Professor Tissa Vitarana passes away at 91

Professor Tissa Vitharana, a veteran left-wing politician in Sri Lanka, leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, and a former cabinet minister, has passed away. He was 91 years old at the time of his death and had been ill for some time. He passed away yesterday (12) morning at his residence in Kotte.

Born on August 30, 1934, in Nuwara Eliya, Upali Tissa Vitharana's father was Peiris Vitharana, an engineer, and his mother was Maggie Perera, niece of Dr. N. M. Perera, a prominent leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party. He studied at Trinity College, Kandy, and Ananda College, Colombo, and also played cricket during his school days. He was married to Kamini Meedeniya and they had a son named Ranil.

Professionally a medical doctor, Tissa Vitharana obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from the University of Ceylon in 1959, and later earned a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in Clinical Medicine. He also obtained a Diploma in Bacteriology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a PhD in Virology from the University of London. From 1983 to 1994, he served as the Director of the Medical Research Institute (MRI) in Colombo and also worked as a consultant virologist in Edinburgh and Melbourne. After retirement, he served as a Professor of Microbiology at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and as an advisor to the Ministry of Science and Technology. In recognition of his outstanding scientific service, he was awarded the 'Vidya Jyothi' national award in 2017.

The Professor actively entered left-wing politics in Sri Lanka by joining the Lanka Sama Samaja Party in 1974 and served in the legislature for over 15 years. In 2004, he first entered Parliament as a National List Member from the United People's Freedom Alliance and was appointed as the Minister of Science and Technology. In 2010, he was re-elected to Parliament and served as the Minister of Technology and Research, and later as the Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs. He also served as the Governor of the North Central Province from December 2019 to 2020, and his last entry into Parliament was representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.

During his political career, he served as a member of numerous consultative committees in Parliament representing various fields such as Power and Energy, Education, Indigenous Medicine, Technology and Research, Policy Planning and Economic Affairs, Children and Youth, Health, Industry and Commerce, as well as Provincial Councils and Local Development. He raised a moderate left-wing voice for power devolution, minority issues, and post-war reconciliation, and made significant contributions to public health and scientific governance in the country.

Although he was marked in the country's political history as a veteran left-wing intellectual with a scientific background, a statement he made in Parliament in 2023 regarding his entry into the party office in Union Place led to strong criticism from other leaders of the Sama Samaja Party, thereby revealing certain internal divisions within the party in recent times.

Details regarding the final rites of the late Professor Tissa Vitharana are expected to be announced in due course.