A giant of a man and jewel of a human being
The 28th Professor K.N. Seneviratne Memorial Oration will be delivered by Professor Michael Sedgwick, a Consultant Neurophysiologist from the University of Southampton, UK who will speak on “Physiology in Transition – Challenges for the Future” at the New Building Lecture Theatre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo on Friday, November 27 at 7.15 p.m. The lecture is open to all.
Professor K.N. Seneviratne
Traditionally, the maximum was that “the physiology of today is the medicine of tomorrow”. It continues to be so, but at a level of sophistication which is beyond the ken of a physiologist of the 20th century like me.
For my part therefore, I am looking forward to listening to Professor Sedgwick!
On August 10, 1986, Professor Kirthi Nissanka Seneviratne aged 56 was in Bali, Indonesia listening to Johann Sebastian Bach when a massive heart attack felled him- this giant of a man and jewel of a human being.
Prof. KNS was the most distinguished physiologist the Colombo Medical School has produced upto date. By the munificence of his accomplished Scottish wife Alison Alexandar, a Master of Arts of the University of Edinburgh from which KNS himself earned his PhD in the early 1960s, an oration to commemorate him annually was inaugurated in 1987.
The inaugural oration was delivered by his PhD Supervisor, Professor David Witteridge, FRS, who happened to be the last direct pupil of Nobel laureate, Sir Charles Sherrington, OM, President of the Royal Society.
Taking as he did his intellectual descent from the last pupil of the great Sir Charles Sherrinton himself, the academic pedigree of KNS was impeccable.
So was his family pedigree. KNS was the second of the three children of Dr. Robert and Mrs Laura Seneviratne. In 1887 Dr. Robert Seneviratne qualified as a doctor in the Ceylon Medical College and then proceeded to Edinburgh Scotland for further study.
The eldest in the family Irangani married Engineer Athukorale and after living many years in Sri Lanka migrated with her family to Australia.
The youngest in the family, amiable Nihal, an LLB of the University of Ceylon has generously carried the organizational burden of conducting every single Prof. KN Seneviratne memorial oration.
Irangani, Nissanka and Nihal have been exemplary siblings. The family is distinguished socially. KNS who had delightful humour once quipped when someone, half in envy, commented on the social distinction of their family: “Yes, but my brother is only a Clerk”.
That was true. At that time Nihal Seneviratne was the Clerk of the House of Representatives, a position he adorned for several decades. He has proved to be the keeper of his brother’s name and reputation.
-Professor Carlo Fonseka