Meena Manickam Mahendra

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Meena was born in Mantuvi, a tiny island off the east coast of Sri Lanka, in 1930, the youngest of four children. She was delivered by her father, a doctor, whom she revered and adored.

In 1946 she met Shelly, the second man after her father to have a pivotal role in her life. In 1950 they entered medical school together at the University of Colombo. He was her strength and support and, for the next 78 years, they formed a happy and loving relationship.

Meena began her training in pathology in 1962 at the General Hospital in Colombo, before moving to the UK. In 1965 she continued her training in pathology and microbiology at the West Middlesex, West London, and Charing Cross hospitals. Here she met Henry Winner, professor of microbiology at Charing Cross, who became her mentor. She loved, enjoyed, and embraced her career as a consultant medical microbiologist until her retirement in 1996.

My mother held many different roles in her life but the one that brought her the greatest joy was that of wife, mother, and grandmother. My sisters and I know that what is best in us we owe to her. She had a lifelong love of learning and in her retirement pursued her hobbies of reading, music, gardening, and travel.

She and my father had just under three decades of happy and contented retirement. Their greatest joy in this period was spending time with their four grandchildren and seeing them grow, develop, and pursue successful lives and careers of their own.

Meena is survived by Shelly, her husband of 66 years; three daughters; four grandchildren; and two great grandsons