Memorial Orations and Lectures
Dr Cyril Fernando
Born in Colombo on 30th April 1900, Dr Cyril Fernando was educated at St Benedict’s College and University College Hospital, London. He qualified with the Conjoint Diploma in 1925 and graduated MBBS the year after. He was elected to the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians the same year. He did so well in the MRCP examination that he was excused the final viva, a component dreaded by many.
Returning to Ceylon, he joined the Colonial Medical Service and became Medical Registrar to the General Hospital, Colombo. In 1929 he returned to London and took his MD and was awarded the Gold Medal as the best candidate of the year. On his return to Colombo he was appointed in succession, additional assistant Pathologist, Physicians to Out Patients and in 1934 Physician to the General Hospital Colombo which he served with unwavering devotion for nearly a quarter century.
Dr Fernando was a great clinician and a diagnostician who prided himself on not being a specialist and claimed to be a non-specialist consultant in General Medicine. In every sense a good doctor, he was held in high esteem by his colleagues and loved by his patients. He was an active member of the Ceylon Branch of the British Medical Association and its successor, the Ceylon Medical Association. He was successively CMA’s Honorary Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President and in 1948, the President.
He was twice honoured by the Sovereign for his service to Medicine in Ceylon. In 1949 he was appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and in 1955 he was made a companion of the most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George.
YEAR | TOPIC | ORATOR |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Some changes in the pattern of disease and in the practice of Medicine | Prof Bruce Perry |
| 1972 | Occupational lung disease in Ceylon | Dr CG Uragoda |
| 1973 | Community Medicine | Prof Sir Donald Turnbridge |
| 1974 | Experiences with viral hepatitis | Dr N Nagaratnam |
| 1976 | Milk Intolerance & chronic diarrhoea | Dr PT de Silva |
| 1977 | Encephalitis | Dr L S Illis |
| 1982 | Palsy due to contamination of gingerly oil | Dr Nimal Senanayake |
| 1984 | Mitral stenosis in childhood | Dr S J Stephen |
| 1988 | Motor neuron disease in the youth | Dr Govry Devi |
| 1990 | Major risk factors of coronary heart disease in Sri Lankans | Dr Shanthi Mendis |
| 1992 | Cytokines in the Pathogenesis of Shigellosis | Dr Harendra de Silva |
| 1993 | Renal disease – the Sri Lankan and Global spectrum | Dr S. Ramachandran |
| 1994 | Malnutrition related diabetes- Fact or Fiction | Dr Upali Illangasekera |
| 1995 | Cardiac applications of high frequency ultrasound | Prof P A N Chandraratne |
| 1996 | Developments in medical education | Prof Norman Mackay |
| 1997 | Clinical epidemiology of thyroid disease in Sri Lanka | Prof Devaka Fernando |
| 1998 | Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease: a question of channels | Dr H Asita de Silva |
| 1999 | Tuberculosis meningitis | Dr S M Katrak |
| 2000 | Sarcoidosis –an enigma? | Prof Roland Clark |
| 2001 | Tropical medicine: increasing reference in the 21st century | Prof David Warrell |
| 2002 | Bone mineral density and hip geometry in women referred for bone density testing | Dr Sarath Lekamwasam |
| 2003 | Renal fibrosis – can we prevent it? | Prof Gavin Becker |
| 2004 | Pathogenesis and new therapeutic options for portal hypertension | Prof S K Sarin |
| 2005 | Guillain-Barre syndrome: a Sri Lankan profile | Dr Udaya Ranawaka |
| 2006 | Alcohol as an exploding health hazard | Prof Ian Gilmore |
| 2007 | High blood pressure in Sri Lanka: epidemiology & implications for health | Prof Rifdy Mohideen |
| 2008 | Salt and Health: Time for Action | Prof Graham A MacGregor |
| 2009 | Multifaceted manifestations of paediatrics endocrinology | Dr Shamya de Silva |
| 2010 | Haemolytic uraemic syndrome | Dr Paul Warwicker |
| 2011 | The controlled clinical trial and its application to neglected healthcare problems in Sri Lanka | Prof Asita de Silva |
| 2012 | Dengue fever in adults : Evolution of the illness and the bedside challenges | Prof Ranjan Premaratna |
| 2013 | The discovery of a novel snake neurotoxin, candoxin- implications for cholinergic signalling mechanisms in health and disease | Dr Selvanayagam Nirthanan |
| 2014 | Atrial septal defect (ASD) device closure- the revolution continues… | Dr Gamini Galappatthy |
| 2015 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2016 | Changing epidemiology of dengue in southern Sri Lanka | Dr Champica Bodinayake |
| 2017 | Dengue, bleeding and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | Dr Ananda Wijewickrama |
| 2018 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2019 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2020 | Combating burden of CVD through innovative strategies to improve BP control | Prof Asita de Silva |
| 2021 | Not awarded | N/A |
2022 | Dengue viral infection: Untangling the host viral knot | Dr Nilanka Perera |
Professor PB Fernando
Professor Panagodage Bertram Fernando had his early education at St Benedict’s College, Colombo from where he won a government scholarship to the Ceylon Medical College in 1918. He qualified LMS (Ceylon) in 1924 and joined the government medical service and served in many parts of the island.
He proceeded to UK in 1930 for post graduate studies and worked at the University College Hospital Medical School. He obtained MBBS (London) in 1931 and MRCP (London) in 1932 and also qualified DTM&H (Eng). On his return he served as the Visiting Physician, General Hospital Colombo for several years and also as the Visiting Paediatrician at the Lady Ridgway Hospital for Children. In 1936 he was appointed the first Professor of Medicine of the Ceylon Medical College. When the Medical College became part of the newly established University of Ceylon in 1942 he continued as the Professor of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine. He was awarded an MD in 1951, and elected FRCP in 1952, the first Ceylonese to be awarded that distinction. He also served as acting Dean of the Faculty of medicine and acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Colombo. He was Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Ceylon Branch of the BMA, and President Ceylon Medical Association in 1953. After a long and eventful service of 23 years as Professor, he retired in 1959 owing to a sudden illness and was appointed Emeritus Professor of Medicine of the University of Colombo. He was awarded the OBE for his services to Medical Education.
A brilliant clinician and a keen researcher, Professor Fernando has published research papers on childhood tuberculosis, ascariasis in children, nutritional disorders in childhood, rheumatic heart disease, liver diseases and coronary atherosclerosis and ischaemic heart disease in Ceylon.
Year | Topic | Orator |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Rh Factor | Sir Cyril Clarke |
| 1975 | Sick sinus syndrome | Dr Upul Wijeyawardena |
| 1978 | Non rheumatic mitral valve disease | Dr J G Soloman |
| 1980 | Diabetic nerve | Prof K N Seneviratne |
| 1983 | Cancer of the lungs in Sri Lanka | Dr S J Stephen |
| 1984 | The elderly patient – Epidemiological & clinical perspective | Dr S Ramachandran |
| 1987 | Neurological manifestations of AIDS | Dr LS Illis |
| 1989 | Advances in the treatment of malaria | Prof David Warrell |
| 1992 | Cerebellar involvement in falciparum malaria | Dr H Janaka de Silva |
| 1994 | Pathogenesis in malaria | Prof Kamani Mendis |
| 1995 | PTCA in IHD – The Singapore Heart Centre Experience | Dr Arthur Tan |
| 1996 | The diabetic foot | Dr Devaka Fernando |
| 1997 | The global epidemic of diabetes | Prof George Alberti |
| 1998 | Morphologic assessment of thyroid disease by cytology and pattern of thyroid enlargement in Sri Lanka | Prof Priyanthi Kumarasinghe |
| 1999 | Advances in the prevention of a stroke | Prof Martin M Brown |
| 2000 | Balloon mitral valvuloplasty- a new approach in the management of a mitral stenosis | Dr Vajira Senaratne |
| 2001 | Medical education in the 21st century | Prof Richard Larkins |
| 2002 | In the eye of the beholder | Prof Christopher Kennard |
| 2003 | SARS and other emerging infections | Prof Malik Peiris |
| 2004 | The pathogenesis and treatment of severe and complicated malaria | Prof Nicholas J White |
| 2005 | Transition in endocrine care between adolescence and adult life | Prof John Monson |
| 2006 | Primary prevention of type 2 diabetes – the Indian experience | Dr A Ramachandran |
| 2007 | The bridge between diabetes, insulin and cardiology | Prof Paresh Dandona |
| 2008 | Addressing global challenges for prevention & control of non-communicable diseases | Dr Santhi Mendis |
| 2009 | Strategies to resolve the management dilemmas in dengue | Dr Kolitha Sellahewa |
| 2010 | Rickettsial infections in Sri Lanka: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow | Professor Ranjan Premaratna |
| 2011 | The QT Interval: from small print to headline news | Dr Neil Dewhurst |
| 2012 | Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: time for a new model | Prof APS Hungin |
| 2013 | Leptospirosis in Sri Lanka 2003-2012 | Dr S B Agampodi |
| 2014 | Mediators of vascular leak in dengue infections | Dr Neelika Malavige |
| 2015 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2016 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2017 | The challenge of treating central nervous system infections | Prof Udaya Ranawaka |
| 2018 | Living with HIV: The Sri Lankan experience | Dr Ananda Wijewickrama |
| 2019 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2020 | Antimalarial drug discovery: searching for our roots | Prof Niroshini Nirmalan |
| 2021 | From NAFLD to MAFLD: Characterisitc fatty liver disease in Sri Lanka | Prof Madunil Niriella |
2022 | Not awarded | N/A |
Dr Ernest Victor Peiris
Dr EV Peiris was born on 16th January 1926 and was educated at Royal College Colombo. He graduated from the University of Ceylon with First Class Honours in 1950. He and his wife Philine, travelled to Britain and obtained the MRCP (Edin) simultaneously in 1957. Returning to Ceylon, he obtained his MD in 1958. After another period in Britain during which he became a Member of the London College, Dr Peiris took up a post as Consultant Physician to Colombo North General Hospital, Ragama. In 1960 he was appointed Consultant Physician, general Hospital Colombo, where he remained until his retirement from state service in 1972. He was elected fellow of the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh in 1972 and of London in 1975. A founder member and an active council member of the Ceylon College of Physicians, he was elected a Fellow of CCP in 1979. He has numerous publications to his credit. Dr Peiris continued as a popular practitioner right until his death on 23rd December 1991 while on holiday in Australia.
Year | Topic | Orator |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Inaugural Oration | Dr S H P Nanayakkara |
| 1994 | Clinical management of severe falciparum Malaria | Prof David Warrell |
| 1995 | Fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes | Dr V Mohan |
| 1996 | Sleep disorders | D. K Puvanendran |
| 1997 | New technologies in stroke | Dr Martin M Brown |
| 1998 | Inherited disorders of haemoglobin as a global health pattern | Dr David Weatherall |
| 1999 | Iodine excretion, goiter & thyroid auto immunity in Sri Lanka - the current status & lessons for the future | Dr Kuvera Premawardhena |
| 2000 | An Asian experience in viral hepatitis | Dr Richard Guan |
| 2001 | Inhaled steroids in childhood wheezing; efficacious and cost effective, but is it forever? | Dr B J C Perera |
| 2002 | Comprehensive assessment & risk stratification of coronary artery disease: can it be achieved non- invasively? | Dr M U Sivananthan |
| 2003 | Alzheimer’s disease in Sri Lanka | Dr Asita de Silva |
| 2004 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2005 | Intra-venous immunoglobulin as a therapeutic tool: from antibody replacement to immunomodulation | Dr Siraj Misbah |
| 2006 | Redefining the role of metabolic syndrome among Sri Lanka | Dr T P Weeraratne |
| 2007 | Cure for common forms of Supra Ventricular Tachycardia (SVT): is it feasible in Sri Lanka? | Dr Asunga Dunuwille |
| 2008 | Innovations in interventional cardiology – 30 year odyssey | Prof Omar Farouque |
| 2009 | Evidence based guidelines for preparation before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy | Dr Arjuna De Silva |
| 2010 | Research, adventures and discoveries in Tropical Medicine | Prof David Warrell |
| 2011 | Pathogenicity of autoantibodies in neurological disorders | Dr Thashi Chang |
| 2012 | The story of the Sri Lankan twin register – Colombo Twin and Singleton Survey (COTASS)” | Prof Sisira Siribaddana |
| 2013 | Genetics of thromboembolic disease in Sri Lanka | Prof Vajira Dissanayake |
| 2014 | Leptospirosis: Challenges in diagnosis, and predictors of severity” | Prof Senaka Rajapakse |
| 2015 | Genetics of diabetes in Sri Lankans and South Asians | Dr Prasad Katulanda |
| 2016 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2017 | Scrub typhus in Sri Lanka - Beyond the stethoscope | Prof Ranjan Premaratna |
| 2018 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2019 | Back to basics with receptors and ligands: molecules, mechanisms and medicine | Prof Selvanayagam N Nirthanan |
| 2020 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2021 | Not awarded | N/A |
2022 | The patterns and predictors of knee osteoarthritis pain flares | Dr Inoshi Atukorala |
Dr G R Handy
Dr George Rasanayagam Handy had his primary education at St John’s College, Jaffna. He qualified as a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery in 1927 from the Ceylon Medical College and commenced his medical career as a Lecturer/Demonstrator in Physiology at the Ceylon Medical College. He proceeded to UK for postgraduate studies and obtained the honours degree in the London MBBS. He was awarded the Gold Medal in the DTM & H (London). In 1942 he was appointed JMO in Colombo and soon became an authority in Forensic Medicine and Pathology. He proceeded again to UK and obtained the MD (Lond) and MRCP (Lond). He also specialised in Cardiology. On his return to Ceylon he was appointed Resident Physician, General Hospital Colombo where he was in charge of the blood transfusion services. He was subsequently appointed Visiting Physician, General Hospital, Colombo where he became a much sought after clinician with a bent for Cardiology. He had a passion for bedside teaching and his bedside manner won him many affectionate patients from all over the country. In the 1950s he was conferred the OBE and was President of the Ceylon Medical Association in 1963. He became the President of the Ceylon Academy of Postgraduate Medicine. He pioneered Cardiology in Sri Lanka and was the founder President of the Sri Lanka Heart Association in 1968. In 1970 he was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Fellow of the American College of Cardiologists.
| Year | Topic | Orator |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Inaugural Oration | Dr PR Anthonis |
| 1998 | Management of Heart Failure | Dr Upul Wijayawardane |
| 1999 | The burden of coronary artery disease: perspectives in management | Dr PN Thenabadu |
| 2000 | Valve replacement – what have we learnt? | Dr PA Gooneratne |
| 2001 | Cardiac electrophysiology – prospects for the millennium | Dr Mohan Nair |
| 29.10.2002 Birth Centenary | Coronary artery disease in the 21st Century | Dr Mathew Samuel Kalarickal |
| 2003 | Prevention of cardiac events in coronary disease | Prof Henry Purcell |
Professor K Rajasuriya
Born on 2nd December 1915, Professor Kumaradasa Rajasuriya had his primary education at Ananda College Colombo and later at Nalanda Vidyalaya, Colombo. He joined the Colombo Medical College in 1934. Graduating in 1939, he started his career as a medical officer in 1943 in Murunkan. This was followed by Gampola, Children’s Hospital Colombo, Health Unit, Kalutara and the Prison Hospital. He proceeded to UK in 1951 and obtained the MRCP (London) in 1952 and thereafter the Diploma in Child Health.
On his return he served with distinction as a physician starting in Jaffna and later in Kurunegala and Colombo. In 1958 he became co-Professor in Medicine and later the Professor of Medicine of the Colombo Medical School. In 1970 he took over as the Director of Health Services in the country. He was elected the second President of the Ceylon College of Physicians in 1970/71.
His research interests were wide and he contributed to many international journals. In 1970 he delivered the Sir Marcus Fernando Oration. He was for some time the Editor of the Ceylon Medical Journal. His forte was in the Conducting of MD examinations of the University of Colombo which was not second to the MRCP. His sudden death in 1975 while conducting the MD examination was shock to everyone he associated with.
Year | Topic | Orator |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Rajasuriya legacy to Medicine in the 21st century ” | Prof Justin LaBrooy |
| 2003 | The Brain-Mind Controversy and the Concept of Rebirth: a Neuroscientist’s Viewpoint | Prof Nimal Senanayake |
| 2004 | Chronic auto immune thyroiditis - Why the fascination? | Dr H N Rajaratnam |
| 2005 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2006 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2007 | Syndromic approach to snake identification - a clinico– epidemiological study of victims of snake bites | Dr Ariaranee Gnanathasan |
| 2008 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2009 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2010 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2011 | Physicians: Pioneers and Pivots of Toxicology in Sri Lanka | Dr Indika Gawarammana |
| 2012 | Dengue and the Liver: the deadly tango | Prof Arjuna de Silva |
| 2013 | From pesticide to medicinal drugs: suicide and deliberate self harm in Sri Lanka | Prof Varuni de Silva |
| 2014 | The role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in genetic predisposition, disease diagnosis, and therapy – a decade of work in the Sri Lankan population | Prof Vajira Dissanayake |
| 2015 | Novel risk factors for coronary artery disease - role of testosterone and high sensitive CRP in Sri Lankan males | Dr C M Wickramatilake |
| 2016 | Hump nosed pit viper bite: unraveling an enigma | Prof Kolitha Sellahewa |
| 2017 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2018 | Non-communicable diseases: A twenty-first century epidemic | Prof Udaya Ralapanawa |
| 2019 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2020 | Not awarded | N/A |
| 2021 | Not awarded | N/A |
2022 | Hymenoptera (wasps, bees and ants) envenomation; A neglected tropical disorder in Sri Lanka | Dr. E.W. Rohotha Amara Witharana |
Ceylon College of Physicians Oration
Year | Topic | Orator |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Inaugural Oration | Dr Lakshman Ranasinghe |
| 2018 | Medicine and the structure of knowledge: Contextualising Medical knowledge to meet local health needs | Prof Anand Zachariah |
| 2019 | Chronic Kidney Disease of uknown aetiology in Sri Lanka; unravelling the mystery | Prof Kamani Wanigasuriya |
| 2020 | Immunological and molecular - epidemiological aspects of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka | Prof Neelika Malavige |
| 2021 | Exploring the complexity of RNA virus infections using viral genomics | Dr Chaturaka Rodrigo |
2022 | A glimpse of fever, bites and stinge from bed to bench: Journey through decades | Prof SAM Kularatne |