Late Deshabandu Dr. Fransiskuhettige Gerald Hudson Silva was born on December 18, 1929 in Moratuwa the fourth in a family of five children. He founded the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society in 1961 and popularized Eye Donation in Sri Lanka. The society select suitable volunteers to donate their eyes after dead. With eye grafting carried out utilizing corneas supplied by the society, 75000 persons in Sri Lanka have gained vision whilst 100,000 persons in 114 cities of 57 countries overseas were recipients of this service. In addition a large number of eyes were issued to Eye Surgeons and ophthalmologists for research work. Another milestone was reached on his second concept with the establishment of the Model Human Tissue Bark in 1996 operating via the apex society and prescribed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is a modal Institution in the entire Asia-Pacific Region. From Cadavers donated after death, bones and many other types of human tissues are extracted and transplanted on Orthopedic and other patients and a large number of persons have been the end beneficiaries. (8000)
In recognition of services to the country, he was conferred the title “Deshabandu” by Ranasinghe Premadasa H.E. the President of Sri Lanka. He was also awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship by Lion Clubs International (first recipient in Sri Lanka), a Fulbright Scholarship from USA, and several awards from countries such as Japan and Thailand. A Hospital named the “Hudson Silva Lions Eye Hospital” has been established in Lahore, Pakistan in his memory and Readers Digest magazine in a special publication in 1978 named him as one of the “Heroes of the World”.
He was a skilled photographer, speaker and journalist and ventured into space observation The Eye Bank and Human Tissue Bark are monuments to his achievements.