APPRECIATIONS
View(s):His interests went beyond medicine
DR. MAITHRIE RAJAPAKSE
Dr Maithrie Rajapakse had his primary and secondary education at Dharmaraja College and St Sylvester’s College Kandy, Sri Lanka. He obtained his MBBS degree in 1969 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. After working for a period as University Medical Officer, he began training in Anaesthesia and obtained the Fellowship of the Faculty of Anaesthetists of both the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland as well as of England in 1978.
Returning to Sri Lanka, he worked as Consultant Anaesthetist, General Hospital Anuradhapura (1979-1982), Teaching Hospital Galle (1982-1991) and Teaching Hospital, Kandy from 1991 until his retirement in 2002. At the Galle hospital he was instrumental in setting up the hospital’s first Intensive Care Unit. In addition to his clinical commitments, Maithrie played a very active role in academic activities in all the hospitals he worked in. He was the President of the College of Anaesthesiologists of Sri Lanka 1994-95. The first Scientific Session of the College to be held outside Colombo was held in Kandy during his Presidency and included the inaugural College of Anaesthesiologists Oration.
Maithrie held office as the President of the Clinical Society at Galle and President of the Kandy Society of Medicine (KSM) and delivered its Millennium Oration in 2000. He played a very active role in the Peradeniya Medical School Alumni Association, served as its President and delivered the keynote address at the International Congress held in 1994.
He had interests outside medicine. Having had a renal transplant himself, he played a very active role in the Kandy Kidney Protection Society. He was a member of the National Institute for Paraplegics. A devout Buddhist, Maithrie was the Founder President and the livewire of the Kandy Buddhist Doctors Association which did a lot of work for the upliftment of the living, health and educational standards of people in remote areas. Silently he used his personal funds for some of this work.
There was another side to his life. He was an accomplished singer of traditional Sinhala songs which on formal occasions he performed wearing national dress. He also wrote the script, directed and acted in the annual comedy item of the KSM get-togethers. Wild life was another of his interests.
Maithrie was a good and honest person. He passed away after a brief illness on February 9, leaving behind his wife Shanthi, a Consultant Paediatrician and a son and daughter. May the good deeds he performed make his journey through samsara short.
Jayantha Jayasuriya
She had the rare gift of infinite love and compassion
Rani Amarasinghe
My dearly loved aunt Rani Amarasinghe passed away in December 2022. As her nephew, I had the pleasure and privilege of establishing a close and cordial relationship with her spanning over three decades.
As a devoted Buddhist she was actively engaged in social work, tirelessly helping the needy and the downtrodden, embracing them with the rare gift of infinite love and compassion.
She was a devoted and loving wife who was undoubtedly a fountain of strength to her doting children – a son and five daughters who have surely reached the pinnacle of success under her careful guidance. It is indeed their success in several fields in Sri Lanka and abroad which gave her the strength and inspiration to reach out to others who were not so fortunate.
I, as a close associate of hers, had the rare opportunity of seeing her dispensing financial assistance and also provisions to the needy, in her active involvement as a prominent member of her welfare society. She derived immense pleasure in helping others. She had got rid of that trait of class consciousness and was able to help people with an open mind and altruistic passion. On numerous occasions I have seen mothers with young children visiting her home, mostly without prior notice but they were always assured of a right royal welcome.
She was very attached to the Buddhist precepts and took a major role in assisting a number of Buddhist temples in which her children too played a major role. She was steadfast in following Buddhist principles and maintained a close relationship with the Buddhist clergy. She devoted much time to engaging in Buddhist activities and listening to sermons.
She was very confident of herself and able to conduct her engagements with apparent firmness but there was an unfailing magnetism about her which effortlessly attracted others to her for her deportment abounded with natural grace and warmth.
Her loss is very much felt.
Ranjan M. Amarasinghe
We know he’ll be there always watching over us
Sunil Liyanage
It has been exactly a year to the day since an integral part of our lives left this mortal coil to watch over us from a more heavenly realm. Though 12 months have slipped by – at times unnoticed and at other times poignantly marked, it is only now that I find I am able to pen my thoughts.
The memories and echoes of his life that drift into my mind along the corridors of time overwhelm me. And I am faced with the daunting task of trying to fit over seven decades lived by an incomparable individual into a single article.
From his very young days, my father showcased greatness. I recall my grandmother fondly telling me about his first day at school which she had witnessed firsthand. While his classmates were fractious and tearful, my father took a large piece of paper and crayons given by the teacher, sat at his tiny desk and proceeded to draw a beautiful ship that filled the entire page. Once he was done, he took it to the teacher who proudly held it up for the entire class to see with the words, “Look everyone! Look at my Sunil Putha! What a lovely picture he has drawn!”
Dad was a star pupil as he moved up through school. I have seen his report cards with amazing scores and high praise from his teachers and principal as he was first in class each year. He loved sports and played cricket and hockey at Royal College, taking after his elder brother, the late Brigadier Parry Liyanage.
From there Dad went on to study polymer technology at the Singapore Polytechnic and his love of that amazing country was passed onto us too.
Honour and integrity were key factors for my father. During his time overseas, he received word before an important finals exam that his father had passed away. The Dean of the faculty broke the news to dad, told him he could come to Sri Lanka for the funeral and said that his papers would be waiting for him when he returned. My father related this incident to me while we were on holiday in Singapore as a family. And I remember looking at him with such a wealth of pride in my heart for I understood what the Dean saw in my father so many years before. A good, honest and upright man… A rare find in today’s world.
My father was always gentle, quiet and soft-spoken. He did enjoy a good laugh, but what many remember to this day, is his quiet smile. Most of my friends thought he was strict and serious till they got to know him.
Dad was strict on certain things. But good parenting was a fine art with him. He was never unreasonable. And my two sisters and I knew when a “no” could be coaxed into a “yes” and when it could not. He never had to raise his voice when he was displeased or when he was correcting us. His tone and manner were calm, tactful and firm and we knew when a matter was closed.
In a household where he was the only male figure, dealing with a bevy of females took a lot of diplomacy, prudence and patience. Latterly even the pets were female! But he took it all in his stride and did an amazing job as a husband, father and breadwinner.
There was never a time I felt I couldn’t talk to my father. The three of us went to him for so many things – advice, grumbles, worries and the sharing of news.
Dinner time was always family time as was Sunday lunch when we were all at home. He always enjoyed his rice and curry and good, home-cooked food.
Dad was never reticent about showing affection and the three of us were nourished by all the expressive and demonstrative love we received from both our precious parents.
Family trips were part and parcel of our lives. Nuwara Eliya was a passion with us and I cannot recall the number of times the five of us would drive up those scenic roads, listening to music, nibbling on snacks and enjoying quality family together. There were many affectionate quarrels trying to decide on the music. While we wanted contemporary artists, dad wanted Jim Reeves, Hank Locklin and other country music singers of his day. We always compromised. Being a good singer, he sang along to the music beautifully and I will forever miss hearing his voice…
Trips to various parts of the world were unforgettable and we gleaned so much about travel from my father who was a seasoned traveller himself.
After buying me my first car, the first lesson he gave me was sitting in the vehicle where he pointed to the dashboard and said, “Always remember, black is beautiful. Any red lights that pop up continuously means you have to investigate.” I have never forgotten those words.
Having worked with the Richard Pieris Company for over 30 years, the wealth of knowledge and experience he acquired was profound. But no matter how high up the corporate ladder he climbed, my father consistently remained the simple, kind hearted and hard-working man he always was.
During the funeral, we were deeply touched and honoured by the myriad stories we heard from so many people who were privileged to work with him. From peers to subordinates, the stories were the same – ‘he was a wonderful colleague/boss, a humble human being who was ever ready to help, he was like a God to me, we feel that a light has gone out in our lives now that Sunil sir is no more… ‘and the outpouring of love and gratitude never ceased.
My parents were active members of the Lions Movement for many years with their home club being Galkissa. My father took up the mantle of District Governor in the millennium year of 1999/2000. He did much “For Club, Community and Country” and was honoured with many accolades.
A year has passed by and there are certainly difficult moments of unexpected grief that happen upon us when we least expect it. We miss our thathie tremendously, but we are also at peace knowing he is at peace. During his final months, after multiple surgeries, the four of us did everything and more to ensure he felt safe, happy, comfortable, and above all, loved. There are no regrets, so the healing process has been faster.
The Liyanages will always remain five fingers of one hand. The bonds of family that have woven themselves about us still remain firm and deep-rooted. As I told my family when we said our final goodbyes, “Thathie is free now and unhindered by his troublesome condition. He is well. He is happy and he is with us. All we have to do is close our eyes and whisper his name, and he’ll be there, always watching over the four girls he loved so much.”
Sushara Liyanage
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