Blog Archives

PRELUDE TO THE FIRST NATIONAL HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS OF CEYLON 1956 – by DENNIS A.B. DE ROSAYRO It was the era when mighty India was ruling the world of Hockey, that with the blessings of the President of the then Ceylon Hockey Association, Sir Donatus Victoria, Mr. Walter Jayasuriya (Vice President , Ceylon Hockey Association, rightly and affectionately known to be the father of Ceylon/Sri Lanka Hockey and Mr. T.M. Naz Mahamooth (Hony. Secretary, Ceylon H.A.) a passionate lover of the game, ventured out to Madras in 1955 to witness the 19th National Hockey Championships of India, to be held in Madras.  Primarily to learn how to conduct a major tournament of this magnitude, in order to inaugurate our own Nationals.  Walter and Naz were cordially and warmly welcomed by all the high ranking officials of the Indian Hockey Federation, and even more so later by the officials of the Madras H.A. ...