| Professor Sir Nicholas Attygalle |
|
|---|---|
| President of the Senate of Ceylon | |
| In office 1953-1960 |
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| First Ceylonese Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 14, 1894 |
| Died | March 27, 1970 |
| Nationality | Ceylonese |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Conita Attygalle |
| Children | Lakshman Attygalle, FRCS, Anjula Wijesinghe |
| Alma mater | Royal College Colombo, Ceylon Medical College |
| Occupation | Academic |
| Profession | Physician |
Sir Nicholas Attygalle, FRCS (July 14, 1894 – March 27, 1970) was a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) academic, surgeon and a Senator. He was the President of the Senate of Ceylon from 1953 to 1960 and the first Ceylonese Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon, where he was known as the "Iron Vice Chancellor".
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He was born on July 14, 1894, the fifth in a family of eleven (nine sons and two daughters). His father died when he was seventeen. Sir Nicholas was educated at Royal College Colombo and Ceylon Medical College where he passed LMS in 1919, being first in the batch and obtaining a first class in the Final Examination. After graduating he joined the Ceylon Medical Service. In 1925 Sir Nicholas left for Britain for further studies and returned in 1929 with his MRCS, LRCP (London), DLO (London) and FRCS (England).
He was sent as DMO Nawalapitiya where there were no facilities for any surgery. He was later appointed demonstrator in anatomy in spite having his FRCS (England). Again this may have been the only occasion where a qualified Surgeon with an FRCS was appointed demonstrator in anatomy.
In 1944 he was appointed Professor and Head of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department and was the first to practice both Obstetrics and Gynaecology and in 1945 he became Dean of the Medical faculty of the University of Ceylon.
In 1952 he was appointed to the Senate, the Upper House of Parliament and was made its president in 1953 and knighted for his services to the country. In 1954 he became the first Ceylonese Vice Chancellor of University of Ceylon, succeeding Sir Ivor Jennings, a post he head till his retirement in 1967. From 1964 to 1969 he was the president of the Ceylon Medical Council.
He was also the President of the Buddhist Theosophical Society, Chairman Board of Trustees of Ananda College and was President of the Vidyalankara Sabha.
Sir Nicholas Attygalle and Lady Conita had a son, Dr. Lakshman Attygalle, FRCS, and a daughter, Anjula Wijesinghe.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by |
President of the Senate of Ceylon 1953–1960 |
Succeeded by Sir Cyril de Zoysa |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Ivor Jennings |
Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon 1954–1967 |
Succeeded by O.H. de A. Wijesekera |