Former Champion Athlete of Royal R. K. Thas dies-by D.L.Seneviratne

Dr. R. Kethar -Thas who hailed from Batticaloa was born on 5th February 1936 and passed away on 21st March 2023. He entered the first Form of Royal College in 1948, and to us his colleagues of this ‘48 Group he was known as R K Thas.

He was tall, strongly built and was an outstanding sportsman. Athletics was his forte and he excelled in the 120 yards hurdles and hop step and jump events. At the annual Royal College Inter- House athletic meet, he holds a unique record where he won the coveted Marlowe-Reed challenge cup for the champion athlete during the possible three years he competed as a senior athlete in 1952, ‘53 and ‘54 i.e the years he was over 16 years till he was under 19 years.

This Challenge Cup was presented by G Marlowe-Reed the father of a former Principal Major H.L.Reed. R.K.Thas was the Athletics captain of the College and also won his colours for Rugby and was a college Prefect. He was a General Practitioner and along with his wife Dr.Sivananthavalli an Anaesthetist, spent his working life in the United Kingdom. He and his wife joined us on many occasions when the ‘48 Group had its annual re union.