Dr Kandiah Ratnakumar, FRCS Lond 15.04.1951 – 26.01.2021

Emeritus Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Alumnus Peradeniya Medical School 1971 – 1975

Kandiah Ratnakumar hailed from the village of Chulipuram in Jaffna. Born one of four siblings on April 15, 1951, he entered the Medical Faculty, Peradeniya from Jaffna Hindu College qualifying as a doctor in 1975. He, unlike many of his contemporaries who scooted off without serving their compulsory period here, left for the UK for postgraduate training with his wife after completing the compulsory period serving many parts of Sri Lanka in the early eighties with loyalty and patriotism. He worked closely with that great son of Sri Lanka, the late Dr Lakdasa Dissanayake, from who he learned the basics in surgical skills.

He assumed the post of Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Oldchurch (later named Queens) Hospital in 1991 where we worked as colleagues. Specializing in knee surgery he not only touched the hearts of patients and staff but also several of his social contacts. He was a very open, approachable individual and friend, mentor & advisor to many within the community including some of the leading orothopaedic consultants serving in Sri Lanka. His schoolmate and a colleague Dr Kumaran recalls him as quiet, studious and helpful individual. Another grief stricken contemporary, Dr Chandrasiri Abrew, retired vascular surgeon, mourning the loss, reminisces of the times spent with the hospitable Ratna as a surgical trainee in the UK.

A man of few words except in close circles, Ratna was always good company with a radiant smile. Although I made his acquaintance at Peradeniya, it was at Oldchurch Hospital we developed closer ties as colleagues and he and Saro became my family friends.

A childhood companion who grew up with him from school days is my good friend Dr Ananthamoorthy, retired senior lecturer in Dentistry at the University of Ceylon Peradeniya, now settled in Chulipuram. Moorthy recalls “Ratna and I were schoolmates, growing up together at Pannagam Meihandan Vidyalayam where we learnt our alphabet of our mother tongue together. Both of us moved to Victoria College, Chulipuram. While I stayed on at Victoria College, Ratna moved to Jaffna Hindu College from where he entered the Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya, working hard with ambition and forbearance. Ratna would always make it a point to visit me and my wife whenever he visited Jaffna. He never forgot his roots. He would often visit his relatives and old friends in Sri Lanka and was very charitable.”

Although the couple planned to serve the motherland on completion of their postgraduate training in the UK, the events of July 1983 prevented their return home. Having worked in Canada for a few years they moved back to UK.

I vividly recall the several visits to his home in Gants Hill when I would barge in without notice, an idiosyncracy of mine he never disapproved because he just did not bother about formalities. Moreover it was the nature of the man to entertain friends at the drop of a hat perhaps using the opportunity to share a glass of wine! Saro too, in her typical friendly manner, tolerated such an intrusion without any fuss. His usage of Tamil was colloquial and with a distinct accent unique to himself. His sense of humour was a delight.

Ratna married SaroVinasithamby who he courted as a fellow medical student from the same batch and they both took up posts in different parts of Sri Lanka pursuing their chosen careers in surgery and anaesthesia respectively. Saro retired after a long stint as a consultant anaesthetist in South London.

Approaching retirement Ratna developed a passion for golf which he enjoyed thoroughly often hinting that I should seriously consider joining him. One of his plans for retirement was to return to Sri Lanka, the land he loved

He became unwell in the early part of January developing shortness of breath needing hospitalization. After initial improvement his condition deteriorated at Whipps Cross Hospital where he lost his fight against Covid19 on January 26. Saro, his soul mate and companion of long years, relatives and friends awaited his return home from hospital with hope and anticipation but to no avail.

His generous gestures were not confined to close circles but extended beyond. He supported several organizations but never sought positions, pomp or ceremony but opted often to help behind the scenes. In life he was an example of endurance, resilience and humility. Saro gave him strength and purpose; joy & friendship; and stood by him always those last hardest days.

We cannot know what God’s plan is for us. What we can do is to live our lives as best as we can with purpose and with love and with joy. We can use each day to show those who are closest to us how much we care about them and treat others with the kindness and respect that we wish for ourselves. We can strive at all costs to make a better world so that someday if we are blessed with the chance to look back on our time here, we can know that we spent it well so that we made a difference; and that our fleeting presence had a lasting impact on the lives of others. This is how Ratnakumar lived. That is his legacy. 

“The embodied soul is eternal in existence, indestructible and infinite, only the material body is factually perishable.”

Bhagavat Gita

May his soul rest in peace. Om Shanthy

Capt Dr S Ariyanayagam Retd SLAMC

MBBS Cey FRCOG FFFP MRCGP DCH Lond

Emeritus Consultant Physician