Dr. M. S. L. Salgado
 |
| Dr. M. S. L. Salgado |
The 3rd year remembrance of Sri Lanka's Pioneer Forensic Pathologist, Prof. Lakshman Salgado (1930 - 2019), was on Monday. This is an Appreciation from a 2019 SLMA Newsletter.
ශ්රී ලංකාවේ පුරෝගාමී අධිකරණ වෛද්ය විශේෂඥ මහාචාර්ය ලක්ෂ්මන් සල්ගාදු (1930 - 2019) මැතිතුමාගේ තෙවෙනි වසර අනුස්මරණය පසුගිය සඳුදා දිනට යෙදී තිබුණි. මේ, 2019 වසරේ ශ්රී ලංකා වෛද්ය සංගම් සඟරාවක පළ කරන ලද අගය කිරීමකි.
IN MEMORY OF DR. M S L SALGADO
A hard task master, he expected nothing but the best from his many trainees who now adorn the field of forensic medicine. His meticulous attention to detail enabled him to solve many murders and other medico legal matters. Among these were the bomb explosion in the Parliament in 1987, Tri Star bombing in the Katunayake airport in 1986, double murder/suicide of a business couple in Moratuwa and the assassination of Mr. Vijaya Kumaranatunga.
Along with several others, he was instrumental in getting the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM) to establish a Board of Study in Forensic Medicine and hence a course of study leading to the MD in the field. He used his personal contacts with experts abroad for the trainees to obtain overseas training in centres of excellence. He arranged short term training programmes in medico-legal work for the DMOs and MOICs of peripheral hospitals. He did his best to improve the facilities at the JMO Office on Francis Road in Colombo.
Dr. Salgado was the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Library in 1994/95, College of Forensic Pathologists in 2011 and the Indo Pacific Association of Law, Medicine and Science (INPALMS) from 1992 to 1998. He set high standards worth emulating by those who followed him.
He has been generous enough to bequeath his residence in Melbourne Avenue, Colombo 4, to the Sri Lanka Medical Association. The SLMA greatly appreciates this noble gesture.
May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
Dr. Anula Wijesundere
President, SLMA.
(From page 7, SLMA Newsletter, September, 2019)
Grateful thanks to Kirthie de Silva
Prof. Lakshman Salgado (19th Sept. 1930 - 29th Aug. 2019), Pioneer Forensic Pathologist of Sri Lanka.
ලංකාවේ පුරෝගාමී අධිකරණ වෛද්ය, මහාචාර්ය ලක්ෂ්මන් සල්ගාදූ
Lakshman's father Simon Salgado was from Panadura and a Surveyor of the British government. Lakshman studied at Royal and Ananda College, entered the Colombo Medical Faculty and passed out in 1957. In 1968 he was sent to UK for postgraduate training in Forensic Medicine. On his return in 1972, he was posted as an Assistant JMO in Colombo.
In 1972 he was elected Joint Secretary of the Medico-Legal Society and Secretary of the Sri Lanka Medical Library. Through the Medico- Legal Society he organised programmes on Forensic Science to educate the Judiciary, Lawyers, Police and the public and popularised Forensic Medicine in Sri Lanka. He was the President of the Medico-Legal Society from 1984–87 and chaired the 2nd Asia-Pacific Congress on Legal Medicine and Science in 1986. The Indo-Pacific Association of Legal Medicine and Science (INPALMS) was inaugurated in 1986 with Dr. Salgado involved in drafting its constitution. He was its President from 1992 to 1998. He was also the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Library from 1992-95, and a Council Member untill his death.
In his career he served as JMO Galle from 1974-76, JMO Colombo South from 1976-82 and JMO Colombo from 1982-90. The latter was a period of turmoil; the 1983 pogrom, followed by massacres in prisons and a period of more massacres on the streets. Dr. Salgado was unfazed by the unprecedented pressure on them, and gave exemplary leadership to his team.
As JMO Colombo, he transformed the Medico-Legal Morgue into a fine forensic facility with WHO funded radiology and photography. He also streamlined the procedures on medico-legal court examinations.
Interesting stories and old photos:
On his retirement in 1990, he was appointed the Chair of Forensic Medicine of the North Colombo Medical College and served as such until 1995.
Dr. Salgado married Chinthamani (Binky), daughter of S.S.J. Gunasekera, District Judge, Galle. Read about her family here:
Lakshman followed his parents and grandparents and gave generously to charities, silently helped the needy in many ways. His wife passed away in 2017 and he has willed the family residence on Melbourne Avenue to the Sri Lanka Medical Association. Lakshman and Chinthamani's children are Krishant and Shamali.
Prof. M S L Salgado's siblings are:
* Dr. M R P Salgado who married Lilamani Carmencita Surangani Amarasuriya. Their children are Ranmali, Ruwan and Ranil.
* Dr. M R I Salgado who married Dr. Elizabeth Christie. Their children are, David, Maya and Samantha.
Read about Dr. M R P Salgado, Asst. Director IMF, here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=351458116189570&id=108823527119698
Information: Prof. Wilfred Perera, Sunday Times 19/10/2020, Kirthie de Silva, open source media.
Comments
Post a Comment