Remember the popular singing duo - the Jay Brothers? "Cherry Blossom Tree" was one of their more popular numbers. Older of the two brothers Perrin Jayasekara died decades ago. Younger brother Geri retired a few years ago as Professor in Surgery of the Colombo Medical Faculty. Both were in the same "Three Hundred" batch , two years our senior.
Click on this link to enjoy this old favourite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg07A4W-v5k
Whoever put it on Youtube would have had to make do with a Japanese girl because at the time Perrin and Geri recorded it, there would'nt have been a visual.
This blog (created in March 2011 by Lucky) is about new entrants to the Colombo Medical Faculty of the University of Ceylon (as it was then known) in June 1962. There were a total of 166 in the batch (included 11 from Peradeniya). Please address all communications to: colmedgrads1962@gmail.com. Header image: Courtesy Prof. Rohan Jayasekara, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (2011 - 2014). Please use the search bar using a keyword to access what interests you
Monday, May 28, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Message from the Chairperson, 2012 Reunion Organising Committee
Dear All,
Three months more to go for the reunion to celebrate the first time most of us met each other fifty yeas ago. Fifty years! It sounds like a lifetime. I am sure each of us will remember the feelings we had when we first entered the portals of the foremost Medical Faculty in Sri Lanka. It was a feeling of awe mixed with a little bit of fear for some of us! As we settled in we realised that it was indeed hard work but isn’t it the fun we had that we remember most with the hard work forgotten? We were so fortunate to have teachers of such high calibre that the basics we learnt will never be forgotten and are still put to good use by those who have reached the peaks of their careers both overseas and in Sri Lanka and by those of us who have not practised for forty years! Anyway, I am sure all of you will agree that this milestone in our lives is really worthy of celebration.
You will now be aware that we are planning this celebration on the 31st August and 1st and 2nd September 2012. Lucky has already kept you informed of the venue and given you an idea of what we plan to do. The Committee is doing its utmost to make this the best reunion so far. Your ideas are welcome and we will make every endeavour to incorporate them.
The purpose of this letter is to convey to those of you who have already indicated to us that you are coming, how delighted we are that we’ll be meeting. Also, those of you who have informed us that they are unable to come for whatever reason, thanks for taking the trouble to let us know. Those of you who are undecided and are on the fence, please do make up your minds to join us. Your presence will make a huge difference. When you meet batchmates who were your closest companions and whom you have not met in 45 years (and provided you recognize them!) you’ll be really glad you came.
See you in August.
Sincerely,
Swyrie
Three months more to go for the reunion to celebrate the first time most of us met each other fifty yeas ago. Fifty years! It sounds like a lifetime. I am sure each of us will remember the feelings we had when we first entered the portals of the foremost Medical Faculty in Sri Lanka. It was a feeling of awe mixed with a little bit of fear for some of us! As we settled in we realised that it was indeed hard work but isn’t it the fun we had that we remember most with the hard work forgotten? We were so fortunate to have teachers of such high calibre that the basics we learnt will never be forgotten and are still put to good use by those who have reached the peaks of their careers both overseas and in Sri Lanka and by those of us who have not practised for forty years! Anyway, I am sure all of you will agree that this milestone in our lives is really worthy of celebration.
You will now be aware that we are planning this celebration on the 31st August and 1st and 2nd September 2012. Lucky has already kept you informed of the venue and given you an idea of what we plan to do. The Committee is doing its utmost to make this the best reunion so far. Your ideas are welcome and we will make every endeavour to incorporate them.
The purpose of this letter is to convey to those of you who have already indicated to us that you are coming, how delighted we are that we’ll be meeting. Also, those of you who have informed us that they are unable to come for whatever reason, thanks for taking the trouble to let us know. Those of you who are undecided and are on the fence, please do make up your minds to join us. Your presence will make a huge difference. When you meet batchmates who were your closest companions and whom you have not met in 45 years (and provided you recognize them!) you’ll be really glad you came.
See you in August.
Sincerely,
Swyrie
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Block Seniors vs Staff Cricket Match 1963
Monday, April 30, 2012
E-mail from Priya
9:16 AM (16 minutes ago)
Hi Lucky,
What a refreshing and uplifting message from Speedy! Having a name beginning with a G myself, we found ourselves very closely linked at College. I remember him as one of the best - a true companion in our five year journey. It was indeed a privilege to have been a batch mate of his.
His sentiments are greatly valued and his efforts at fostering goodwill among our batch mates most salutary.
Thank YOU for being the catalyst and the rallying point for all this.
Warm regards,
Priya
Hi Lucky,
What a refreshing and uplifting message from Speedy! Having a name beginning with a G myself, we found ourselves very closely linked at College. I remember him as one of the best - a true companion in our five year journey. It was indeed a privilege to have been a batch mate of his.
His sentiments are greatly valued and his efforts at fostering goodwill among our batch mates most salutary.
Thank YOU for being the catalyst and the rallying point for all this.
Warm regards,
Priya
E-mail from Rajan (Patas) Ratnesar
rratnesar@aol.com 4:14 AM (3 hours ago)
Hi Lucky,
I enjoyed my study partner speedy's reasons for attending the reunion. As you know I have tried to attend all the reunions but missed one, though i had booked my flights etc, but had to cancel because of the said to be situation in Sri Lanka. But as Speedy mentioned this could be the last time we may see some of our dear friends that we spent 5 happy years with.
Just as one incident that has been in my memory following the last reunion 5 years ago. I met Anna ponnambalam after 40 years and she recounted her days in Zimbabwe and her final exit from that country after her husband had passed away. Alas she is no more and if I had not been at the last reunion, I would not have not known the hardships, dear Anna went through. I am sure there are many stories that we can relate to, through our days in Medical school to present time, and to see each other and share a drink and a joke is worth the tresure.
Let me know if I can help to contact more of our batchmates to encourage them to come. I am working on Vish, and hopefully he will be there.
Best to you and your wife
Patas
Hi Lucky,
I enjoyed my study partner speedy's reasons for attending the reunion. As you know I have tried to attend all the reunions but missed one, though i had booked my flights etc, but had to cancel because of the said to be situation in Sri Lanka. But as Speedy mentioned this could be the last time we may see some of our dear friends that we spent 5 happy years with.
Just as one incident that has been in my memory following the last reunion 5 years ago. I met Anna ponnambalam after 40 years and she recounted her days in Zimbabwe and her final exit from that country after her husband had passed away. Alas she is no more and if I had not been at the last reunion, I would not have not known the hardships, dear Anna went through. I am sure there are many stories that we can relate to, through our days in Medical school to present time, and to see each other and share a drink and a joke is worth the tresure.
Let me know if I can help to contact more of our batchmates to encourage them to come. I am working on Vish, and hopefully he will be there.
Best to you and your wife
Patas
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Why should we attend the Reunion? Why am I coming?
This is a question I have asked myself many times before as in many ways, it may appear at first sight to be not that important or worth the time, money and effort.
Our Medical Faculty days are a distant memory and soon the Reunion will also become one. Many things have happened in the last 50 years and life is such that we have moved on and made new friends, maintained contact with some colleagues on a regular basis, some on an occasional basis while some have been totally confined to history. This is not unusual and would apply to any group. I think it would be true to say that we have some memories we treasure and some we would rather forget! One of the problems with Batch reunions is that some of the unwanted memories become rekindled and then it becomes uncomfortable and unenjoyable. Some of us, without any malice whatsoever, but may be without sufficient sensitivity, recall humorous events concerning our colleagues which make us laugh but make them squirm. I think it is very important for us to remember this and be sensitive about the feelings of others. This may even extend to seemingly innocuous things like nick names. Just imagine that one of us was known as "godaya" because he was thought to be unsophisticated and backward at the time. The last thing such a person wants to be called at a reunion is "godaya" unless of course he finds it a sign of affection to be remembered thus. (This is a totally hypothetical situation). In my own case, I am perfectly happy to be called Speedy by the way! Then there were batch romances which didn't work out as anticipated and it is not particularly pleasant to be reminded of this.
All this sounds very negative but is stated so that we retain some awareness and sensitivity when we meet. But why bother when you have your own circle of friends and acquaintances and have moved on in life. Well, I suppose the answer is very individual and I can only speak for myself. I regard at least 3 phases of my life as important and worth remembering with gratitude. The first phase is my childhood, growing up in a family and being carefully nurtured to be able to face the World into which I was born and the most important influence for that period were my parents. The second is the all important period in school and I owe so much to Royal College as I am sure all of you do to your respective schools. The third is my medical faculty days and I owe so much for being fortunate enough to have some of the best teachers in the World and to grow and mature within a group of batch mates each of whom contributed in some way or the other to enable me to qualify as a doctor in a supportive atmosphere. It was like a multicellular organism (the batch) with each and everyone a contributory cell (batch mate). When I joined the Faculty I had just turned 18 and I was frightened in general at the tremendous jump from school boy to medical student and terrified at the prospect of being ragged. It was a steep learning curve in so many ways. I was so naive and unsophisticated that I had never heard of deodorants till UVA de Silva introduced me to Odorono in a very kind and understanding way to help him socialise with him without having to pinch his nose! I had never been to a "9.30 show" till JC got me permission from my father to be taken and delivered back safely on the pillion of his Honda 50. I had never consumed alcohol and or been anywhere near a girl! I could go on and mention so many people who helped me to "grow up". Add to this the memory of all the brilliant teachers we had and it adds up to a most crucial period of my life. I will be 68 soon and already we have lost many of our colleagues and the plimsoll line of our batch is rising all the time inexorably as is the nature of things till all of us will become history. Time is valuable and who knows how many of us would be able to attend the next significant reunion which I presume could be in 5years time to celebrate "passing out" as doctors.
I am coming because I would love to meet as much of you as possible and recall the good days we had, of which there were many and far outnumbered the bad ones. I would love to meet so many of you whose company I enjoyed and sadly have lost contact with. I like to share your successes, not necessarily academic but in whatever way you feel that you have made a success of your life. I like to empathise with any of you who haven't had the best of times. It is chastening to be reminded of our mortality and the impermanent nature of this existence. In other words, I would love to mingle with my batch mates and their families in a most convivial atmosphere and enjoy exchanging joyful memories and take back fresh memories with me when I return.
I do hope that a lot of you would feel this way and make the effort to join this celebration and make it a great success, never to be forgotten. Once again, I like to thank the Organising committee for all the hard work.
Speedy.
(Mahendra Gonsalkorala)
Our Medical Faculty days are a distant memory and soon the Reunion will also become one. Many things have happened in the last 50 years and life is such that we have moved on and made new friends, maintained contact with some colleagues on a regular basis, some on an occasional basis while some have been totally confined to history. This is not unusual and would apply to any group. I think it would be true to say that we have some memories we treasure and some we would rather forget! One of the problems with Batch reunions is that some of the unwanted memories become rekindled and then it becomes uncomfortable and unenjoyable. Some of us, without any malice whatsoever, but may be without sufficient sensitivity, recall humorous events concerning our colleagues which make us laugh but make them squirm. I think it is very important for us to remember this and be sensitive about the feelings of others. This may even extend to seemingly innocuous things like nick names. Just imagine that one of us was known as "godaya" because he was thought to be unsophisticated and backward at the time. The last thing such a person wants to be called at a reunion is "godaya" unless of course he finds it a sign of affection to be remembered thus. (This is a totally hypothetical situation). In my own case, I am perfectly happy to be called Speedy by the way! Then there were batch romances which didn't work out as anticipated and it is not particularly pleasant to be reminded of this.
All this sounds very negative but is stated so that we retain some awareness and sensitivity when we meet. But why bother when you have your own circle of friends and acquaintances and have moved on in life. Well, I suppose the answer is very individual and I can only speak for myself. I regard at least 3 phases of my life as important and worth remembering with gratitude. The first phase is my childhood, growing up in a family and being carefully nurtured to be able to face the World into which I was born and the most important influence for that period were my parents. The second is the all important period in school and I owe so much to Royal College as I am sure all of you do to your respective schools. The third is my medical faculty days and I owe so much for being fortunate enough to have some of the best teachers in the World and to grow and mature within a group of batch mates each of whom contributed in some way or the other to enable me to qualify as a doctor in a supportive atmosphere. It was like a multicellular organism (the batch) with each and everyone a contributory cell (batch mate). When I joined the Faculty I had just turned 18 and I was frightened in general at the tremendous jump from school boy to medical student and terrified at the prospect of being ragged. It was a steep learning curve in so many ways. I was so naive and unsophisticated that I had never heard of deodorants till UVA de Silva introduced me to Odorono in a very kind and understanding way to help him socialise with him without having to pinch his nose! I had never been to a "9.30 show" till JC got me permission from my father to be taken and delivered back safely on the pillion of his Honda 50. I had never consumed alcohol and or been anywhere near a girl! I could go on and mention so many people who helped me to "grow up". Add to this the memory of all the brilliant teachers we had and it adds up to a most crucial period of my life. I will be 68 soon and already we have lost many of our colleagues and the plimsoll line of our batch is rising all the time inexorably as is the nature of things till all of us will become history. Time is valuable and who knows how many of us would be able to attend the next significant reunion which I presume could be in 5years time to celebrate "passing out" as doctors.
I am coming because I would love to meet as much of you as possible and recall the good days we had, of which there were many and far outnumbered the bad ones. I would love to meet so many of you whose company I enjoyed and sadly have lost contact with. I like to share your successes, not necessarily academic but in whatever way you feel that you have made a success of your life. I like to empathise with any of you who haven't had the best of times. It is chastening to be reminded of our mortality and the impermanent nature of this existence. In other words, I would love to mingle with my batch mates and their families in a most convivial atmosphere and enjoy exchanging joyful memories and take back fresh memories with me when I return.
I do hope that a lot of you would feel this way and make the effort to join this celebration and make it a great success, never to be forgotten. Once again, I like to thank the Organising committee for all the hard work.
Speedy.
(Mahendra Gonsalkorala)
Crossword Solution
A promise is a promise! Here's the solution to the Medgrads1962 crossword puzzle designed and created by Mahendra Gonsalkorala (Speedy). For an enlarged clearer image, click on the puzzle.
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