• Prez Prof. Suranjith Seneviratne says funds are to provide medical/dental textbooks, bursaries & research grants to SL students & jnr. docs/dentists 

This year’s (2024) autumn charity ball of the Sri Lankan Medical and Dental Association (SLMDA) in the United Kingdom (UK) is due to take place at the Thistle Hotel, Heathrow, London, England, tomorrow (5). 

The SLMDA is one of the oldest and largest professional organisations in the UK, and is dedicated to helping and nurturing medical education in Sri Lanka. Each year, charity events are held in the autumn and spring to raise funds for medical and dental students in Sri Lanka.  

SLMDA UK President Professor Suranjith L. Seneviratne said that the SLMDA directs the charitable funds that it collects to assisting Sri Lanka to continue producing well-trained and highly-skilled and knowledgeable doctors and dentists for the present and future medical needs of the country. According to Prof. Seneviratne, the SLMDA funds the provision of important and essential medical and dental textbooks for medical and dental students in Sri Lanka. Additionally, he said that they also provide student bursaries to each Medical and Dental Faculty in Sri Lanka, so as to assist students in financial need and also award four or five research grants annually, for medical and dental students or junior doctors or dentists in Sri Lanka to do research on diseases that are important and common to Sri Lanka. 

This year, the SLMDA autumn charity event is being held with over 300 guests in attendance. The Sri Lankan band Exceed is providing the music and there is a special guest appearance by Piyal Perera and Shenal Nishshanka of ApiDenna and the Gypsies. A Sri Lankan dinner is to be provided by the Choice of Taste Restaurant based in London and High Wycombe. The stage lighting and electronic displays are being done by Samuel Sooriyakumar of the Sooriya Production Services and Raveen Halawathage of Rave Graphics is providing the graphic design and display printing services. The official photographer for the event is Trevon Simmons of Mishtre Photography and Lakmali Marasinghe and her videography team from Bright Television UK are also covering this event. Ronnie De Visser is the master of ceremonies. Sri Lankan cricketer Aravinda de Silva provided a signed cricket bat for auction on the day.