It is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to A/Prof Dr Ranjit De Alwis (in the photo above), a highly respected member of our faculty who is retiring from his position at the International Medical University (IMU). He has been a shining example of what it means to be a leader, a mentor, and a friend. His contributions to IMU staff, students and the community are immeasurable, and their impact will be felt for years to come.
Dr Ranjit, as he is fondly known, received his medical degree from the University of Ceylon and went on to pursue postgraduate studies, obtaining an MSc in Occupational Medicine from the University of London, a Diploma in Industrial Health from the Royal College of Physicians, England, and an MD from the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine in Sri Lanka. He served the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka as a medical officer before joining IMU.
Dr Ranjit has had an illustrious career in the field of occupational safety and health, with a wealth of experience in handling safety and health issues in a wide range of industries. He has held many national and international advisory roles, including serving as a Consultant in Occupational Safety and Health for the International Labour Organisation.
During his time at IMU, Dr Ranjit has made significant contributions to our institution’s projects and programmes. He has held various roles such as Safety & Health Officer, Semester Coordinator and Module Coordinator for several programmes, including the Community Health module for Chiropractic. He was also the Co-Chair of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee and was awarded the IMU Achievement Award for Core Values.
Dr Ranjit is a man of deeds. He has been an active and committed faculty member to community engagement initiatives and serves wholeheartedly whenever opportunities arise. With a great heart to lead and contribute to society, his involvement in community engagement has enabled his students to develop empathic connections between the students and the community.
Mother Teresa has been quoted saying “the fruit of love is service, which is compassion in action” and A/Prof Dr Ranjit is the best example of it.
In 2014, he led a team of 25 IMU students and staff from multiple disciplines for Myanmar – IMU Cares Collaborative Community Project. The team provided health screening services for the villagers of Wetchaung, Myanmar, as well as conducted cleaning and repairing of broken furniture at the school.
As an advisor for IMU Community Service Club, he led his students in organising annual international community service projects, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the countries include Laos, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, where the club provide community services to rural communities.
Dr Ranjit had also involved in empowering the youth to save lives during health-emergency through Basic Life Support Training. The programme has engaged youths from the Ti-Ratana Welfare Society and caregivers from Dignity for Children Foundation to learn CPR, rescue breathing, choking and other areas.
Through IMU’s flagship fundraising initiative – Chariofare, Dr Ranjit has been actively sharing his technical expertise and advising the organising committee to ensure the safety and health of all runners and volunteers.
On behalf of IMU Cares, we would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Dr Ranjit for his hard work, and dedication, and for being part of IMU Cares’ journey to building a better future for our university and our community. Thank you for the impact you have made and the legacy you leave behind. We hope that he will continue to share his expertise and passion with the world and inspire future generations to follow in his footsteps.
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