Nicholas Attygalle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Senator Sir Nicholas Attygalle KBE FRCS FRCOG
President of the Senate of Ceylon
In office 1953–1960
Preceded by	Gerard Wijeyekoon
Succeeded by	Cyril de Zoysa
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ceylon
In office 1954–1967
Preceded by	Ivor Jennings
Succeeded by	S. J. Walpita
Personal details
Born	14 July 1894
Died	27 March 1970(1970-03-27) (aged 75)
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Spouse	Lady Conyta Attygalle
Children	Lakshman Attygalle, FRCS, Anula Wijesinha
Alma mater	Royal College Colombo, Ceylon Medical College
Occupation	Academic
Profession	Physician

Sir Nicholas Attygalle (born 14 July 1894 – died 27 March 1970) was an important person from Sri Lanka, known for his work as a doctor, a teacher, and a politician. He was a Senator and served as the President of the Senate of Ceylon from 1953 to 1960. He also became the first Sri Lankan to be the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ceylon. People sometimes called him the "Iron Vice Chancellor" because he was very strong and determined in his role.

Early Life and Education

Nicholas Attygalle was born on July 14, 1894. He came from a well-known family in Madapatha, Sri Lanka. He was the fifth of eleven children, with nine brothers and two sisters. His father, Don Louis Attygalle, managed money and later became a local official called a Mudaliyar in Ratnapura. His father also practiced traditional medicine. Nicholas was only seventeen when his father passed away. His mother's name was Dolicia Jane Haddagoda. One of his brothers was Cyril Attygalle.

Nicholas Attygalle started his schooling at St. Luke's College in Ratnapura. Then, he went to Royal College Colombo for his secondary education. In 1913, he joined the Ceylon Medical College. He worked very hard and finished his medical studies in 1919. He was the best student in his class and received a special award called the Vanderstraten Gold Medal for Pathology.

After he graduated, he started working for the Ceylon Medical Service. In 1925, he traveled to Britain to study even more. He returned in 1929 with several important medical qualifications. These included special degrees in surgery and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) medicine.

His Medical Career

When Nicholas Attygalle first came back from Britain, he wanted to be an ENT surgeon. However, he was sent to Nawalapitiya as a District Medical Officer (DMO). This area did not have the right tools for surgery.

In 1931, he became a demonstrator in anatomy, which was unusual for someone with his high qualifications. Later, he worked as a Surgical Registrar at the General Hospital in 1932. In 1933, he became a Senior Clinical Tutor. He was then chosen to train as a Gynaecologist for the General Hospital. He was the first Sri Lankan to get a special degree in Gynaecology from Great Britain. He also studied in Vienna to learn more about women's health and surgery.

In 1935, he became the Gynaecologist at the General Hospital. The ward he led is still a university gynaecology ward today.

Becoming a Professor and Vice-Chancellor

In 1944, Nicholas Attygalle was made a Professor and the head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department. He was the first person to practice both areas of medicine together. In 1945, he became the Dean of the Medical Faculty at the University of Ceylon. He held this important position until 1953. During his time as Dean, new departments were created, like those for studying bacteria, body chemistry, and children's health. New exams for advanced medical degrees also started during this period.

In 1952, he was chosen to be a member of the Senate of Ceylon. This was like the upper house of the country's parliament. In 1953, he became the President of the Senate. He was also honored by the King and became a Knight, which meant he could use "Sir" before his name. This was for his great work in medicine.

In 1954, he made history again by becoming the first Sri Lankan Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ceylon. He took over from Sir Ivor Jennings and stayed in this role until he retired in 1967. From 1964 to 1969, he was also the president of the Ceylon Medical Council.

Sir Nicholas Attygalle was also the president of the Sri Lanka Medical Association. He was involved in many other important organizations. He helped start the Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning. He was also a leader in the Buddhist Theosophical Society and the Royal College Union.

Family Life

Nicholas Attygalle married Conita Attygalle in 1925. She was the granddaughter of Dr. John Attygalle, who was one of the first doctors in Sri Lanka trained in Western medicine. They had a son named Dr. Lakshman Attygalle, who also became a surgeon. They also had a daughter named Anula Wijesinha.

See also

• University of Ceylon
• Senate of Ceylon