19/04/2026
Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha Honours Dr. M.L.M. Shaheed for Lifetime of Community Service
POTTUVIL— The Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha held a special felicitation ceremony to honour Dr. M.L.M. Shaheed, celebrating a man whose dedication to community welfare has transcended borders and touched lives across continents.
Dr. Shaheed, who is currently based in the United Kingdom, received the recognition not simply for his medical expertise, but for a career built on an extraordinary commitment to serving those who needed help the most.
Before settling in the United Kingdom, Dr. Shaheed served at the prestigious Security Forces Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was there that a story of remarkable compassion began to unfold. As a senior member of the Sri Lankan Expats Society in Riyadh, he witnessed firsthand a painful reality that many chose to ignore. Hundreds of Sri Lankan migrant workers, toiling far from home, had no access to medical care through their employers and were left to suffer in silence with nowhere to turn.
Dr. Shaheed refused to look away. He founded a Free Medical Clinic dedicated entirely to serving these vulnerable workers, turning what could have been just another observation into a life-changing initiative for countless Sri Lankan expatriates struggling to get by in a foreign land.
The Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha's decision to formally honour him speaks volumes about the lasting impact of his work. Speakers at the ceremony paid warm tribute to his selflessness, describing his efforts in Riyadh as a shining example of compassion and civic responsibility in action.
In a world where many talk about giving back, Dr. M.L.M. Shaheed simply got to work. His story is one that deserves to be told, celebrated and remembered.
