By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
I woke this morning in Moscow with the news from my cousin Shehan de Tissera that one of the cleverest and perhaps the most outstanding member, and almost certainly the highest achiever of my family had died in Canada– my mother Lakshmi Sylvia’s younger brother, my Athula maama. He indubitably rose to the highest possible level in his profession, globally: Professor Athula Fernando (or Prof AJ Fernando as he was internationally known), former Dean of the School of Medical Rehabilitation, University of Manitoba, was President of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) 1991-1995.
The three messages for the Centenary Year of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, UK, published in the Physiotherapy Journal, Jan 1994 Vol. 80, bore the names and signatures of the Prince of Wales, Baroness Robson and Prof AJ Fernando. Athula maama’s message was typically laconic and from a lofty perch. It read:
“Congratulations on your centenary: The work of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is a record of achievement. On behalf of the World Confederation of Physical Therapy, please accept warm and sincere good wishes for continued success”—(signed) Prof AJ Fernando, President WCPT.
AJ Fernando was the first ever President of the Confederation with Third World roots, being born and educated in Ceylon.
Prof Fernando graduated from the Medical College of the University of Colombo and obtained his doctorate from the University of Manchester. Athula maama was a scintillating public speaker and a cool dude who wore his hair long, dressed stylishly and drove the latest model Porsche into his 80s. Highly literate (like his very widely read father—my maternal grandfather, TR Fernando) Athula was a widely traveled and cultured man, a superb conversationalist and sophisticated wit. My father Mervyn de Silva and Athula had an easy, natural rapport.
As a hobby in retirement he pressed grapes into wine. He was the son of TR Fernando and Annie Fernando of Moratuwa. He leaves behind his sister (my aunt) Chitra as the sole survivor of my mother’s family, his wife Nadja, and two sons by Auntie Monica– my cousins, Parakrama and Naresh.
Manilal / October 17, 2018
Perhaps he should be recognised by SL as well.
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Babalawathi Jayasinghe / October 18, 2018
DJ,
I think you just wanted to show up in CT after your lucrative post.
Else, what brings us to read about the demise of your famliy members ? We are so fed up of your Boastings, but you to fall all the low level betraying CT readership. I respect you as one who brought some good articles, but I hate you for having us betrayed just being harboued to your selfish agendas.
Just tell me now you the like guys face your circles looking at the manner you stood against the current govt.
Now you will come with all the references filled articles to prove that you would have still been continuing your thoughts: But none of us would ever trust you the like KATUSSAS in this life.
You just betrayed the educated in that lost island.
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Samuel Jayaweera / October 18, 2018
My father HAD the same habbit of boasting about his relatives from that day on.
I never found it normal. That had been that sicky. DJ has always been like that. But
most of us are well aware of WHO DJ really has been.
He is the siamesian twin of WIMAL BURUWANSE who would do anything and everything misleading the nation.
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Kumaar / October 17, 2018
These Sinhalese have a habit publicly announcing, praising and accepting their relatives if they are in good positions and wealthy. Otherwise, they don’t even know them. MY3 and his younger brother’s death is a sample. By the way, RIP to Prof. A.J. Fernando
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Bubbuladewi / October 18, 2018
What brings us to know about the diseased, knowing that his relative – it is none other than you DJ – have been abusing as no other educated would do. ?
I think it is aboslultely a waste to hang on with the articles coming up from most abusive diplomat of the current day politcs – Dayan Jaythilaka Rajapkshe Fernando.
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Amila W / October 17, 2018
When 3 people in consultation, why one “brown” person only stands, while two “whites” sit?
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Amila W / October 17, 2018
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka,
apologies, I withdraw this comment, was a mistake and does not suit the situation. My heartfelt condolences to your beloved uncle.
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Native Vedda / October 17, 2018
Public racist and war crime denier.
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Alright you are in Moscow and Prof AJ Fernando was related to you, and you still have few relatives, your father Mervyn was a well respected journalist and thinker ……………………. apart from these what have you got to say about you?
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An opportunist who is ever ready to jump ships like rats and switch loyalty, say from the so called fashionable lefty political affiliation to EPRLF’s Eelam nationalist (perhaps terrorist) to surrendering to JR negotiated by dad, to Premadasa’s Green Elephant politics associated with state terrorism, to Mahinda’s outside b***s carrier to Sirisena’s political pimp in Moscow. Not bad for an opportunist.
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Please stop name dropping, your dad and uncles had their own reputation even after their death. Don’t squander it.
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Dr Dayan Jayatilleka / October 17, 2018
And this sage advice comes from some one who is afraid to use his/her own name and hides behind a ridiculous pseudonym…:))
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Native Vedda / October 18, 2018
Dr Dayan Jayatilleka
–
Like you in the 1980s I am doing clandestine work.
Like you I do not know what I am doing.
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Kumar R. / October 18, 2018
Yes Dayan NV is correct.
It is obviously another use of an opportunity for name dropping for self-elevation, rather than written in true appreciation of Professor’s achievements and contributions to the medical field and to public healthcare. You had nothing to say except the seemingly singular fact that you knew of him – that he was the president of the reputed World body. No doubt that was an achievement, but remember that he was celebrated thus only because of the very many contributions to the filed and to the health care sector in several eminent ways. Do you have anything to say about those or do you even about them. Just tracing how he is related to you. how your cousins communicate with you or how Prof and your father had a good rapport are not truly appreciation in an academic, professional or even humanity considerations – correct?
You do need to grow up sometime from your penchant for self-serving write-ups, no matter what the occassion is.
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Bunjappu / October 18, 2018
The reason him to be annonymous is connected with the cruelties of your god father.
I too join this forum by using a pseudo name. For you guys, that would do anything and everything betraying you time to time is not everyones thing right DJ ?
Your beloved Gota would not be backward to do the same what his mediation ended up in Thadjudeen murder remember DJ ? So how can we feel secure with our lives ?
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Mallaiyuran / October 18, 2018
Old Royals’ White Van brigade walk around with Burqa like covering. Grease Monsters speared waste oil.
Is that a lot different from pseudonym.
If “Native Vedda” is ridiculous, Which would, then, not ridiculous, “Kallathoni Vedda” or “Kallathoni SinhaLE”? Or Both?
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Spring Koha / October 18, 2018
Come, come DJ. You know very well that many who do so, use pseudonyms for perfectly valid reasons. You don’t do so only because it would prevent you from your predilection for name dropping, or worse, asking ‘do you know who I am?’
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Native Vedda / October 18, 2018
Spring Koha
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Are you sure Dayan never used pseudonym in the past?
By the way why and where are you hiding from us?
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Spring Koha / October 19, 2018
DJ use a pseudonym?…he would never admit to it!
As for my absence, I have been busy, far away, in God’s Own Country (the USA of course) observing first hand how the other half lives in these turbulent times.
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Native Vedda / October 20, 2018
Spring Koha
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“DJ use a pseudonym?…he would never admit to it!”
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Once or twice he attempted use pseudonym. The circumstances and his style of typing betrayed him.
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Since you are in Trump’s Fantasyland make sure you do not write any truth about him. You will be accused of writing fake news.
Have a good time, looking forward to your return. Fascists are attempting to overwhelm CT. We need more liberal reinforcement.
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Bunjappu / October 18, 2018
DJ,
Leave all these, and come with a good article how you find the new place:
That could bring us lot more than your gossips.
We are so fed up of your boastings. I have lost our respect if we had some, since you are part of the current govt. But we are just curious to know lot more ground info from you itself.
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The Oracle / October 17, 2018
Native Veddha
DJ had obviously been very fond of his uncle and as he is wont to do , has articulated his memories of him very lucidly . To get into personal attacks at this time shows a lack of finesse on your part .
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Native Vedda / October 17, 2018
The Oracle
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I am only giving the reason as to why one should not use the names of good and the great to promote oneself when one is already got mired in a bog hole.
Shamelessly self centred should be told who he is and point out his pathetic display of self-adulation. One should not hide one’s pathetic past behind one’s mum, dad, uncle,…………..
This is not the time to insult uncles, aunts, …. .
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I respect and venerate those who deserve respect and veneration.
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This piece of his typing is not about the learned Prof. A.J. Fernando, it’s all about him and him only.
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P Withana / October 18, 2018
Yes, you should not use the names of good and the great to promote yourself – just drop the “t” from your name and we will be all happy.
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Native Vedda / October 18, 2018
P Withana
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Just because he has a fashionable beard he thinks he is Lenin, Castro, Karl, Ho Chi Minh, Che, …………….. all in one.
–
My wise Elders sport long beard.
They never compared themselves to Confucius.
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Desperate Sinhalaya / October 18, 2018
Native Vedda,
We cant agree with you more.
This man would stay talking about his family how he was put to bed while STANZAs being prayed by his beloved nannies etc.
But what brings, the very man would behave no second that MOST abusive Wimal Buruwanse ?
Has this man ever some degree of respect about his BEHAVIOURS ?
If you and other please would go back to the archives of CT articles written by DJ, you would see, what he had always been talking againt the current govt led by Mr Sirisena and PM RW.
Now in the very same govt led by PM RW, this bugger DJ has been an Ambassador to Russia how come ?
Not even subhumans would behave that mischievous right ?
But his archives prove that he would never bend down to anyone in thisgov .. and always had been about Maxism and Cuban Revolution:
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Kumar R. / October 18, 2018
Oracle,
Dyan’s write up is an insult to the distinguished Prof. It is neither a tribute nor an appreciation — a mere obituary notice with add-ons to claim personal boasting rights. That is pathetic for an articulate, mature, educated man. May be I am wrong on two counts: mature and educated!
Native: When Dayan’s only defence about the commentor is about declaring name an contact information, it just confirms he realizes that he is on a rather shaky ground. Good job.
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Kumar R. / October 18, 2018
Oracle,
One more thing.
NV’s criticism of Dayan as well as the several other similar sentiments here may seem insensitive or even a dis-service to the late Prof. However, on the positive side, these comments will hopefully dissuade Dayan from making use of such future solemn events for personal elevation, with total disregard to the deserved respect and dignity the occasion commands.
When Dayan shows such irresponsible disrespect, then he invites very valid criticisms – no one else could be blamed. I am certain some of Prof’s and Dayan’s dear relatives would no doubt appreciate this concern, even if they shy from pointing it out to Dayan for obvious reasons..
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Kumar R. / October 18, 2018
Oracle,
Dyan’s write up is an insult to the distinguished Prof. It is neither a tribute nor an appreciation — a mere obituary notice with add-ons so as Dayan could make claim to personal boasting rights. That is pathetic for an articulate, mature, intellectual man. May be I am wrong on two counts: mature and intellectual!
NV’s and other criticism of Dayan here may seem insensitive or even a dis-service to the late Prof, but on the positive side these comments will hopefully dissuade Dayan from making use of such future deaths and other solemn events for personal elevation. When Dayan does not know to respect that, he invites very valid criticisms.
Native: When Dayan’s only defence about the commentor is about declaring name and detailed contact information, it just confirms he realizes that he is on a rather shaky ground. Good job.
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rbh / October 17, 2018
Please accept my condolences
we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live/care by them when they are live.
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K.Pillai / October 17, 2018
Dayan has this habit of tracing his ancestry up to about one or two generations.
Has he ever tried tracing his roots?
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Native Vedda / October 17, 2018
K.Pillai
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He was a fugitive in this island, lived in India perhaps without visa(?), closely aligned with EPRLF which demanded Eelam and which was ready to kill and get killed, …………… now closely aligned with crooks and war criminALS, former terrorist Wimal Sangili Karuppan, ………………… He needs to wheel out lots of great names to hide his past crimes.
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Agnos / October 18, 2018
DJ,
So I assume that you uncle was happy to enjoy the pleasures of capitalism and did not extol communism.
But you, while also enjoying the pleasures of capitalism, have been all over the place: a lumpen Putinista, a Rajapaksa toady, a Premadashist, and before that EPRLF and anti-JR cohort of Pulsie Liyanage.
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chiv / October 18, 2018
DJ !…DJ !…..DJ ! He is BACK, I love you bro, wait a minute , is this article self serving??????? of course. Dude you and Rajeewa are two of a kind specimens to be preserved for further studies. After knowing you two so long I can smell the crap miles away. Through and through any fool can see the purpose of this article. Blow your own trumpet at the cost of a deceased soul. WOW. How low you buggers can get.????????
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chiv / October 18, 2018
Rajeewa you naughty boy, gave me a thumps down and not others. I am curious , you guys are only codependent or is it more than that???? cohabitants ?????
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Ron / October 18, 2018
We are not idiots Dayan
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Mano Breckenridge / October 18, 2018
If Dayan had a sarong clad betel chewing uncle would he tell the world he died? certainly notm
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Kumar Paran / October 18, 2018
“He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.”
Confucius
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nalmen / October 19, 2018
as regards pseudonyms what about anuruddha tilakasiri
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nalmen / October 19, 2018
acc to my information athula did not go to colombo medical college or get a doctorate from manchester university
he was recruited and sent to manchester along with my friend henry jayatiss to be trained as a physicacal therapists
they returned to colombo was employed by the health dept and after a few years both went abroad athula to canada and henry to denmark
i am not aware of what he did afterward in canada
i stand to be corrected if i am wrong
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N Kothalawala / October 20, 2018
“acc to my information athula did not go to colombo medical college or get a doctorate from manchester university
he was recruited and sent to manchester along with my friend henry jayatiss to be trained as a physicacal therapists
they returned to colombo was employed by the health dept and after a few years both went abroad athula to canada and henry to denmark
i am not aware of what he did afterward in canada
i stand to be corrected if i am wron”
So this Ambassador is lying to us once again. He is good only to Appa Sira and Mara
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Native Vedda / October 23, 2018
N Kothalawala
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“So this Ambassador is lying to us once again. He is good only to Appa Sira and Mara”
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Why do you think he manages to get these jobs infrequently?
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 21, 2018
Dayan the Trapez Artist. Hope that his uncle and father were not. Usually karanam habit comes from genes.
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Native Vedda / October 21, 2018
Nimal Tissass Wijethunga
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“Dayan the Trapez Artist. Hope that his uncle and father were not. Usually karanam habit comes from genes.”
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Sorry, I didn’t know you were a geneticist.
Congratulations
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 22, 2018
Native Veddah/Angoda Vedda/Kala Vedda,
What do you kno about me? You not only do not know me as you do not know anything and only knows to ask unrelevant questions as usual to insane person.
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Native Vedda / October 23, 2018
Nimal Tissass Wijethunga
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“What do you kno about me?”
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I know you as a dumbass stupid racist.
Is there more to you than being dumbass stupid racist?
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 23, 2018
Kala Vedda/Native Veddah/Angod Veddah
I know you as know nothing and just ask unrelevant questions rather than contributing to the topic logically. Usually, Tamil racist bastards do not answer or contribute to the topic directly as same as so called problems envisaged as particular to a race or community in Sri Lanka.
Stop your bickering as a Tamil racist.
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 23, 2018
Kala Vedda/Native Veddah/Angod Veddah
I know you as know nothing and just ask unrelevant questions rather than contributing to the topic logically. Usually, Tamil racist bastards do not answer or contribute to the topic directly as same as so called problems envisaged as particular to a race or community in Sri Lanka.
Stop your bickering as a Tamil racist.
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