About the Founder

Anton Jayasurlya was born in the city of Colombo at the De Soysa Maternity Home. He grew up on a coconut plantation Dearths Village of Nattandiya, close to the city of Chilaw In theNorth Western Province. His Initial education was at St. Sebastian's College Moratuwa about 14 kilometers south of Colombo. He excelled in studies and entered the Medical College of Colombo. He graduated In 1954 magna cum laude. His medical career started in Colombo but he also managed to practice over much of the island. including Galle, Ratnapura and Jaffna.

This experience led him to believe in the need to see the poor and to do so in the most cost effective way. He did not believe in using expensive drugs to deal with simple dysfunctions of the body. lt was during his early days as a Medical Practitioner that his Interest in Traditional and Alternative Medicines developed as a result, in 1962 he attended the W.H.O Conference in Alma Ata in Kazakastan to study the application and recognition of Traditional Medicines worldwide. As a medical doctor he was elected to look Into the aspects of research, teaching and application methodology. His good, together with Prof Dr. Jos Schade, Neurologist at the University of Utrecht helped to create a teaching center in Utrecht Holland. Later, for economic reasons and to assist students, the teaching unit was brought to Colombo, Sri Lanka and placed In the Colombo South General Hospital in Kalubowila.