Appreciations
View(s):He never lost that Pera touch
Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage
We were batch-mates in the Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya. Our 1973 batch comprised a very diverse group of young people – some from elite schools, others from rural areas, some fluent in English, others not so, some shy and reticent, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, – and the list could go on. It was Athula who had the ability to bring us together to form a cohesive group, such were his social skills even at that young age.
The University of Peradeniya afforded us the unique ‘Peradeniya Experience’- living in halls of residence, and meeting students from all faculties. Athula imbibed this to the full, honing his wonderful character and giving him that exclusive ‘Peradeniya touch’, which would stand him in good stead later on in life. From the very first day in the faculty we saw a carefree confident chap, always saying things in a light vein – never angry, never in a bad mood. Undoubtedly clever, we never saw him slogging at books. He was courteous and charming always, caring as a friend, compassionate to the downtrodden, courageous during adversity, competent in administration, conciliatory during a crisis, careful in conversation – a charismatic persona.
He joined the medical administrative service of the Ministry of Health, and steadily rose in the ranks to the highest post of Secretary Health. He was thus able to work in any political scenario which augured well for his integrity. Thereafter he took up a post in the WHO in India, where his abilities were soon recognized, with several other assignments being offered to him. On his return home, he was in great demand again in the private and public sector.
He was a good and loyal friend to all. If asked for help he would always respond by saying, “I will do my best for you”.
Our batch had its 40th year reunion in 2018. Athula was the force behind this event. I was co-chair of the organising committee. Most of our Tamil friends were visiting Sri Lanka many years after migrating abroad. Athula told me that he wanted an extra special welcome given to them and organised a special carriage in the Intercity express from Colombo to Kandy. They were greeted at the Fort railway station by the Station Master himself. On arrival at the Grand Kandyan Hotel in Kandy, they were accorded a real Kandyan welcome.
The reunion dinner was unforgettable because Athula had put in a special word with the management of the hotel to make the event spectacular. He was determined to make this reunion memorable for all, and he did it ‘his way’.
His soulmate was Indira, his dear wife, a professional in her own right. Together they made a wonderful couple, sharing success and sorrow with grace. He leaves behind also their second son and family.
Athula was planning another reunion with us in Sri Lanka to celebrate his 70th birthday. But this did not materialise.
What a friend we had in Athula – a friend like no other.
May his soul rest in peace. May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
Neelakanthi Ratnatunga (Neela Ekanayaka)
He leaves a great void in the hearts of family, friends, colleagues and world of neurology
Dr. Mahendra Somasundaram
The Royal College Old Boys’ East Coast Foundation (RCOBECF) USA recently mourned the passing away of its oldest member – Dr. Mahendra Somasundaram in New York. Mahendra attended primary school at St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna, and then secondary school at Royal College Colombo till 1949. His full education at Royal College was covered by a Governor’s Scholarship. He received two double promotions at Royal and so entered the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the age of 17 years.
He won many awards at Medical School including the Je Boey Scholarship for best performance in the 1st MB exam and the Hazare Prize for best performance in Year 3. He was first in his class for the first four years in Medical School. He qualified in March 1955, two years younger than his classmates, graduating with First Class Honours.
Following graduation, he was a House Officer at Colombo General Hospital and then Registrar to the Professor of Medicine for nearly three years He was then posted to Ratnapura Provincial Hospital as a Visiting Physician and left for the UK in 1962. In London he received his MRCP (Member of the Royal College of Physicians) in 1963.
In 1965, while working in the UK, he was recruited as Senior Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Malaya in Malaysia. He developed an interest in Neurology and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Washington, Seattle in 1967 to work with Prof. Emilio Chatrian in Neurophysiology.
He returned to the University of Malaya a year later and in 1970 went back to the US to start a Neurology Residency with two pillars in Neurology, Professor Plum and Professor Posner at New York Cornell University Hospital.
In 1974 I met Mahendra at New York Hospital while attending a neurology conference. At this time SUNY Downstate created a new Department of Neurology with Prof. Henry Schutta from UPenn as its Chairman. The programme was enhanced by the recruitment of Prof. Roger Cracco from Jefferson to head Neurophysiology and Prof. Arthur Rose from Albert Einstein for Pediatric Neurology. Upon hearing about Mahendra, Dr. Schutta requested that I arrange a meeting with him. Mahendra was promptly hired and made the Director of Neurology at SUNY Downstate – Kings County Hospital Centre in Brooklyn NY.
Mahendra who was known as Dr. Soma by all his residents and students served as a teacher cum clinician for over 30 years. He continued to see patients and teach residents well into his eighties. Gentle, sincere and devoted to his patients, he received many accolades including the prestigious ‘Distinguished Teaching Professor’ at SUNY Downstate in 1994.
He was described by his residents as a very humble man, much respected and revered by students, trainees, residents and colleagues. Some of his residents are Chairmen of Departments both in NY and NJ continuing the tradition.
On his 80th birthday Dr. Radha Giridharan, a former resident and colleague arranged a birthday party. It was a ‘sold-out’ event with speakers extolling his humane qualities and how he touched their lives and shaped their careers. I attended this event with two other Neurologists – Dr. Sanath Nallainathan and Dr. Miran Salgado, both Old Royalists and past-presidents of RCOBECF.
Mahendra Somasundaram M.D has left a tremendous void in the hearts of many colleagues, friends and family and the world of Neurology at large. He is predeceased by his wife Padma and leaves behind three daughters (Narmadha, Pamathi and Manjula) and two grandchildren Jothi and Vikram, the love of his life.
May he attain Moksha.
Sandran Para Waran
We salute you Sir for the example you set as a senior Police officer
Bernard De Silva
I first met Bernard De Silva when as a PSI I was transferred to Maradana Police station as a replacement to a batchmate of mine in 1990. The OIC Maradana was Mr. Bernard who was a Chief Inspector of Police then.
The very first day when reporting for duty, I was given a few warrants and the task of executing them at the earliest. There was not a single day that I didn’t see him at the station by 5 a.m till 10 p.m. This was his commitment to running that heavy A1 graded station.
At peak hours, dressed smartly in uniform, he would be seen supervising the Policemen on traffic duty at the Maradana junction which had a heavy traffic flow from four directions. From Maradana Police he was promoted as an Asst. Supdt. of Police and was attached to the Special Branch, Police Narcotics Bureau and to the Ministers’ Security Division.
Subsequently he held the Directorship of the Special Branch, Police Narcotics, SSP Vavuniya Division, SSP Negombo Division, Director SIU, Director Police Head Quarters Administration and was promoted as DIG in 2012, holding that position of DIG Police Head Quarters until retirement.
All these positions he held were well earned. His honesty and unimpeachable integrity were the hallmarks of his character and personality along with tenacity of purpose and commitment to duty.
Mr. Bernard was a disciplined officer who had the backbone always to call a spade, a spade. He fearlessly fought against injustice and ensured that justice not only prevailed, but was also clearly seen to prevail, wherever he served. This was the calibre of this great Officer to whom we as juniors looked up to.
A conscientious worker and devout Catholic, he gave priority to worship. A family man he did his duty by his children to the optimum, ably supported by his devoted wife Anesta who took pride in seeing her husband dressed smartly by dry-cleaning and pressing his uniforms, herself.
Mr. Bernard was also attached to his late father and mother and sacrificed a lot of his free time ensuring their comfort and well-being. He thus displayed a very rare quality of a son holding a high position, taking care of his aged parents.
He was always down to earth and very helpful to the needy. Being a soccerite who had represented the country and the Police for many years, he had leadership qualities and was always available for advice.
After his retirement, LOLC was lucky to get his services as its Security Consultant and he discharged his duties until he fell ill in 2021. We salute you for the generous and courageous example you set as a senior Police officer.
Noel Abeyratne
He will be remembered for his dedication to health care
Dr. Neville Fernando
“You die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time” – Banksy
It is with gratitude that I write these few lines in remembrance of Dr. Neville Fernando who passed away on February 4, last year one month short of his 90th birthday but left a rich legacy of positive experience with all those who knew him.
My association with Dr. Fernando goes back to 2003 when he invited me to join Asha Central Hospital at Horton Place, Colombo 7. It is he who turned the Asha Central Hospital into a fully-fledged multi-specialty private hospital. He was not a mere manager or a team leader to the hundreds of medical and non-medical staff, but a father figure to all, loved by everyone from the housekeeping assistant to operating surgeon.
His humanity extended not only to all the employees of the hospital but to all patients who sought medical attention. People liked him for his sincerity and enthusiasm. He was generous to the core. His charismatic smile and ability to attract people around him made him a truly inspirational leader.
Due to his passion to create higher educational opportunities for younger generations, he embarked on his vision creating SAITM (South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine) in 2009 and NFTH (Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital) in 2011 in Malabe, while selling the Central Hospital to Asiri Group of Hospitals to become the present Asiri Central Hospital.
Designing and building SAITM gave him immense pride. He pumped all his wealth, time, sweat and effort into this massive institution which has produced hundreds of Doctors, Engineers and IT professionals who serve not only in Sri Lanka but all over the world.
Designing, building, equipping, staffing and operating a thousand-bed hospital was no easy task. This stubbornly principled man had only one vision which was to create a space for private medical education in Sri Lanka. I am eternally grateful to him for giving me the opportunity to lead the hospital at the very inception. His advice helped me immensely to improve my knowledge and develop my skills – he was a stern disciplinarian who taught me the correct way of doing things.
Dr. Fernando wanted his hospital to be a model and benchmark in health care. The design and layout of the hospital was second to none. The materials used for construction and furnishing were the best as too the medical equipment that was the most technologically advanced. I still remember the pride he had when he inspected the operating theatre complex and intensive care units.
This extraordinary man was generous enough to waive the hospital charges of many patients who had financial difficulties, sometimes making the situation difficult for the finance team. Hundreds of surgeries and haemodialysis sessions were offered free of charge to deserving patients. He was happy and proud to see thousands of patients being treated and discharged at his hospital.
Long before embarking on the health care industry and education he had his footprints in many diversified fields. Being a sought after family physician in Panadura, he was busy treating hundreds of patients each day. A significant change in his life took place in 1977 when he contested the Panadura constituency at the General Election on the UNP ticket and won handsomely, defeating the incumbent, LSSP stalwart Leslie Gunawardena by over 11,000 votes.
He was instrumental in setting up Hotel Swanee, Royal Fernwood Porcelain and the Swanee tissue culture laboratory. The epitome of his entrepreneurship was setting up JF&I Packaging in 1978 which today has six modern printing and packaging factory complexes including facilities in Dubai and Kenya.
Throughout his journey his loving and devoted wife Swarnamalee was a pillar of strength. His loving children Naomal, Sharmalee, Devaka and Krishantha supported him at all times.
Dear Sir, the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital will continue to serve the people of our country for many more decades. Your name will be cherished as if you are still among us and will be in our hearts and minds for many more years to come.
I wish you the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana in the shortest possible time.
Dr. Lakshan Fernando
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