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9:45 AM (19 hours ago)
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BASNAYAKE - VALENTINE, age 89. Professor Emeritus of Physiology, University of Peradeniya
and accomplished Classical Pianist. Founder, Physiological Society of Sri
Lanka, passed away on June 10, 2014, in Colombo. The remains were cremated soon
after and his ashes scattered in the ocean based on his wishes. PROFESSOR
BASNAYAKE is the proud husband of Dr. Mrs. Stella Meriam Collinette Basnayake
nee Henry - son of Arthur Valentine (pre deceased) and Elsie (pre deceased) of
Nugegoda. Beloved father of Nihal (Deborah Smith), Amal and Lilani (Lal
Nugaliyadda). He is the proud grandfather of Danica and Laura Smith (Canada)
and Ayushka Nugaliyadda (Sri Lanka), brother of Arthur, Sita Yapa (pre
deceased), Kamala Gunasekera, Mahinda, Malini Wijesinghe, Prema and Rohan. A
Memorial Service will be held mid-to-late August, details forthcoming. Our
family would very much like to hear your personal anecdote of Valentine at the
following website:memorialwebsites.legacy.com/ValentineBasnayake 107386
P.S.
Prof. Valentine Basnayake would be seen bicycling, with trouser clips in place and a wicker basket mounted on the handle-bar of the bicycle, sedately into the Colombo Medical Faculty. He would enter by the gate near the Anatomy Block, would park his bicycle in the shed next to Dr. Wijesundera's large Audi, remove the trouser clips, pick up a file from the cane basket on the bicycle and walk up the stairs to his room in the Physiology Department. This is a scene I recall of the early 1960s when I was a second MB student. He took renal physiology as the topic of his lectures. The measured sentences delivered with a 'dead-pan' face was his trade-mark. I still remember his lecture on the function of the 'Loop of Henle' and its use of the counter-current principle to extract water and nutrients after glomerular filtration.
Prof. Basnayake was active in the field of Arts and was an accomplished pianist.
He moved over to the Perdeniya Medical Faculty and was Professor of Physiology there for a long time. He became very active in the Arts circle there. Concerts, Musical accompaniments to Dramas were his forte. He helped Dr. Mark Amerasinghe in many of the latter's performances.
Prof. Valentine had a love and care of animals. He was known to keep a saucer of sweetened water for the nourishment of ants in his room. He had love and care for stray dogs. A pup once bit him and he came for advice when I was Resident Surgeon at the GH Kandy. He had to have a course of ARV injections. Before leaving he asked me whether he could use a hypnotic drug before going to bed. I advised my venerated teacher that a glass of hot milk, half an hour before bed-time, would be equally effective. He was mighty pleased with the answer and related the answer with glee to my 'Guru' Dr. Mark Amerasinghe, who later related it to me.
'Home is the sailor
Prof. Valentine Basnayake would be seen bicycling, with trouser clips in place and a wicker basket mounted on the handle-bar of the bicycle, sedately into the Colombo Medical Faculty. He would enter by the gate near the Anatomy Block, would park his bicycle in the shed next to Dr. Wijesundera's large Audi, remove the trouser clips, pick up a file from the cane basket on the bicycle and walk up the stairs to his room in the Physiology Department. This is a scene I recall of the early 1960s when I was a second MB student. He took renal physiology as the topic of his lectures. The measured sentences delivered with a 'dead-pan' face was his trade-mark. I still remember his lecture on the function of the 'Loop of Henle' and its use of the counter-current principle to extract water and nutrients after glomerular filtration.
Prof. Basnayake was active in the field of Arts and was an accomplished pianist.
He moved over to the Perdeniya Medical Faculty and was Professor of Physiology there for a long time. He became very active in the Arts circle there. Concerts, Musical accompaniments to Dramas were his forte. He helped Dr. Mark Amerasinghe in many of the latter's performances.
Prof. Valentine had a love and care of animals. He was known to keep a saucer of sweetened water for the nourishment of ants in his room. He had love and care for stray dogs. A pup once bit him and he came for advice when I was Resident Surgeon at the GH Kandy. He had to have a course of ARV injections. Before leaving he asked me whether he could use a hypnotic drug before going to bed. I advised my venerated teacher that a glass of hot milk, half an hour before bed-time, would be equally effective. He was mighty pleased with the answer and related the answer with glee to my 'Guru' Dr. Mark Amerasinghe, who later related it to me.
'Home is the sailor
Home from the sea,
The Hunter home from the Hill' - R.L.Stevenson.
May his Soul Rest In Peace.
Dr. Philip G Veerasingam.
