He remained the humble unassuming man he always was
With the lockdown, it was a chance mail from a friend that informed me of the demise of Dr. Chris Uragoda on the 28th of March. Living as we do, in a society full of humbug and artifice, to find then, a gem of his calibre living amongst us, was in itself reassuring. To me, his unassuming nature, scholarship on his protean interests, his nature to help and give freely, placed him on an inspiring pedestal, few if any, could hope to emulate.
He was the Chest Physician Kandy, when I first met him, as a surgical registrar in training. I came to know him both at work and more personally on many trips to Wilpattu, accompanying Dr. L.D.C. Austin, the well-known Surgeon, Dr. J.B. Peiris, Dr. H.L. Eaton and others. I remember well, how on one occasion the vehicle we were travelling in broke down close to nightfall, with the possibility of us having to spend the night in the thick jungle. His quiet confident personality held sway.
His contribution to the medical fabric of our time is without exaggeration, immense--not only his enormous experience in pulmonology, the landmark papers that followed, but also the lead he gave this specialty. To us in the surgical fraternity, his and Kamalika Peiris’s contribution with the publication of Scientific Bibliographies in Medicine in Sri Lanka have helped research no end. The fact that these saw light of day in the non-computer age, would speak volumes as to their intent and application. He was the Editor of the Ceylon Medical Journal for many years.
He researched the History of Medicine in this country, from times of yore and published the book in time for the centenary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) in 1986-7. As a volume it is both comprehensive and reliable and a monumental task.
His work with the Royal Asiatic Society of which he was President from 1987- 1991, was substantial, and he was awarded the Hilda Obeysekera Medal. Despite the many national and international honours showered on him, he remained the humble man he always was.
On a more personal note, he was a tower of strength, during a health related episode concerning my family. As years passed by, geography did not permit me the opportunity to meet him as frequently as I liked, but I kept abreast of his ‘life’ from my many sojourns to the SLMA library of which he was a stalwart.
He lived as he liked, a life of contribution to all he saw and believed in. What more could a man ask?