PROF. RAJA C BANDARANAYAKE

( April 4, 1935 – Jan. 18, 2024)

Three months ago, I received an email from Dr Raja Bandaranayake stating that he was just diagnosed with MND or motor neurone disease. That was shocking news to me, but typified his honesty and open attitude to life., Professor Raja Bandaranayake, the internationally renowned medical educator passed away on January 18, just a few months short of his 89 th birthday.

Born in Kandy, Raja had most of his secondary education at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, from where he entered the Faculty of Medicine in Colombo. On passing his medical degree, he was appointed demonstrator at the Colombo University followed by a spell of about five years as lecturer in the University of Ceylon in Peradeniya.

He migrated to Australia in the early 1960s and worked in medical education in the University of New South Wales initially as a lecturer, and later as an Associate Professor. Since 1992 he worked as professor of Anatomy in the University of Bahrein, and from 1997 as a Consultant to the World Health Organisation (WHO). He was also appointed a Consultant to the World Bank and for a period of eight years was on the Australian Medical Council.

He served as an examiner for five years for the Royal Australian College of Surgeons. He served as President of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Medical Education for three years and was awarded the Fred Katz Memoria Medal for Medical Education.

All these superlative achievements sat lightly on Raja, a modest and unassuming family man with an extraordinary intellect.

On my own migration to Australia 40 years ago, I reconnected with an old school mate living in the adjoining suburb, Dr Medduma Kappagoda an ophthalmologist and we lost no time in renewing our old friendship. It is in the Kappagoda home in Pymble that I met Raja for the first time in around 1985. His simplicity was very evident at our first meeting, and a new friendship was founded.

Our relationships was further reinforced by the mutual interest we had in collecting antiquarian books. In fact he had heard of me from antiquarian book dealers in Sydney who, when he responded to their periodical listings, found that a certain Mr Karunanayake had already purchased the book. He was curious to meet this Mr K possibly making known of his intentions through gritted teeth! That was however the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

When Raja was working as Professor of Anatomy in Bahrain University, his travels to and from Bahrain involved stops in Mauritius. A man of keen intellect and extremely superior intellectual curiosity he soon found himself digging into the lives in exile of Adigar Ehelepola and other Kandyan chieftains who lived in forced exile in Mauritius over 200 years ago.

The 360-page monograph entitled “Betwixt Isles” that he published in 2006 is a supreme example of a scientific mind analysing a piece of history. It was my privilege to read the manuscript and to write the foreword to the book. A Sinhalese translation was made as a response to popular demand, and the book is being used in the teaching of Sri Lankan History in schools.

When the Ceylon Society of Australia was formed 25 years ago, Raja was one of the early members, and has made very interesting presentations at meetings in Sydney and in Melbourne. It was only last year that he presented a well researched exposition on Charles Dickens and his connection with Sri Lanka.

Raja was a man who knew how to make the best of his environment. Apart from his fascination with the old world through his extensive collection of antiquarian books and ephemera, he enjoyed a game of tennis, and was also a keen snooker player.

With the demise of Raja Bandaranayake, the medical world has lost a great anatomist, and a highly regarded teacher, Australia has lost a very valuable intellectual resource.

Raja’s passing is a merciful release from the dreaded tentacles of MND. He is survived by his wife Chandrani, son Rohan, and daughters Roshini and Ruveni. To all of whom I offer my heartfelt condolences.

May Dr Raja Bandaranayake find eternal rest.

Hugh Karunanayake