautiful time. In late May the dawn chorus is at its best, and there are many fledglings. Dhushy has in her summer garden cosmos, sunflowers, Dahlias, climbing roses (Compassion, Scent from Heaven, New Dawn, White Floribunda, Gertrude Jekyll, Ballerina), 55 varieties of Dahlia, Alstroemeria, Phlox, Hydrangeas, 34 types of Clematis, Coneflowers, Penstemons, 15 different types of Salvia, Tobacco plants, Geraniums, Hibiscus, with Lavender alongside the Roses and Dahlias.

In Autumn the garden comes into its own. The shrubs are turning into bronze and orange. There are Cotoneasters, Cyclamen, Michaelmas daisies, Asters, Sedums, Chrysanthemums, the Dahlias continue flowering until the frosts arrive. Pansies and Violas supply colour all through to the spring, the Cotoneasters are covered with red berries, and there is a green carpet of Heather. There is always plenty to do in the Autumn, preparing for the next year”.

Dhushy’s presentation was received enthusiastically by a large audience. 

A few illustrative comments.

From Linda Truscott, Co-Chair and Membership Secretary, BGA.

Dear Dhushy,  I am writing, on behalf of the committee, to thank you for presenting the first talk of the year at the BGA.  We all so enjoyed your presentation.  It was polished, informative and so interesting.  We had so many lovely comments from our members and visitors and you must have been very pleased that it was so well received.  We are mindful that a presentation of this calibre does not materialise without a great deal of planning and preparation and we thank you for that - you got us off to a good start for 2025!

From Val Fitzhugh, Chair till 2021

From Kam, the owner of Bedford School of Photograpghy.

Your presentation was not only a testament to your hard work but also to your talent and ability to bring a vision to life. The feedback last night was all highly positive, and it’s easy to see why – the attention to detail and professionalism you brought to every aspect truly shone through. The video was really well put together and clearly a lot of intricate editing went into that. This achievement is something you should be very proud of, and it sets a fantastic example of what can be accomplished with hard work.

From Jan Page. Visiting Speakers, Raffle and Publicity.

Hi Dhushy, Well done for a very successful evening, everyone loved your video. I hope you enjoyed the evening.It was a treat meeting your children and your friends, l think they were all very impressed.Thanks again for a very successful evening

A selection of photos from her garden.

And now in her own words…..

My Thoughts and Reflections…..on my gardening and my presentation

By Dhushyanthi Vedavanam

One may wonder what prompted me to do the video on the four Seasons in my garden.

I joined the Biddenham Gardeners Association nearly five years after my move to Bedford.  A very Senior lady called Joy Bean, who was an icon in the village, virtually forced me to join.  The Secretary Norman King had earlier approached me and encouraged me to display some flowers in my garden at the Biddenham Show. I did not take much notice.

In 2013, I was approached by the Show Committee Organiser, Rosemary Harris, to enter the show. I didn’t realise the amount of work involved, but reluctantly agreed.  The show was on a Sunday. I went off to London to babysit for my daughter. I returned on the Saturday. I had to print the entry cards for the different categories- Flowers, fruits and vegetables and get my produce ready. My computer was not working.  I informed Rosemary that I would like to withdraw. She would not take ‘No’ for an answer! She offered to print the Entry Cards for me.  I was stuck wondering where to begin!

I started to prepare my production very late at night. I had no time to arrange the flowers.  I left the task for the morning. I found it a very daunting experience as this was my first attempt. I woke up at 4 am the next morning and went round my garden with a torch, picked the flowers and put them in vases. I had to be at the Village Hall by 7.45 am. We were given an hour to arrange everything on the tables before judging started.  I nearly passed out!

On reflection, I had a slight advantage over the other contestants in that I have been to so many shows and seen the presentations. I won the BGA shield and all other cups, too.  After that I entered four more years -in total five years. The last time I entered was in 2022, just after COVID.  I entered for an additional category, Photography, and won the Bradbury Cup for gaining the most points in Photography. I also won the Maurice Appleton Rose Bowl for best large Flower arrangement. The theme- the Jubilee Celebrations. I also won the best small flower Arrangement on the theme “Jewel Garden” which was done according to the specifications given

I was unable to show all the flowers, fruits, and vegetables, or all the plants, in my garden within the allotted hour. I put some photographs in an album, which was circulated at the presentation. I am showing some of those photos on the blog.

After many years of improving my garden, I realise that gardening, just like life, is a series of well-meaning cock-ups and happy accidents, unplanned successes and baffling, frustrating failures.  Happily, unlike life, gardening mistakes are rarely worth crying about. You could watch my video where I talk about losing my chrysanthemums- I can talk about it now without sobbing. I feel gardening is a low-risk hobby. Nobody gets hurt.

I love gardening because, unlike the rest of my life, a lack of knowledge, foresight and education does not hold me back.  Nothing seems to dampen my enthusiasm. I believe that when I grow plants, every day brings a small miracle. I hope my video will encourage novice and experienced gardeners, as well as non-gardeners, to fall in love with gardening in a whole new way.

What I really want to do is help silence the inner critic in us all, that nagging voice that tells us that our endeavours are not good enough, that there is no point in trying because our efforts are doomed to failure, because we are not up to it.   Perhaps the most valuable thing that gardening can teach us is to forgive ourselves, our failures, and celebrate our successes, however tiny, whether it is the lovely red, yellow and orange tomatoes, or the spitting in the eye of a potato- it should all be fun.

I started to photograph in 2017. I joined the U3A. I didn’t own a fancy camera. Many years ago I had 35mm £20 camera from Boots - I photographed my children when they were young. I had no understanding of the technicalities or the rudiments. I was happy clicking away!!

The photographic critic at U3A, Cliff Harvey, encouraged me to get a Nikon DSLR 330D. My son got the camera for me. Cliff helped me initially set it up, and I started photographing buildings, Street photography, nature, landscapes, and my own garden, too. I was enjoying my newfound hobby. I learnt to edit with Photoshop. I then joined the Bedford School of Photography and got lessons from Rob. After some time, Kam, the owner of Bedford School of Photography, persuaded me to invest in a mirrorless camera, and I bought another Nikon Z50.  This is the camera I use with confidence. This has helped me to rediscover the quiet delight of peaceful concentration.  These offerings- gardening, cooking my produce, and photography have been done with love and in the full knowledge that I am an amateur gardener, an amateur photographer and a novice writer too.

I really hope that my hit-and-miss at these disciplines will encourage other would-be artists, writers, and gardeners to pick up a pencil, a camera, a trowel, or an idea and run with it.   Give it a go- as I did. Let’s give ourselves permission to mess up, go wrong, make mistakes and carry on. Let us turn down the volume of our inner critic, get dirt under our fingernails, paint on our cardigans, and put a big smile on our faces? Why not? We have nothing to lose and so much to gain.

In a world where our identity is constantly scrutinised, monetised and assessed, it is such a relief to know that whoever we are, we can be gardeners.

A further selection from her beautiful garden

Around September 2023, I finally agreed to talk about my garden. It took me 14 months to put it together. It is the four seasons in my garden with my background and history. Enjoy the video!

Last but not least, I would like to express my sincere and grateful thanks to Mahendra for posting my video and write-up to go with it. It was Mahen who used his gentle persuasive powers to encourage me to share this in the blog. I was rather reluctant at first but gave much thought it and finally agreed.

Let me raise a toast to Mahen for his exceptional talent and knowledge in editing and for bringing together all the interesting contributions from you all on the Blog. This requires discipline and a timely approach, and he has developed a great skill to do it. He deserves many accolades for his hard work.

He helped me immensely to format my photographs for the write-up and had face-to-face Zoom meetings amidst his busy schedule of work, which I appreciate very much. He has kept this blog going and I have no doubt his efforts are much appreciated by all the contributors. I congratulate Mahen for his tireless efforts to include the spouses of your departed colleagues. Thank you Mahen for your kindness.

NOTE from Speedy: This unlisted video is included for Blog members only. Please be kind enough not to share the link or make it Public. You can watch the video within this window. Just click on the arrow. Fortify yourself with a nice drink and have some gentle soft music in the background and make sure you are seated comfortably!

LAREEF IDROOS IS SERIOUSLY ILL

UPDATE SEPT 1st 2025. LAREEF IDROOS PASSES AWAY

Message from Rajan Ratnesar 1st September  2025

Lareef passed away a few minutes ago. Please pray for his family, Nabila, Shireen, Sabrina and Samantha. Passing of another great friend.  Rajan

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LAREEF IDROOS IS SERIOUSLY ILL (20th August 2025)

A collection of appreciations and memories from colleagues

We have received news that our beloved batchmate, Lareef Idroos, is seriously ill. He is being well cared for in a Hospice.

I have had many messages of appreciation from batchmates, and I shall be publishing them in this post over the next few days.

Lareef is a charming and popular person, a thorough gentleman, who specialised in Nephrology after emigrating to the USA. He is an Old Thomian and, apart from being a skilled physician, he is well known as one of Sri Lanka’s most talented cricketers. He is one of a select band of cricketers who have represented two countries (Sri Lanka and the USA) in cricket at the highest level (another being our own Cyril Ernest). Such leaders in sports and academia are rare to find. He excelled in cricket as a leg spin and googly bowler. Lareef played for St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia (as captain), SSC and the University of Ceylon and also represented the country with distinction before the country gained test status. His University side created history in Sara Trophy and university cricket, by becoming the first and the only champion side (1962/63). 

He was re-elected President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America, West Coast in March 2012. He was first elected to the post in February 2010.

His generosity and support for his home country were demonstrated when Lareef and Nadarasa Vishveshwara, who are both members of our batch, paid a visit to the Colombo Medical Faculty Library a few years ago and donated books worth Rupees two million to the library. During his tenure as President, the SLMA of North America also assisted the Jaffna Medical Faculty and the Jaffna Surgical ICU.  The Cancer section in Kurunegala Hospital and the Paediatric section of the Cancer Hospital have also been beneficiaries.

He settled permanently in California with his wife, Nabila, and their three daughters, Shireen, Sabrina, and Samira. Lareef and Nabila were frequent attendees at our Batch Reunions.

Let us all pray for him and his family for comfort and courage.

There are numerous articles featuring Lareef on our blog. Simply type 'Lareef Idroos' in the search bar to access them.

Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale, Blog Admin.

Messages

Nihal (ND) Amarasekera

I am sorry Lareef is unwell. He’s such a nice guy. I last met him in 2012 at the Cinnamon Grand. He was with Cyril Ernest. We had a lovely chat. I hope he is comfortable and free of pain.

Rajan Ratnesar

I did visit him last weekend, he still looks the same with his mind alert. We talked about his illness and he has accepted the terminal nature of it. I don't think Larif and Nabila would mind if we mention that he is on Hospice. Sad to see a good friend and active person like Larif going through this

Suri Amerasekera

So very sad to hear of Lareef's illness. He was always with a smile and a sense of fun. I will certainly uphold Lareef in my prayers for relief from pain and peace of mind.Also, Nabeela, whom I got to know during our many batch reunions in Sri Lanka, for Comfort and Strength at this difficult time.

Srianee Dias

I was also very sad to get the news of Lareef’s illness. I have many fond memories of him, while in Medical College and later.  Like everyone else, I wish him freedom from pain and peace.  I sent him an email, which I hope Nabila or one of his daughters will read to him.   

“CG” is the Thomian Centenary Group.  Lareef always joined them whenever he was in Sri Lanka and supported their activities from afar.  I think they are all aware of his illness now.

Swyrie Balendra

I heard about Lareef a couple of days ago. My wish for him now is that he is pain free for the rest of the time. It’s indeed very sad news.

Jimmy Wickremasinghe

I was sorry to hear about Lareef. He is such a nice guy.

Susheila Thiagarajah

Sorry to hear about Lareef
Hope he is pain-free for the rest of his life
He was a friendly chap.

Rohini Ana

My thoughts and prayers will be with Lareef, Nabila and family. May Lareef stay comfortable and at peace until he meets his maker

Harsha Boralessa

I was very sad to hear of Lareef’s illness through my good friend Kumar Gunawardene.

He was a level-headed, sensible, disciplined, very religious and well-mannered individual.

Lareef, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Chirasiri Jayaweera Bandara

It was very sad to hear about Laleef Idroos illness. Let us hope and pray that he will be comfortable and free of pain. I wish him all the very best !

Josephine (Edwis) Francis

Sorry to hear that our batchmate Lareef is in hospice care. I wish him pain free for the rest of his time with his loved ones.

Sanath Lamabadusuriya

I would like to echo the words my batchmates have made regarding Lareef , which I fully endorse

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Nihal D Amerasekera

It must have been 1957/58 when I was told by an inveterate cricket fan, like me, that

A 16-year-old Thomian spinner has entered the immensely competitive cricket arena.

He was Mohammed Lareef Idroos who swept in like a whirlwind. He soon became

the talk of the town during the school cricket season. Lareef mesmerised batsmen

with his beautiful rhythmic action and superb leg spin bowling. He captivated

spectators with his magic delivery which was the googly. This he disguised with such

guile and cunning. His immaculate control and subtle variations of line and length

frustrated and undermined the best batsmen. Lareef’s bowling on the breezy wicket

at Mt Lavinia was lethal and the pitch became a graveyard for visiting teams. I recall

with such clarity Lareef's Googly whipping the bails off the unwary. He took a bagful

of wickets at every match making the Thomian team simply unbeatable. In school

cricket, Lareef was ‘feared’ and respected in equal measure. His photo and his

bowling skills graced the sports pages of the daily newspapers all through the cricket

season. He was the outstanding schoolboy spin bowler of his era. Lareef revived the

art of leg spin bowling and earned his place in the pantheon of the great spin bowlers

in school cricket.

Lareef captained an invincible Thomian team in 1960. He entered the Faculty of

Medicine in Colombo in 1962 for a career in Medicine. Lareef toured with the Ceylon

Team to India in 1964/65. Lareef played for the strong University of Ceylon team that

won the coveted Sara Trophy in 1962/63.

I consider myself immensely fortunate to have had Lareef in my years at the Faculty

of Medicine. Despite the hard grind of 5 years in med school, Lareef made time for

the game he loved. Cricket was in his blood. At the faculty, he was reserved but also

courteous and polite. He remained a good friend to many. Despite his high profile,

Lareef was modest and unpretentious.

After the great dispersal from the Faculty in 1967 Lareef emigrated to the USA in the 1970’s. I never met him again until 2012. I was seated in the lobby at the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo with Senthil Sinniah who was the Wesley Cricket captain 1959/60.

It was such a pleasant surprise to see Lareef walk in with Cyril Ernest. I was so happy to see them both. We walked down memory lane, speaking of those glorious years of school cricket of the late 1950’s. Lareef, Cyril and I caught up on the lost years since leaving the Faculty. After all those years, Lareef Idroos remains a gentleman, a true sportsman and an amiable friend as I have always known him.

Lareef is on a journey we must all take in the fullness of time. May Lareef be

comfortable and free of pain.

--------------------------------------------------------------

An email to Lareef from Kumar Gunawardane on the 20th of August 2025. Part I

My Dear Lareef,

It was wonderful talking with you the other day. The chat triggered our shared memories of the school by the sea, the Colombo medical school, and thereafter, engulfing me in a warm glow of nostalgia.

Kanthi and I remember you in our daily prayers in the mornings and at the going down of the sun, when we light lamps to our Lord Buddha and divine beings, as well as to Lord Jesus, Mother Mary, and St. Anthony of Padua. We also invoke your Lord, Allah, to protect, heal, and bless you and your family.

I think you arrived at the school by the sea in January 1951. You joined Lower 3B The form mistress was Mrs Welikala, a very pleasant motherly lady. She was very kind to all of us even the few recalcitrant ones. I recall seeing her being dropped off at school by her husband in a Morris Minor, with the daughters in the rear seat. She took most of our classes, but also there were noteworthy characters like Mr De Alwis a.k.a Poltokka our Sinhala teacher,; aptly named for his knocks on the head on errant boys. You and I likely missed out. Our class was in a long single-storey building away from the main school ; it housed the boarders’ dining room and kitchen, and also the ‘ Book Cupboard’, an apt name as it was a single small room. There was a long corridor on which we occasionally played cricket with a hard ball. A painful incident was my unprotected right knee being hit by a ball which escaped the bat .The next day it was swollen to the size of a small football. My mother applied red sandalwood paste on it and the swelling subsided after a few days. She was well-versed in our ancient systems of medicine, being a seventh-generation descendant of a reputed medical clan; it was she who steered me towards medicine. My ambition was to become an archaeologist or writer.

The redeeming feature, however, was the adjoining small botanical garden to which we non-Christians escaped during the chapel interval. The swimming pool too was next door; compulsory swimming classes for us day scholars were held once a week, which were very enjoyable, but regrettably my swimming skills are minimal. How about you? For many years, Thomians were the undisputed school swimming champions. 

The following year, were you in Upper 3 C ? Our class was in a small two storey block jutting out of a single storey building. It was as you would recall on the land side of the Big Club and there was also a tennis court nearby. Next to the two storey block were the fives courtswhich have been demolished to pave way for another structure. It’s a shame as it was donated by Dr R.L.Hayman who was one our greatest benefactors. We would sit on the railings of the fives courts and watch our cricketing heroes including you playing on the centre wicket. There was a huge banyan tree too beside which a Japanese plane had crashed during World  War 2. Beyond that was the Winchester house and the tuck shop which doubled as a sports pavilion.

The new sports pavilion named after Mr DS Senanayake was opened by his son, Dudley Senanayake. You would have been there too. Dudley made a very witty speech. The warden had said that Independence was won by DS. Dudley, in reply, said it’s not often that one gets a chance to put right one’s Warden. It was not my father who won independence for us in 1948; it was won in 1956 by SWRD. The whole Big Club, where the ceremony was held, erupted into laughter. What extraordinary people the Senayakes were!

The form master  of U3 C was Mr Muttiah, whose special form of punishment was lashing on our soft  calves with two wooden foot rulers placed one on top of each other. He was also the scout master ; we looked forward to their  annual concert , a leading performer being ‘Lokadaya’ Samarasinghe. As “Sam the Man “ he led his group at the Akase Kade which served hoppers and egg hoppers in the top floor of the Ceylinco Building. It was Ceylon’s first skyscraper and also boasted the first escalator.

You would have played in the Under-12 and Under-14 cricket teams. The master in charge of the former was, I think a Mr Manickam and the latter probably  Mr LAH Arndt , who taught us English in U 4 C. He belonged to a famous Thomian clan as did Mr D.N Pereira our form master in L4B ; he was better known as “Bulto” which he chewed after lunch in lieu of a cigarette. DNP was also renowned for his smart western attire and his beautifully polished shoes.

Your cricket would have come of age, like for many of us, under Lassie Abeywardane in the Small Club. In our time, it was more gravel than grass. Now it’s a smaller version of the ‘Big Club’ and boasts a well-equipped indoor games facility. The grounds, too, are well-maintained and well-grassed.

From Upper Four onwards, we were always in the C form. In 5 C you shared a desk with Bora and Gamini Marapana. The form master was Orville Abeynayake and the Latin teacher was Mr C.H.Davidson. In U4C Latin was taken by Cannon R.S.DE Saram. There was a wave of silence as he walked to our classroom. 

They all liked you, because you were a model student, apart from being a top-notch schoolboy cricketer. You were a good singer, too. At Warden de Saram’s farewell concert, you sang ‘Oh Island in the Sun’, the Harry Belafonte calypso. I was seated behind the Cannon in the auditorium and I saw him clapping energetically.

We were in Upper 6 C  in 1957 your initial year in the first eleven cricket team. How proud we were of you. When you left the class at 10 am after the second period on Friday morning for the match, our applause followed you till you disappeared from sight. That was a golden season for you with 49 wickets before the Royal-Thomasian, and we were so disappointed for you when you didn’t achieve the magic half-century.  But you had very good seasons in the subsequent years. Ponni related to me this intriguing yarn. At a Royal Thomian, you had four wickets when he dropped a sitter off you. There was a loud scream  from the commentary box by F.C.DE Saram. “ You T….. Bastard” He had taken a bet that you would take five wickets in that match which you subsequently did. He was a superb coach, although he used barracks-room language when annoyed. But he was generous with his praise, too.

It was such a pleasure for me to join first eleven practice from 1959 onwards. You Dennis Ferdinands, Nihal Gurusinghe, Errol Lisk, URPG, Annesley de Silva, Michael Sproule and others were so friendly and helpful. One evening Ronnie Reid joined us for a bat at practice. I was asked to pad up with him. That was the best batting of my short cricket career. I hit every bowler, including you, for boundaries all round the wicket. I was truly inspired by him.

Dennis F, who opened the bowling for Wood House, was the fastest bowler I kept to. Nihal G was very quick too, but he didn’t bowl much in the first eleven matches. There was a surfeit of talent then. I remember late URP G , a man with a unique sense of humour. We met him again at your house in Glendale. Once at a University preseason match, I held a catch diving to my left. A team member remarked, “ Gompa, you should have taken that catch. You were at leg-slip. G retorted smilingly, I moved away to applaud Kumar.”

I also remember the first match of the 1960 season against St Benedict’s at Kotahena. Cyril Ernest  was  caught by me behind the stumps in both  innings .FC praised me for my good keeping.. That night, you entertained the whole team at your parents’ spacious home. I remember your father was all smiles too. The next match against St Peter’s was on a dust bowl, and you , Thomma (BWRT) and Keith Labrooy were spinning the ball almost square. I missed a couple of chances, and that was the end of my first eleven career, although I had four scalps.

This email has now exceeded its limits. I will write the rest next time. With your permission, I will send it to our Colombo Medgrads 62 Blog to make them aware of your tremendous cricketing and medical achievements.

With kindest regards to you, Nabila and family.

Kumar

Email from Kumar Gunawardane-  Part II. 26th August 2025

My Dear Lareef and Nabila,

You both are in our prayers, every day, and we beseech our Gods to keep you in comfort and protect you.

We both joined the Colombo medical faculty in 1962. Thomians were few in number, but we were not lacking in lustre, because of renowned sportsmen like you, Ranjan Wattegedara and KDPR.  Unfortunately, that brought unwelcome attention to you, too, from unruly seniors. Bora has related the episode of the longest over. You were ordered to bowl your spinners with a shoe. After six when you thought that the ordeal had ended they said it was an Australian over (eight balls). Thereafter, every ball was a no-ball, and you had to go on and on. In hindsight, it is funny, but some of the seniors were not very pleasant.

Who were your body partners in that first term?  The self-appointed leader of our ‘body’ was Elmo Samuel, a fellow Benedictine of Cyril Ernest. He was very protective of us juniors, Irvine Herat, Chira Mallawaarchchi and me. The seniors included two lovely Ladies College alumni, and it turned out better than expected.

You would have played in the following year’s Law- Medical cricket match, where some of our mates’ unseemly behaviour led to disastrous consequences for all of us boys. However, the gallant behaviour of the other males and the support of the girls bonded the batch tightly. The immediate seniors ragged us again. Hopefully, you were not singled out the second time.

 

The ‘Great Dispersal’ (in ND’s colourful phrase )was in 1967. You remained in Colombo and I ended up in Galle with Sunna and other congenial friends. That was my “l’annee de gloire “, the year of glory. With so many achievements, it must have been one of many years of glory for you. 1962/3 would have been very special; the year that the University won the Sara trophy for the only time. We were so proud of the Old Thomians in that team: you, Nihal Gurusinghe, Buddy Reid, URP Gunatileke, and Mano Ponniah. Also, when you played in the Gopalan Trophy matches, and along with Cyril Ernest, playing for the USA, becoming a nephrologist, establishing yourself in Los Angeles, founding the STC OBA in LA and presiding over the SLMA of North America (west coast); all these would have been “ l’ anee de gloire”.

We remember the joyous times we had at our  ‘62  group reunions which you joined regularly. They were memorable occasions. And there was the fabulous wedding of your daughter, we were privileged to attend at the Anantara resort at Tangalle. The sylvan surroundings, the grand old mansion, the roar of the ocean, the moon amidst a billow of clouds, above all, the many celebrated friends and guests, amongst whom was your first cricket captain, Michael Tissera, made it such a fun and unforgettable occasion.

But I’m sure  you will remember with even more joy, how you helped our school by the sea, our Medical School and the hospital services of our land of birth. There must be many more acts of charity that we are unaware of.

As Einstein so rightly said, “ only a life lived in the service of others is worth living “

MAY ALLAH GRANT YOU PATIENCE AND STRENGTH DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.

Kumar 

Remembrance day 2025: In Memory of Dr Lakshman “Lucky” Abeyagunawardene by Speedy

REMEMBRANCE DAY 2025 POSTS

In Memory of Dr Lakshman “Lucky” Abeyagunawardene. (Our much-valued and loved batchmate who passed away in December 2024)

by Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale

In March 2024

Remembrance day posts have continued to accumulate, and the response from colleagues has been heartening. The Blog is there because of Lucky. The Blog has been the most used medium through which colleagues have kept in touch for a mind-boggling 60-plus years!

I therefore thought of honouring him with this special post. 

I was going to base it around his wonderful book “From Hikkaduwa to the Carolinas: Memoirs of a Reluctant Expatriate” by writing a review. However, I discovered that an excellent review had already been published on our blog on the 13th of September 2013. Lucky posted it, but the author’s name is not stated for some reason. What follows now is my short addition to this review, followed by the more detailed one first posted 11 years ago.

 Review by Mahendra Gonsalkorale.

Lucky sent me a copy of his book in 2010. I value this book with his handwritten message very much and enjoyed reading it. It has been a while since I read it and I decided to read it again and again found it to be a valuable record of not only many aspect of his life journey but also to be rich with connections with so many important people from that era who have crossed our path. His recall is amazing. He has produced names which ring a bell at each stage of his life and as there is an overlap with our lives, these triggered many recollections.

The themes I discovered are how he valued his parents and grandparents, his teachers, his wife and children, his friends and most importantly, his gratitude to his homeland for the education and opportunities he was so fortunate to have received.  The theme of humanity with total acceptance of a multiethnic and multireligious society, which he strongly advocated, resonated with my own views. He did not just say it, he lived it.

The book is very readable and has been set out well with good chapters and subheadings. The photo section adds value. His writing displayed a strong literary talent. In the following extract from page 29 he paints a vivid picture of scenic Talatuoya.

“Acres and acres of lush green paddy fields ever so neatly terraced in hilly upcountry terrain; crystal clear waters gushing down incessantly over a rocky hillside to form a natural pool in the nearby  “oya” where village damsels clad in colourful “diyareddas” bathed; the ancient bridge that spanned across the stream with few people and vehicles moving unhurriedly across it; the hustle and bustle of the vibrant bazaar in the centre of town where traders did brisk business selling a variety of items ranging from foodstuffs to hardware. That is how I would describe the country landscape in Talatuoya that I knew so well”. 

He was exceptional, and we are very fortunate to have had the pleasure and honour of knowing him.

Another aspect that his memoirs must make us more understanding of is when making judgments on those who left the country. The political situation, economic climate, ethnic conflicts, education of children, professional aspiration to give your best to the whole of humanity and not just to those in one country, ability or inability to have a decent income, need for physical presence to support elderly parents, marriage and spouses requirements, and compromising principles of whether or not to indulge in private practice, are all factors which operate when making the decision to leave your home country. There are many more, and mine is not a comprehensive list.  These factors operate to varying extents in the individual case. Lucky dealt with the blocks he faced and kept his desire to return to Sri Lanka a silent aspiration, and he succeeded!

May his memory live with us forever. 

This is the post I referred to above.

 
Review of “From Hikkaduwa to the Carolinas: Memoirs of a Reluctant Expatriate”

 “Memory is the treasure-house of the mind”. - Thomas Fuller

Someone famously but anonymously said this:“The glory of summer is best appreciated, when one is shivering in winter’s cold.” 

Dr. Lakshman Abeyagunawardene’s Memoirs, seem to derive directly from an identical situation. The main title of his book is “From Hikkaduwa to the Carolinas”. He adds an elucidatory second title: “Memoirs of a Reluctant Expatriate.” 

Ten thousand miles away from the land of his birth, memories from ‘good old Sri Lanka’, kept on flooding his soul. The present volume, represents an expanded version of those fond home-thoughts. His professional sojourn in the distant carolinas, provided him with the proper perspective to adore and esteem the allure and the appeal of the place he always calls home. Recollections gushed forth, from the depth of his being. There was no need to recourse to notes. What remained to be done, was to impose book-form, upon the contents.

Briefly, that is the process that ensured the genesis of this book. 

The pages are crowded with memories of persons and places. He narrates the evolution of certain places in the spirit and the style of a dedicated historian. One could feel a sense of affection coming through those descriptions. 

The author hails from Hikkaduwa - a township in the South of Sri Lanka. It is quite a noteworthy “hail”, because Hikkaduwa is replete with a rich lore, centring upon great scholars, affluent families and many who achieved national stature. 

Dr. Abeyagunawardene, traces the ramifications of his own family. He, quite modestly, considers himself a residual legatee of the vast achievements of those earlier stalwarts of Hikkaduwa, who shone at various levels of life. 

Personally I cherish the author’s narration of the history of the area that is well-known as Manning Town, where, according to the author, he lived a good part of his childhood. Since I am currently resident at Manning Town flats, the author’s detailed descriptions of that area, with a touching sense of intimacy, fascinated me no end. The author’s in-depth recounting of the phases of evolution of Manning Town, is eloquent testimony to his impassioned attachment to his childhood haunts. The key to his close involvement with the life at Manning Town, is his memory of the house numbers, in many instances. 

As you continue to progress through his memoirs, you cannot help but be overwhelmed by his phenomenal ability to recall the details of the places he had known, while growing up. Recounting his schooling phase, the author takes the reader to his days at Ananda College. His undiminishing loyalty to Ananda is enshrined in his resounding statement: “I found that greatness in a school does not depend on the locality. My Alma mater, would have flourished anywhere on earth as an outstanding seat of learning!” 

We meet the author next, as an Assistant Science Teacher, at Talatuoya Central College. It is there he experienced the thrill of earning his first salary. As a dutiful son, he bought a twenty-four-Rupee silk saree for his mother and a fourteen Rupee Hentley Executive shirt for his father, using his first pay. 

There were only the minor preliminary steps, towards the entry into a wider world of massive challenges and trying ups and downs. 

The latter half of the Memoirs, is, in effect, a chronicle of his main professional career, as a Doctor of Medicine. It records the story of his professional postings both here and abroad. The total “Memoirs”, speak of a gentle, humane practitioner of medicine, deeply engrossed in the way of life of people. The large number of personalities, mentioned by name in this book, makes it a unique work. It is, veritably a “Who’s Who” of people, who flourished in various fields of like, during the decades, this work focuses upon.

For all you know, your name too is likely to figure here, in some context. 

The calm restrained style of writing, makes the book eminently readable. Although the work traces the progress of a professional practitioner of medicine, the major and minor events, that the author has had to wade through, make it, strangely enough, as absorbing as a work of fiction. The cliche, that fact is stranger than fiction may be apt here. There is, for instance, the episode in which the author is caught up in a plane crash. This real-life tragedy and the miraculous escape of the author, unscathed, but for a swollen ankle, add a dramatic depth to the whole narration. 

Professional travels, took the author to various parts of the world. His narration of these tours, gives the work the feel of a “travelogue’ as well. 

The total impression given by the ‘Memoirs’, is that the reader has been given the opportunity to meet a cultured professional, who has an intense love of his mother country and a marked ardour for serene domesticity. In his concluding segment, we come upon the author as a voyager who has reached a calm haven, after tumultuous travails. He nursed the dream, that the day he and his wife will live in retirement, in Sri Lanka. He reinforces this resolve by saying that “my homeland attracted me like a magnet”. 

The work comes in an elegant hand-cover version. And, all the author’s experiences are available to the reader at Rs.750. This is indeed a memorable Memoir.

https://shop.slma.lk/product/from-hikkaduwa-to-the-carolinas/

You will have to be quick because only 6 books are in stock.

Postscript. In a subsequent post, Lucky said this (and I publish it to show what a sensitive man he was)- "I had failed to mention Speedy's father Edwin Gonsalkorale in the opening chapter ", My Birthplace Revisited". This I think is unforgivable because I distinctly remember my mother talking about the Gonsalkorale family long before I met Speedy in 1962". My response was, "As for not mentioning my father Edwin Gonsalkorale, you are totally and unconditionally forgiven!"

A tribute to Indra Anandasabapathy- ND Amarasekera

 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.

Suriyakanthie Amarasekera honoured

Suriyakanthie Amarasekera honoured

by Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale

I am proud to announce a great honour awarded to our distinguished Batchmate Suriyakanthie Amarasekera

Suri, as we affectionately call her, was awarded the SLMA Fellowship at the Inauguration of the 137th Anniversary Annual International Medical Congress, held on August 16th,17th, and 18th at the Hotel Galadari. The theme was “Ensuring Health Equity in Challenging Times.”

The following is a very brief synopsis of her illustrious career.

She resigned from Government Service and went to the UK for Postgraduate studies in Anesthesia in 1975, where she received the Final Fellowship in 1977. She worked as a Senior Registrar in Anaesthesia at Kings College Hospital London and obtained the Certificate of Higher Professional Training by 1981.

On her return to Sri Lanka in 1981, she rejoined Government Service. Her first appointment was as a Supernumerary Consultant Anaesthetist in the Colombo Group of Hospitals for two years and then one year as a Consultant Anaesthetist at Base Hospital Panadura. She then worked at Sri Jayawardanepura General Hospital Kotte from its inception in 1985 until her retirement in 2009 as a Consultant Anaesthetist. 

Among her important posts were President of the College of Anaesthesiologists of Sri Lanka in 1996 and 1997. In 2006, she became President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), only the sixth woman to hold this high office and the second Anaesthetist in 119 years. 

Among her many achievements were the setting up of a Scholarship for Children who lost one or both parents in the Tsunami Disaster of Dec 2004, starting the Programme for Corrective Surgery for Scoliosis jointly with the late Prof Randunne Corea, being awarded the S E Seneviratne Award for the best Free Paper at the College of Surgeons Annual Sessions in 1992, training and setting up the first ever Cardiac Arrest Team in S L in 1985 and introducing Caudal Epidurals to the practice of Paediatric Anaesthesia in 1987.

A truly commendable life combining a professional career of wholehearted and energetic dedication with bringing up a family as a loving wife and mother. She drew her strength from her strong religious belief as a Christian.

We are truly proud of you Suri. 

Professor Senaka Bibile

Prof Senaka Bibile- 1920-1977

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe"- Anatole France, French poet and journalist.

Professor of Pharmacology, University of Ceylon
The First Dean of the Peradeniya Medical Faculty

By Mahendra Gonsalkorale

This article is derived from a research paper by three authors, one of whom is Kavinda Bibile, the son of the late Prof Senaka Bibile.

(Return of the Ancestors. Sharing an Intangible Heritage - Kavinda Bibile / Carola Krebs / Maria Schetelich) https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/transfer/issue/view/6895

Prof Senaka Bibile will be fondly remembered and admired by those who knew him. He was a brilliant academic and a tireless fighter for a fair drug policy (rationalisation of pharmaceuticals and the development of a national pharmaceutical policy) in Sri Lanka.

There are many views on how powerful international forces sabotaged his policies. This article will not cover that aspect and will deal with his family history and his academic brilliance from childhood to adulthood.

Professor Senaka William Bibile (1920-1977), was the Dean of the Peradeniya Medical School, Sri Lanka, Chairman of the State Phar maceutical Corporation of Sri Lanka, and Geneva-Based International Consultant on Pharmaceutical Policies for UNCTAD. He was the eldest son of Charles William Bibile. Senaka William Bibile and like him, also went to Trinity College Kandy and had an illustrious career there, excelling in both studies and sports. Trinity, provided an admixture of British (Western) values and Sri Lankan ethos. Trinity has no religious compunctions, students are free to follow their own religion; the Bibiles were Buddhists in this Anglican Church-run school.

From an early age, during school holidays which he spent in Bibile, Senaka William Bibile accompanied his father Charles William Bibile on his circuits in the Maha Wedirata, which inculcated in him a love and respect for the Veddah communities. It was also his voluntary work with the Social Service Union at Trinity, with its unique and long-standing outreach programs and clinics for the slum dwellers of Mahaiyawa, that gave him an insight into another world, far removed from a privileged life in his ancestral Walauwa at Bibile and the boarding house at Trinity. These experiences with city slum dwellers and the rural poor made a lasting impression on his young mind, with far-reaching consequences for the good. He saw the link between ignorance, ill health, and poverty. Thus, he began his lifelong dedication to social justice and health care, and he aspired to be a doctor.

Sadly, at the height of his school career in 1936, tragedy struck. His father, Charles William Bibile, died at the young age of 42. Although the family possessed ancestral village lands, without the father’s government salary, their economic circumstances changed abruptly. School fees were no longer affordable, and as the eldest of six school-going children, Senaka decided to leave Trinity to seek employment. But the visionary principal of Trinity at the time, the Reverent Robert Stopford (1901-1976), who later became the Bishop of London, would not hear of it. He searched for a benefactor and found Trinity alumnus D.B. Ellepola, who saw the promising talent Senaka displayed and agreed to help with his school fees. In his final year at Trinity, Senaka also won the coveted Fraser Scholarship.

Entering Ceylon Medical College with no funds, Senaka had to top the cohort each and every year to win the one scholarship on offer. That only sufficed to pay his university fees. At his dingy ‘digs’ in Borella he had to wash dishes and clean drains to pay for his frugal meals and bed. In the midst of all his examination pressures and financial worries he played rugby for the university team and took part in various extra-curricular activities. Yet, his academic achievements did not suffer, and they speak for themselves. He passed his First, Second, and Final M.B. Examinations all with First Class Honours, and won the coveted Djunjishaw Dadabhoy Gold Medal for medicine and the Rockwood Gold Medal for surgery in his finals.

Later he obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, was the first Professor of Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine in Colombo, then became Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Peradeniya. During this time, he formulated the innovative ‘Rational Drugs Policy’ for Sri Lanka and set up the Pharmaceutical Corporation, better known as Osu Sala (note by MG- Osu Sala was the first direct SPC retail outlet to the Public. Before the SPC acquired it, it was a Chinese restaurant). It was this pioneering work that carried him into the international sphere, working for the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva in conjunction with the World Health Organization, setting up rational drugs policies in developing countries. Canada has also now adopted the generic drug prescription, which was first formulated in Sri Lanka by Senaka Bibile in the 1970s. The Health Action International (HAI) newsletter of April 1990, published by the International Organisation of Consumer Unions (IOCU), stated that:

“Singlehandedly he conceived, formulated, developed and implemented a people-oriented drug policy in Sri Lanka in the early 1970s. The pharmaceutical reforms initiated in Sri Lanka by Bibile have been transformed into a global action programme.” During the 35th World Health Assembly in Geneva in May 1982, a senior WHO official stated: “[...] the philosophy guiding WHO’s Action Programme on Essential Drugs is based on that recommended by the late Professor Bibile of Sri Lanka.” In 1993, Dr. Hart, the pioneer of the Australian Pharmaceutical Policy Board, remarked when he arrived in Sri Lanka: “Sri Lanka is the summit of a mountain, Senaka Bibile is a glittering lamp on that top. By the glow of that light we, the other countries, formulated the drugs policies.”

Dr Gamini Buthpitiya, Dean of the Peradeniya Medical Faculty, said at the Bibile Memorial Oration held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that medical college in Peradeniya: “At the very outset, let it be said that Senaka’s contribution to this issue was always based on sound scientific information, prudent economic principles and practical common sense. Nowhere can you see the sway of ideology, rhetoric or emotion in his approach to this problem.” 

Tragically, Senaka William Bibile died at the relatively young age of 57 of a heart attack in 1977 while on a mission for UNCTAD in Georgetown, Guyana. On February 13th 2022, on the 102nd anniversary of his birth, the government of Sri Lanka and the doctors at the Bibile Regional Hospital joined forces. They renamed Bibile Hospital the ‘Professor Senaka Bibile Memorial Hospital’.

important Footnote added on 17.6.2024 on other significant people who were responsible for the setting up of the SPMC.

The Government of 1970 appointed Dr. S.A. Wickremasinghe and Dr. Bibile to lead a commission of inquiry to investigate the issue of branded pharmaceutical drugs. This Bibile - Wickramasinghe Report served as the foundation for establishing an essential drug manufacturing entity owned and operated by the government of Sri Lanka.

After Bibile - Wickramasinghe Report, the government embarked on importing essential medicinal drugs as the first phase of the plan. The second phase was manufacturing a number of selected essential drugs within the country. In 1985, the Ministry of Health prepared a proposal for the establishment of a Formulation Centre for Essential Drugs and it was accepted by the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA).

As it was recommended to establish a national policy and a state body to regularize the pharmaceutical drugs trade, Sri Lanka State Pharmaceuticals Corporation was founded. In 1971 the Cabinet Minister of Industries, T.B. Subasinghe appointed Professor Bibile as the founder chairman of the Sri Lanka State Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

-From  the SPMC website-