18 October 2018 12:00 am
“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 1TR 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.