RIP – DESHABANDU DR. LAKSHMAN WEERASENA DISTINGUISHED PRE-70S PETERITE

RIP - DESHABANDU DR. LAKSHMAN WEERASENA DISTINGUISHED PRE-70S PETERITE

SOURCE: JOSEPHIAN-PETERITE NEWS NETWORK HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/PETERITESINCANADA/POSTS/4330780057048688/?NOTIF_ID=1637504021326837&NOTIF_T=PAGE_GROUP_POST&REF=NOTIF

It is with much sadness we learn the demise of Dr. Lakshman Weerasena today (23 Nov). As our former cricket captain Bernard Wijetunge says, “A Life Serving Others is truly a Life Well-Lived”.

Lakshman was an all-round brilliant student at his alma mater St. Peter’s College. Some of his classmates in the higher classes include Prof. Willie Mendis, Kevin Ruberu (Australia), Rontjen Perera (USA), Basil Gurusinghe (Canada), the late Dr. Lucian Perera, and many others. In sports, Lakshman was overshadowed by his older brother Ranjit Weerasena who shone in the ‘throws’ at college meets, group meets and Public Schools Championships. Lakshman also did the ‘throws’ while in school. Lakshman entered medical college from St. Peter’s and built a roaring private practice in Colombo.

Recipient of Deshabandu Award in 2017

A renowned social and community worker, Dr. Lakshman Lucien de Silva Weerasena, a medical practitioner with a wide experience of over 45 years in the field was honoured with the Deshabandu Award at the 2017 National Award ceremony. It was held under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena at the Nelum Pokuna theatre, Colombo.

Other recognition

In 2003, Dr. Lakshman Weerasena was inducted as the new President of the Medico-Legal Society of Sri Lanka by Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva who was the outgoing President of the Society at a ceremony held at the Gall Face Hotel recently. Dr. Weerasena was the first general practitioner to be appointed to this prestigious position. His interest in Legal Medicine began in 1971 when he worked as the Assistant Judicial Medical Officer, Colombo (AJMO).
Widely travelled, Dr. Weerasena has presented several International Papers on topics of Interest in Forensic Medicine both at the Indo Pacific Association of Legal Medicine and Science conferences and International Association of Forensic Sciences conferences.
Some of the presentations which won Dr. Weerasena International Awards were the Paper on the Importance of Forensic Medicine in general practice at the Bali Conference and Hypoglycaemia as a murder weapon based on the famous Vicarage Murder case where Fr. Mathew Peiris was the accused. Fr. Mathew Peiris killed his wife by administering her Oral Diabetic Drugs.
In Tokyo, Japan Dr. Weerasena was presented with a Gold Medal by the Forensic Association of China. He was awarded the first prize for his presentation on the situation of AIDS in Sri Lanka at the KOBE INPALMS conference.
Dr. Weerasena also presented a paper titled Post Disaster Strees Syndrome in respect to Cockpit Crew based on the bomb blast of the Sri Lanka Tristar flight to Male at the Dubai Forensic Medicine conference as he is also an International Aviation Medical Examiner for the FAA USA, CAA UK, Lufthanza and Oman Aviation.

There are volumes that can be written about this friendly personality who had a huge public persona but remained a proud Peterite. Funeral details are not known at time of writing.

Life is impermanent but death is permanent. Eternal rest grant unto Dr. Lakshman, O Lord, and let Your perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace!