A meeting of the 1960 batch get together organising committee – Colombo branch – was held in the house of Duru on 26/2/2010 at 1.30pm.

The following were present:-

1. Sarath Kapuwaththe.

2. Durumila Kumara.

3. Nalini Rodrigo.

4. Ranjini Thewarapperuma.

5. Buddhika Kaluaratchy.

6. Geri Jayasekara.

7. Philip Veerasingam.

A. The programme for the get together was discussed. It will be sent in detail subsequently.

B. It was decided to request all members of the batch to send a photo of their present appearance to be included in a CD being produced for release at the get together.

C. Members attending the get together are requested to bring their digital cameras. All photos taken at the get together would be collected in a CD and would be available to the members of the batch later.

D. A concert would be held on Friday afternoon. Geri is in charge. Please contribute items for the event.

E. A party on Friday night would be held after the concert and dinner. The expected wear is SARONG and SHIRT for the males and REDDHE and HATTE(optional) for the females. NO PYJAMAS ALLOWED.

F. Songs and music for the party would be 1950 vintage with words provided in sheets. All are expected to take part whether musical minded or not.

G. Saturday night would have a ceremonial procession and dinner and music with a band like last time.

H. Since getting Ranjan Fernando for transport bookings to Dambulla from Colombo has run into some problems please make your requests for transport to the batch email address of

1960Batch@gmail.com

I. Any contributions in kind to the bar is welcome.

email from Bernard

Bernard de silva

Cincinnati

I plan to be in Colombo,,in April

For the 3 month Dhana

For Sheila[after we complete the same Dhana/pirith, in Cincinnati]

Can meet around these times.

My books are pretty much marked up.

But many are current subjects ,on

Psychiatry

Forensic psychiatry

Mental health

Psychology,,counseling,therapy,

Mental health centers[I started 5,in the counties around Cincinnati]

And on some of the specialties that I was involved with.

What address could they be delivered to or is it the library,where the students can access them freely?

Do we have a list of other Lankans,in USA,Canada,Europe,Australia,

Who may have direct/indirect access to the journals, books

And other relevant publications,

That students are likely to read?

Should also refer to CD data,

Old videos[there should be many relevant subjects covered]

Computers could be addressed ,in this same mailing.

Many do not get obsolete,

It’s a term often used to justify the transition from what is new to what is the desired, “Ultra new, almost useless to most” novelties.

Often a higher memory, better hard drive, and a few ,cheaper additions, make them more useful.

I use several newer versions. but at some location, use much older units,

With practically no difficulty or a discernable difference in quality.

Look for some of these units too.

They are often sold for a bit more than the scrap value.

If bulky, shipping may turn out to be a limiting factor.

Make a list of the friends and contacts,[who are willing to accept the mailings]

And find a way to collect.

United way, red cross, US aid, British embassy, are likely sources,

For collection, and shipping.

I will contact united way[former chief was a neighbor of mine, should have some contacts]

Catholic charities, temples in the area, to get more ideas.

Is there a contact, resource person,

Who can coordinate the information/handling of shipment, in Lanka?

I will contact several pharma manufacturers,

Can I have a list of useful material,publications,books,,subjects of interest?

I focus on psychiatry,

Forensic psychiatry

Community mental health,

Mental health centers

Testing, psychology,

And related areas.

I am not as current in Surgery,

Orthopedics,

Accident trauma,

Gynecology

Urology

General and transplant surgery

As I was in the past.

Can still try to tap these resources, via old contacts.

Universities can assist ,especially with electronically stored material,

And with access to literature.

Our resource base, combining all the people who migrated freely since 1965,

Can be very extensive.

email from Anula

anikapota@aol.com to me

show details 19:36 (53 minutes ago)

Alumni ide and also Nalini';s re brining books excelent
Anula

email from Bernard

dr bernard de silva to me

show details 07:36 (12 hours ago)

CME

And instructions, education ,to assist future doctors/specialists

Could be easily delivered by all of us.

There is no better group, than all of us,

Who went through all the difficulaties,

Navigated the treacherous, near impossible odds, on the 60s

To emerge victorious and successful.

Many, like all of us,

Are not aware of all the opportunities available

And what they can create.

We need not spoon feed them,show them the way,

And assist in the navigation process.

As to specialties,

Opportunities locally[not available to the groups we grew up with]

Will be helpful,

And at least 50 % could bebefit,

Many others will find their own way

Or settle where they are most comfortable.

Some ,likely will want to earn more,

And we can lead them in the direction of profits

Without conceding or sacrificing our ethics.

We may need to showe them, that in PP,we need not

Dump patients on the floor,

To accommodate the new admissions via PP,[for instance]

Berny

Bernard de silva

email from Bernard

dr bernard de silva to me

show details 07:52 (12 hours ago)

I met with

Pfizer, Wyeth,

Novartis, SKF,

Eli Lilly,

And a few others today,

Informed them of the potential needs,

To be acted upon, once I get some ideas and leads from my dear friends.

We need to find a way to tap the computer base ,avoiding is possible 700,000 to 1,000,000

Costs per year,

Which , if we cannot sustain it,

Will bankrupt the idea,

Though it’s a good one.

Often, we who have access to all these, do not use the services to full capacity.

Let us focus on what the needs are, where it will be optimally used,

And maximally helpful.

I am not sure what will be mostly ,effectively utilized.

The books lying around and available from many sources,

New and fairly new magazines

Would be useful,

Available to many, especially if we search our existing data base.

Please send me your comments and ideas,

Especially to move the project forward,

Make the requests, and force them to comply,

While they are interested.

Thanks to all, in advance

Bernie

Cincinnati

email from Bernard- 24/2/2010

dr bernard de silva to me

show details 20:58 (8 hours ago)

Bernard de silva

Cincinnati

I plan to be in Colombo,,in April

For the 3 month Dhana

For Sheila[after we complete the same Dhana/pirith, in Cincinnati]

Can meet around these times.

My books are pretty much marked up.

But many are current subjects ,on

Psychiatry

Forensic psychiatry

Mental health

Psychology,,counseling,therapy,

Mental health centers[I started 5,in the counties around Cincinnati]

And on some of the specialties that I was involved with.

What address could they be delivered to or is it the library,where the students can access them freely?

Do we have a list of other Lankans,in USA,Canada,Europe,Australia,

Who may have direct/indirect access to the journals, books

And other relevant publications,

That students are likely to read?

Should also refer to CD data,

Old videos[there should be many relevant subjects covered]

Computers could be addressed ,in this same mailing.

Many do not get obsolete,

It’s a term often used to justify the transition from what is new to what is the desired, “Ultra new, almost useless to most” novelties.

Often a higher memory, better hard drive, and a few ,cheaper additions, make them more useful.

I use several newer versions. but at some location, use much older units,

With practically no difficulty or a discernable difference in quality.

Look for some of these units too.

They are often sold for a bit more than the scrap value.

If bulky, shipping may turn out to be a limiting factor.

Make a list of the friends and contacts,[who are willing to accept the mailings]

And find a way to collect.

United way, red cross, US aid, British embassy, are likely sources,

For collection, and shipping.

I will contact united way[former chief was a neighbor of mine, should have some contacts]

Catholic charities, temples in the area, to get more ideas.

Is there a contact, resource person,

Who can coordinate the information/handling of shipment, in Lanka?

I will contact several pharma manufacturers,

Can I have a list of useful material,publications,books,,subjects of interest?

I focus on psychiatry,

Forensic psychiatry

Community mental health,

Mental health centers

Testing, psychology,

And related areas.

I am not as current in Surgery,

Orthopedics,

Accident trauma,

Gynecology

Urology

General and transplant surgery

As I was in the past.

Can still try to tap these resources, via old contacts.

Universities can assist ,especially with electronically stored material,

And with access to literature.

Our resource base, combining all the people who migrated freely since 1965,

Can be very extensive.

email from Dawood

F.Dawood to me

show details 13:05 (2 hours ago)

Student Sponsorships
For those who wish to help with student sponsorships.
DR.PRIYADARSHINI GALAPPATTY, Pharmacologist and i / c Student Welfare at the Faculty says:
The requirement per sponsored student would be a placement of Rs.225,000/= in a deposit fixed for five years
Interest being calculated at Eight percent per annum generating Rs 18000/= per annum.
This will provide the sponsored student a stipend of about Rs.1500/= per month .
The deposit account holder Could be either the Dean or the Sponsor individually or Jointly
Details should be worked out with Dr.Galappatti.
Confidentiality can be guranteed if required.

email from Hema and Paula de Silva

2docs@comcast.net to me

show details 07:51 (2 hours ago)

Hi All,

My wife and I have since the Tsunami, gone to the School for the Deaf at Sitinamaluwa and The School for the Blind at Polonnmaruwa just interior to Tangalle and provided equipment and supplies as well as painted the School building and Dormitory at Sitinamaluwa. We were in Sri lanka in November 2009 and painted the School building and bought educational material for the class rooms and furniture for the dormitory. Paula is already negotiating with a supplier to get Mattresses for the children and we will be visiting them again this next visit to see what other needs they may have at Sitinamaluwa.

Paula and I have also met with Harsha, the Dean, at the Medical Faculty at Colombo and offered to raise funds to get an Instituitional Subscription for the electronic data base " Upto Date" which will povide the students with a comprehensive web based library with peer reviewed material and references to do more reading as needed. This offer has been extended to the Medical faculty at Peradeniya as well, through a former Medical stdent who we met during our post tsunami stay at Kahawa and Peraliya. Indrajith just informed me that he had graduated with honours.

I believe they are working on a trial use, to detrmine the subscription based on usage and the niumber of connections they need to meet the demand. Each Annual subscription could be in the range of $ 5000- $ 7500. This would be a project that would be an excellent way to make an impact for the education of our future physicians. Additional monies would be necessary to get computer networking for the library and can also be possible to obtain text books on line and research networks as needed.

Any thoughts re this would be very welcome. Nalini may know what is currently available to students and Faculty at Colombo .

Sincerely

Hema and Paula de Silva

email from Sujeeva

Sujiva Ratnaike to me

show details 18 Feb (5 days ago)

I think an Alumni Fund is a good idea. The current Dean of the faculty, Professor Harsha Seneviratne I am sure would be enthusiastic . May be we could ask him if there is such a fund already that we don't know about and if he would help set such a fund up. I know him well.

Sujiva

Dear Nalini,

You have done a lot of basic work and at least now we have some idea of the problem on the ground.

Electronic Journals are much cheaper, and has the advantage of no storage space and don't walk ! We'll need to see about multiple-licence and the computer availability you mentioned if we go down that track. Lots to think about at the reunion. But the Alumni Fund is a brilliant idea and we must see it works,

Sujiva

On 22/02/2010, at 10:58 PM, 1960 medical batch Colombo wrote:

Click also on the ‘older postings’ caption on the bottom right hand corner of each page to see the earlier postings.

http://1960medicalbatchcolombo.blogspot.com/

email from Karals

Lakshman Karalliedde to dayanalini2, me, taboebia

show details 18:41 (11 hours ago)

Dear nalini-those days good girl , now old girl- I was made aware of the thorough investigation made by you-as to be expected, and you do deserve to be commended-highly commended. This would enable each one to assist in his or her chosen manner, Well done, Karals

email reply from Nalini

daya & nalini rodrigo to me

show details 12:14 (5 hours ago)

Thanks Dawood. I do need more strength in my elbow - now that I have to carry two grand daughters! Daya double checked to see who's calling me "girl" - and not "old girl"!
Anyway after all the undeserved compliments I thought I'd better really do some research. So I spoke to :

1. The Librarian Miss Kuruppu who said they need more books, journals & if finances allow - an updated computer.
They have 24 computers in the library but some of them are used by the library staff. Students use them till 8pm. There is always a demand & the computers are now quite old & very slow. Hence the need for a state of the art one!
They order the core journals each year (BMJ, NEJM, Lancet, Surgery, Medicine, NMJ - 1 of each) which cost a staggering Rs 3 million a year! They would also like to have journals such as Social Science & Medicine & books like Kumar & Clarke.
The Library also has a separate ledger account where money can be donated for books.

2. Representatives from the Buddhist Brotherhood, FOCUS & Catholic Students Union who accept second hand books to be distributed among their needy students.

3. Student Sponsorships : About 25 new students qualify for sponsorships each year. The 2010 batch is expected to be admitted soon.

Food for thought :

1. If each of us brings just one book for the library that would be a whole load of books! They neednt be brand new - so long as its not an outdated edition. Last years BNFs would also be welcome.
2. Journals too - again not too old.
3. Maybe we could sponsor a few students - thats just $15 per month/student.

Nalini

email from Dawood

F.Dawood to me

show details 20:35 (9 hours ago)

Thank you Nalini for your response.
It provides a definite sense of direction.!
As always well researched and pragmatic.
The naming of areas requiring assistance, especially,
makes the project convincingly "doable"!
This I must say has been Nalini's forte.
More strength to your elbow girl!!
Best
Dawood