Features

Sir Aldo Castellani (1877-1971), a great medical scientist

Published

2 years ago

2024/06/2

Thilina Walpola

Aldo Castellani in 1964

(Excerpted from Selected Journalism by HAJ Hulugalle)

The Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon, that massive volume of Ceylonians published in 1910, records that the man who came to be known as Marchese Sir Aldo Castellani, KCMG, was born on the September 8, 1874, or just a 100 years ago (as this is being written). But who, a reader of the younger generation may well inquire, was this man, and why should we take note of this centenary of his birth? Well, he was a versatile character who had a distinguished career in Ceylon for 12 years as a physician and medical scientist. Thereafter in a long life, he continued to hit the headlines in many foreign fields.

Castellani’s name appeared in such reference books as “Who’s Who”, the “International Who’s Who” and the “Authors and Artists Who’s Who”, but in each case with a different year of birth. I am inclined to accept the date of birth given in “Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon” because the information would have been furnished when he was a comparatively young man.

He gave his autobiography published in 1961, the title “Microbes, Men and Monarchs”. This neatly sums up his chief interests and achievements. He came to Ceylon in 1903 at the age of 29, having been appointed by the Colonial office in London as Director of the Clinic on Tropical Medicine and Lecturer of the Colombo Medical College. He had studied medicine at the University of Bonn in Germany and had held appointments in Naples, Bologna and the London School of Tropical Medicine before coming out to Ceylon.

Castellani was the first, and probably the only Italian to hold an important office in this country, although there were men with Italian names like Anthony Bertolacci, Auditor-General in the early years of the nineteenth century, and Carlo Zenetti an irrigation engineer much later.

When he was called to the colours of his home country during the First World War, Castellani left with a heavy heart. He wrote later: “So I left Ceylon in January of the year 1915 but a part of my soul remained there. The memory of the Enchanted Island stirs in my heart an emotion which can only be expressed as love. I was lover of that wondrous country then, I still am, and I shall be to the end of my days.”

He was born in Florence, where Raphael and other renaissance artists did some of their best work, and which is still a repository of painting and sculpture. When I was living in Italy about 20 years ago, it was my favourite city, and it could be of many others who have been fortunate enough to wander aimlessly in that Tuscan capital. I was asked to have a marble statue made from a model sent from Ceylon for the Vihara Maha Devi Park in Colombo and the commission was given to a florentine sculptor.

I met Aldo Castellani in somewhat unusual circumstances. He was then over 80 years of age. Our encounter was at the Madrid airport where we were waiting for our respective air connections. He was in the company of ex-King Umberto of Italy, the last ruler of his line. The day, as I gather from an old diary, was November 27, 1955.

I was on my way to Liberia. William Tubman used to get himself re-elected every four years as President of the Republic of Liberia. I had been instructed to proceed to Monrovia, the capital, to represent Ceylon at the official celebrations. One of the stops between Rome and my destination was Madrid. Castellani was by profession a physician and by choice a courtier, and for many years he had been physician to the royal House of Savoy. King Victor Emmanuel had abdicated on the May 9, 1946, after 46 years on the throne in favour of Crown Prince Umberto, On June 2 of that year however, the Italian people voted to end the monarchy and to set-up a republic. Umberto was thus King for only 24 days.

I introduced myself to Castellani and he seemed pleased to meet someone from Ceylon and presented me to the ex-King. He spoke of old times in Ceylon and of his friendship with Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranaike, the father of SWRD who was my contemporary at school in Mutwal and Mount Lavinia. Like Sir Solomon, Castellani had moved with kings, been knighted by the British and was a KCMG. But he had been deprived of these honours during World War II when under Mussolini he headed the health services of the Italian armies fighting against Britain and her allies.

Sir Solomon makes several references to Castellani in his autobiography entitled “Remember Yesterdays”. I quote two brief passages from it: “In the midst of these numerous engagements, I was visited by a grave domestic anxiety when my son in June 1905, had a serious illness. He was taken down to Colombo where the skillful treatment of Dr. Aldo Castellani assisted by Dr. David Rockwood and Dr. R. Saravanamuttu resulted in his ultimate recovery”.

Fifteen years later, Sir Solomon’s son was again seriously ill, Sir Solomon writes: “I received a disturbing telegram one day that Sonny was down with an attack of paratyphoid at Oxford. I promptly cabled to Dr. Castellani”.

In his own autobiography, Castellani writes of Sir Solomon and his son: “He (Sir Solomon) was a delightful man with perfect polished manners, plenty of brains and a most generous heart. We became firm friends. His son, a charming and intelligent little fellow, caught diphtheria at their country home near Veyangoda and I was fetched to see him.

Anti-diphtheria serum was given. I remember I ordered huge doses which surprised the local country doctor. The little boy grew up into a brilliant clever young man and was sent to Oxford by his father. There – to use his father’s expression – he became affected with rather advanced political ideas, and Sir Solomon was very upset. At a public dinner I heard the young man in his second year, give a speech which held us spellbound; it was spontaneous, ebullient, magnificent oratory”.

In Ceylon, Castellani’s patients had come from all levels of the population. He was treating poor patients at the General Hospital and he was called elsewhere to see distinguished visitors such as the Empress Eugine, widow of Napoleon III and the Crown Prince of Germany, when they were ill in Colombo. Although Castellani had the gift of healing, he was first and foremost a medical scientist and it was as such that he came out to Ceylon.

He had already been a member of the Commission appointed by the British Foreign Office for the investigation of Sleeping Sickness and had been awarded the Craig Medal for his share in the discovery of the germ. Among the diseases for which he had found cures or palliatives were elephantiasis (‘Gaile legs’) and yaws (‘parangi’). He was also an expert on malaria and Mussolini used his services during his campaigns in Africa.

Castellani’s researches sometimes took strange directions as this passage from his autobiography indicates: “Sinhalese girls are renowned for their beauty. They are slender and graceful with chiselled features and luminous dark eyes, and their complexion is hardly darker than that of southern Europeans. The charming oval face is often speckled with the famous golden beauty spots praised in songs by ancient and modern Sinhalese bards as ‘gomara’ which means drops of tears of liquid gold’. “Incidentally, I may say that my investigations mania led me to take scrapings from these spots and examine them microscopically; they were colonies of a fungus! My enthusiastic announcement of this fact was received coldly by the Sinhalese literary and poetic circles”.

When he was employed by the Ceylon Government he does not seem to have charged fees from the locals. No doubt grateful patients sometimes gave him a gift. He once surprised a Maharaja who came from India to be treated by him. The Maharaja sent him a cheque for 20,000 rupees which he returned saying that his fee was Rs.150. “His secretary told me later” writes Castellani “that the Maharaja was at first greatly annoyed, but then laughed, and swore that never in his life – most of it spent consulting doctors over three continents (it was his hobby) – had he such an incredible experience”.

Castellani’s beautiful daughter Jacqueline, appropriately enough, married an English Ambassador, Sir Miles Lampson (later Lord Killearn). World War II saw a turning point to Castellani’s life and career. He was once again called to arms but this time Italy was fighting against Britain and her allies. He lost his Harley Street practice, his connection with the London School of Tropical Medicine and his KCMG. At the end of that war he attached himself to the Italian Royal Family. He escorted the Queen and her children to Portugal and kept close to King Umberto in his exile. It was in those circumstances that I met him.

I find a letter to me from Aldo Castellani in my pillowcase of old letters, It is dated May 22, 1965, and is sent from Junquira, Lisbon. He would have been 91 then. I had sent him one of my books “Ceylon of the Early Travellers” and in the course of a complimentary acknowledgment said: “I remember your grandfather very well indeed. Should you pay a visit to Portugal I am sure His Majesty Umberto will be very pleased to make your personal acquaintance.”

(First published in Sept. 1974)

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Features

‘The devil is in the details’ in West Asian peace

Published

22 hours ago

2026/06/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Donald Trump at the current G7 summit in France. Evelyn Hockstein/Getty Image

It is obviously too early for an outpouring of joy over the seeming cessation of hostilities between the main antagonists in West Asia. While the prospect of there being a measure of calm in the region is being welcomed by considerable sections of the international community, what is ‘on the table’ currently is only a Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran to give peace a chance. The hard part in the peace effort remains to be achieved.

In the Middle East of today we have one of the most complex conflicts to break out in modern international politics and the observer would be naive in the extreme to expect a facile and early closure to the tangle. Yet, for the sake of the world’s publics who have been hurting badly in the prolonged hostilities one could only hope that the US-Iran MoU that is expected to be signed by the sides on Friday would lead eventually to a substantive peace. The world’s thanks are due to Pakistan in this connection for its sustained support in the peace drive.

While the sides have agreed to a ceasing of hostilities in the most general terms and have reached accord on the facilitation of uninterrupted oil and gas supplies to the rest of the world, for instance, the ‘devil will prove to be in the details’ in an envisaged comprehensive peace settlement. It is these details that would make or break peace if the negotiations go on in earnest.

Nevertheless, the details would need to be worked out consensually in a spirit of compromise with an eye to the greater good of the world community. Realpolitik or a narrow focus on solely the national interest among the protagonists, for example, would need to give way to a measure of humanity that would encompass within it a consideration of the overall well being of the world. In other words, it is statesmanship that would crucially matter.

The next few weeks would establish whether humanists are ‘asking for far too much’ when they broach the questions at issue in these terms. Yet it is essentially self interest and national security considerations of the first importance that drove the conflict from even prior to February this year and these questions would need to be taken up and resolved to the satisfaction of the US and Iran in the main if some headway is to be made towards a durable settlement.

The nuclear issue would prove to be the proverbial Gordian Knot. From a realistic viewpoint, Iran could not be expected to be without a potential nuclear deterrent in the face of perceived nuclear threats emanating for it from the West and Israel. In the short term, Iran would need to possess this deterrent to a measure, within a mutually agreed international legal framework maybe, until wide agreement is reached on the nuclear tangle. Specifically, Iran’s immediate threat perceptions with regard to her nuclear-powered rivals would need to be defused during initial negotiations.

Ideally it is a world free of nuclear weapons that must be aimed at but since this goal cannot be achieved in the near or medium terms, unfolding negotiations would need to ensure Iran’s absolute security in a world of powers that continue to swear by the nuclear deterrent, if it is to give up the suspected latter capability.

However, it is to the degree to which the present nuclear powers divest themselves of this capability that Iran could be put at ease on this score. Accordingly, it is nothing short of a complete elimination of nuclear weapons from the world that could dissuade keenly security conscious states from developing nuclear weapons of their own with a mass destruction capability.

This is the number one dilemma the international community needs to grapple with going forward and it is to the extent to which it resolves it that a nuclear weapons free world could be envisaged. No doubt, an uphill challenge.

Compelling Israel to support the present negotiatory process constitutes another grueling challenge for the US. Currently the Iranian position essentially is that a Middle East peace is inseparable from a normalization of the security situation in Lebanon. That is, the present Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah presence in Lebanon must cease if a comprehensive peace is to be realized in West Asia.

However, Israel is showing no signs of drawing back from its attacks on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon since the security of the Israeli state is being seen as threatened by the militant group. Co-opting Israel into the negotiatory effort therefore would turn out to be a matter of paramount concern for the US.

Moreover, elements in the rightist administration in Israel are seeing the current peace efforts as a ‘sell out’ to the enemies of Israel. They would have none of it. It is left to be seen how the US would be managing these virtual storm centres in the diplomatic process that could very well bring down the overall purported peace drive.

A recent pronouncement by US Vice President J.D. Vance points to yet another problem area in the US’ current peace overtures. He said that, ‘Regional peace and stability includes stopping the funding of terrorist organizations.’ He was obviously referring to the support extended by Iran to Hezbollah when he mentioned ‘terrorist organizations’ but he has given fresh life to the age-old conundrum of ‘Who is a terrorist?’ by these words.

To the Netanyahu government the Hezbollah and other militant organizations fighting Israel are ‘terrorists’ but from the viewpoint of the Iranian regime they are ‘freedom fighters’. This seemingly insurmountable definitional issue would not only stubbornly bedevil the peace effort but could even figure in bringing about its collapse, unless judiciously handled.

Thus, it’s the thorny details that need to be watched to keep the West Asian peace process afloat, once it gets going in earnest. There is no doubt that US President Trump would be receiving a considerable amount of support from the G7 in this historic peace undertaking and his personal appeals to the grouping currently meeting in France for continuous support are likely to elicit a positive response from it.

Likewise, Trump would need to appeal to also the BRICS countries if almost total global support is to be garnered for the peace drive in West Asia. BRICS’ solidarity with the US and the West is likely to carry considerable weight with Iran and other Eastern actors who are key to a sustained peace drive in the Middle East.

Features

Sri Lanka’s elephant paradox: Govt. counts tourism dollars while playing a dangerous numbers game: Expert

Published

22 hours ago

2026/06/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

At a time when Sri Lanka is enjoying a resurgence in wildlife tourism, with elephants remaining the undisputed stars of the country’s national parks and one of its most marketable natural assets, elephant conservationist Supun Lahiru Prakash has sounded a stark warning: the nation is in danger of losing the very species that helps attract millions of tourism dollars while sustaining some of the island’s most important ecosystems.

Supun says repeated claims by authorities that Sri Lanka’s elephant population is increasing, despite the absence of a final survey report and amid continuing elephant deaths, risk creating a misleading narrative that could undermine conservation efforts and encourage retaliation against elephants.

According to Supun, the issue is not merely about numbers. It is about political priorities, scientific credibility and the future of one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic species.

“Repeatedly claiming that the elephant population is increasing appears to be an attempt to hide the Government’s inability to manage the rising annual elephant death rate and the complications of human-elephant conflict,” Supun said.

For decades, the Sri Lankan elephant has been a symbol of the country’s rich natural heritage. It is the centrepiece of wildlife tourism, drawing visitors from across the globe to national parks such as Yala, Udawalawe, Minneriya, Kaudulla and Wilpattu. International wildlife documentaries, tourism campaigns and social media promotions frequently place elephants at the heart of Sri Lanka’s nature tourism brand.

Yet, according to Supun, the country’s conservation policies do not reflect the value of the species.

“On one hand, the Government is enjoying increasing tourism revenue, and elephants remain one of Sri Lanka’s most important wildlife attractions. On the other hand, narratives are being promoted that could encourage retaliation against the very species that contributes significantly to the country’s tourism industry,” Supun said.

According to the First Countrywide National Survey of Elephants conducted in 2011, Sri Lanka had 5,879 elephants. However, official statistics show that 4,167 elephants died between 2012 and 2024.

Supun stressed that these figures represent only the deaths officially recorded by the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

“In a context where more than 70 percent of the country’s elephant population reported in 2011 has died within 13 years, it is difficult to accept claims that the population has increased,” Supun said.

The conservationist pointed out that elephants have the longest gestation period among land mammals and that scientific studies have reported increasing interbirth intervals among female elephants together with high calf mortality.

“When such biological realities are taken into consideration, claims of a dramatic increase in elephant numbers become difficult to understand,” Supun said.

Supun believes that repeated references to increasing elephant populations risk fuelling public hostility towards elephants, particularly among farming communities already affected by crop raids and property damage.

“Such claims can create the impression that elephant populations are exploding and thereby promote retaliation against elephants as well,” Supun said.

According to Supun, Sri Lanka’s elephant crisis cannot be understood solely through population estimates. The real issue lies in the country’s failure to address human-elephant conflict through long-term, science-based solutions.

Sri Lanka continues to record among the highest levels of human-elephant conflict in the world. Every year, hundreds of elephants and dozens of people lose their lives as competition for land and resources intensifies.

Despite the scale of the crisis, Supun says authorities continue to rely on strategies that have repeatedly failed.

Lahiru Prakash

These include driving elephants into protected areas, strengthening electric fences to confine them there and allocating additional manpower to maintain fencing systems.

Supun was also critical of several proposals that emerged from district-level discussions on conflict mitigation, including the sowing of paddy and corn using Air Force drones and the planting of fruit orchards within protected areas.

“Such proposals fail to address the real ecological and social dimensions of the conflict,” Supun said.

While welcoming reports that the Government intends appointing a national-level mechanism to tackle human-elephant conflict, Supun said the challenge required intervention at the highest level of government.

“Given the gravity, complexity and geographical spread of human-elephant conflict, appointing any committee other than a Presidential Task Force is not useful,” Supun said.

He argued that a Presidential Task Force chaired by either the President or the Secretary to the President would be better positioned to overcome the bureaucratic delays and institutional fragmentation that have hindered previous efforts.

Supun also stressed the urgent need to restore and protect elephant corridors and home ranges that allow elephants to move safely across landscapes.

He cited the Koholankala elephant corridor in Hambantota as one example where removing obstacles could help reduce conflict while improving habitat connectivity.

At the same time, Supun questioned policies that permit the allocation of forest lands in areas identified by environmental assessments as crucial elephant ranges and movement corridors.

“The opening of elephant corridors and the protection of elephant home ranges must be carried out scientifically and consistently if they are to succeed,” Supun said.

Beyond tourism, Supun emphasised the ecological importance of elephants.

“Elephants are ecosystem engineers. Through their feeding habits and movements, they help maintain habitats that support numerous other species. In many ways, they create safer and healthier environments for wildlife,” Supun said.

According to Supun, protecting elephants means protecting entire ecosystems and the biodiversity upon which Sri Lanka’s wildlife tourism industry depends.

“By protecting elephants, we are also protecting the biodiversity that makes Sri Lanka one of the world’s premier wildlife tourism destinations,” Supun said.

As Sri Lanka seeks to expand tourism earnings and strengthen its reputation as a wildlife destination, Supun believes the country faces a defining choice: continue with policies that have failed to stem elephant deaths and human-elephant conflict, or embrace a science-based conservation strategy that safeguards both people and wildlife.

Without a fundamental shift in policy and political will, Supun warned, Sri Lanka risks losing not only one of its most iconic species but also the ecological and economic benefits that elephants continue to provide.

“The suffering of both farmers and elephants will only intensify unless meaningful action replaces rhetoric,” Supun said.

By Ifham Nizam

Features

Top Model of the World 2026

Published

23 hours ago

2026/06/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

Back-to-back victory for Colombia

Katherine Castaño of Colombia claimed the Top Model of the World 2026 crown, securing a historic back-to-back victory for her country. Angelica Sanchez of Puerto Rico was named first runner-up, and Eunice Deza of the Philippines finished as second runner-up.

Katherine was crowned by outgoing titleholder Natalia Garizabal Vera of Colombia.

Several special category awards, and subsidiary titles, were also presented during the Top Model of the World 2026 pageant.

These awards recognised excellence in modelling, peer support, and regional representation.

Primary Subsidiary Titles

Sri Lanka’s Netalie Withanage: Top 16 at
the grand finale

Miss Globe 2026: Valentina Tabares (Ecuador) — Awarded to the contestant who perfectly balances fashion modelling with traditional beauty queen qualities.

Queen of Europe 2026: Mia Danielle Williams (United Kingdom) — Given to the highest-ranking candidate from a European nation.

Special Awards Recognition

Audience Iconic Award: Charly (Dominican Republic) — Won via the official public online vote, granting her a fast-track direct entry into the Top 6.

Exotic Model of the World: Angel Emeka (Nigeria) — Awarded for exceptional editorial presence and strong runway performance.

Best Body Award: Thailand — Voted directly by fellow contestants at the Flow Spectrum Hotel. The highest-ranking runners-up for this category included Zambia, South Africa, Colombia, and Ghana.

Angelica Sanchez (Puerto Rico): 1st Runner-up

Final Placement

Winner: Katherine Castaño (Colombia)

1st Runner-Up: Angelica Sanchez (Puerto Rico)

2nd Runner-Up: Eunice Deza (Philippines)

Top 6 Finalists: Included contestants from the Dominican Republic, Romania, and Germany.

The pageant, known for focusing on professional modelling careers over just beauty, brought together 36 models from around the globe for two weeks of runway, photoshoots, and cultural events.

Sri Lanka’s Netalie Withanage walked among 36 of the world’s best and powered her way into the Top 16 at the grand finale.