Tribute

Dr P. R. Anthonis

I had the privilege of getting to know the late Deshamanya Dr P. R. Anthonis personally, when I took my father for medical treatment in the mid 1990s. Incidentally my father and Dr P. R. Anthonis were almost of the same age being in their mid 80s during that period.

Amazingly Dr Anthonis was looking so much younger for his age. I wish to relate an incident when my father was in need of an urgent medical treatment, Dr Anthonis advised me to take my father direct to Ratnam’s hospital so that he could call over no sooner a special function which he was to preside is over. When he rushed to the hospital and met us thereafter, first thing he mentioned was in an apologetic manner ‘I am so sorry for being late, I just could not get out of the function earlier than this’ and he rushed towards my father.

It was close to mid night and to my surprise he lifted my father from the bed and asked me to give a helping hand to get him over to the operating table to attend to the urgent medical treatment without making any attempt to call for an attendant. This proved not only his confidence, as an outstanding Doctor both physically and mentally fit at an age of 85, but also his genuine desire to attend to a patient in distress, and also his exemplarily quality of humility and sincerity.

Born on 21.01.1911, his academic achievements are of par excellence and still hold the record of obtaining highest number of prizes at St. Peter’s College as well as at the Medical College Colombo. In 1945 he proceeded to the United Kingdom where he was successful in the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, passing both primary and final examinations in the first sitting thereby not only creating a record at the Royal College of Surgeons but also by becoming the youngest Fellow of the College. Further Dr. Anthonis’ contributions to the nation, as a whole are most outstanding. He was Chancellor of the University of Colombo 1981 to 2003 (longest served Chancellor), conferred the highest National Honour Deshamanya in 1986 and then bestowed with title Vishwa Prasadini.

The College of General Practitioners’ of Sri Lanka presented Dr P.R. Anthonis the ‘Pride of the Medical Profession of Sri Lanka Award’, in the year 2005 the highest award one could achieve in the medical career in Sri Lanka. Until his demise the late Deshamanya Dr P.R. Anthonis was a member of the Board of Governors of the Colombo YMBA (112 year old non profit-making organization doing immense service to the country). He became a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bambalapitiya Vajiraramaya Temple, when he took over the responsibility from his father the late Plowattaarachchige Magris Anthonis.

Incidentally, the late father of Dr Anthonis had been one of the five founder members of the Board of Trustees of the Vajirarama Temple when the Trust was originally established in 1940. Being a neighbour to the Vajirarama Temple, he immensely contributed towards this valuable Buddhist institution well known for propagation of Buddhism worldwide.

When senior Trustee Harsha Soysa invited me to join the Board of Trustees of Vajirarama Temple in mid 2000 to fill in a vacant position, I was most pleased accepting his invitation as it would give me also the opportunity to serve the Board of Trustees along with such great citizen who genuinely practiced Buddhist Principals.

As a matter of appreciation and gratitude for his outstanding services to the nation and to the Vajirarama Temple Bambalapitiya, we the Board of Trustees obtained his consent to award Scholarships to bright and deserving GCE AL Students of five Schools in the neighborhood of Vajirarama Temple namely Visakha, St. Paul’s, Isipathana, Lumbini and Dudley Senanayake under ‘Deshamanya Dr. P. R. Anthonis Scholarship Awards’. He most willingly accepted our request and also mentioned to us, ‘giving Scholarships to bright and deserving student is a very good thought knowing how he too had to undergo financial constrains as a student’.

The Board of Trustees was successful in awarding 150 of Scholarships Awards in two years amounting to over Rs 1 million. Some of the key sponsors included Deshamanya H.K. Dharmadasa and Dr Lohitha Samarawickrama. Deshamanya Emeritus J. B. Dissanayake and Prof T. Hettiarachchi two former Vice Chancellors of the University of Colombo, most willingly accepted our invitation and graced these occasions as chief guest/s with much respect for the late Dr. P. R. Anthonis.

It was indeed so remarkable to watch, for all the participants at the function/s including the Scholarship Award Winners, Parents and other Special Invitees, when the late Dr P. R. Anthonis at the two said ceremonies held in 2006 and 2007, standing at the podium delivered the keynote address/es for more than half and hour each time. In his speech in 2006 he spoke on the subject ‘Some difficulties the Buddhists in Sri Lanka had to face during the British era’.

Without referring to any notes he related names of British Administrators in Sri Lanka during that period along with specific years. In his keynote address in 2007 he advised the Scholarship Award Winners that ‘Apart from being academically well qualified, the importance of being able to converse and write effectively in English, for good progress in Professional Careers and for successful Employment later on in life’. It should be mentioned that the late Dr. P. R. Anthonis was in his age of 96 and 97 respectively when he made these two remarkable speeches.

The late Dr. P. R. Anthonis was from a relatively large family having ten brothers and sisters. His father was carrying out a successful business in distribution of kerosene oil to the domestic users in Colombo 3, Colombo 4 and Colombo 5 areas using his fleet of specially designed Kerosene Oil carts. Talking about his childhood experiences he once related a story how his father used take all his sons, along the gravel road which was then known as ‘Wally Para’ now Vajira Road, up to the huge well at Havelock Park for bathing.

His simplicity and modesty in spite of achieving such high standards in Academics, Noble Profession as the best Surgeon in Sri Lanka and his invaluable services to the University Administration and other various Associations for several decades, did not change him, and was still the humble person ever willing to help any person in need of assistance irrespective of his or her social standing.

Even with rapid modernization of Automobile industry he still preferred to use his Morris Minor until his demise setting an example how one could be happy and have crystal clear mind, if one acts according to his conscience and firmly stand by Principles and Ethics in life. Incidentally even at the age of 98 he was carrying out complicated operations very successfully.

The late Dr P.R. Anthonis in his sansaric journey has no doubt accumulated much good Karma in previous births which gave him the opportunity to live such a precious life with outstanding services to the society. The late Dr. P. R. Anthonis did set an exemplarily example not only to the persons of his noble profession but also to all others whom he new, being a unique citizen of mother Lanka of the present era.

May he attain Nibbana.

ANURA SERASINGHA - Colombo 8