William Gopallawa: a dignified symbol of the nation-By Rear Admiral Dr. Shemal Fernando PhD In 1961, William Gopallawa as the Ambassador of Ceylon meeting President John F. Kennedy at the White House. Source:Sundayobserver William Gopallawa, MBE, LLD (Honoris Causa), LLD, D. Litt served as the Governor-General of Ceylon from 1962 to 1972 and President of Sri Lanka from 1972 to 1978 under two Prime Ministers Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Dudley Senanayake. He was highly conscious of his role as a unifier of all Sri Lankans. President Gopallawa upheld the law and the Constitution to the letter and won respect and admiration of all political parties. He represented an era where politics was conducted with a dignified aura and he had a reputation as being a man of integrity and humility. His career has very many unique features which no one else in this country ever achieved or can ever hope to ...

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Hoppers and heritage Aussie Ashton Agar relishes Sri Lankan roots-BY TB RAHAMAN Ashton Agar (left) with his father John Agar and Sri Lankan mother Sonia Hewawissa Source:Sundayobserver Ashton Agar, currently touring Sri Lanka with the Australian cricket team, visited the residence of his maternal grandfather in Kandy and recalled memories of relatives living in the island. Agar’s mother Sonia is the daughter of Nala Hewawissa who played cricket for Dharmaraja College. Sonia migrated to Australia in 1974 and later married John Agar. Ashton Agar, a left arm spin bowler played against Sri Lanka in the three-match T20 series and was injured with a side tear that has ruled him out of the current five-match match ODI series which is tied at 1-1. ...

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SUSIL PREMARATNE PRODIGIOUS ARTIST, VOCALIST,COMPOSER ,TEACHER PLAYBACK SINGER AT APEX OF GLORY – by Sunil Thenabadu   Susil Premaratne prodigious artist vocalist., composer of music,teacher ,film playback singer with variety of talents was born as Malgawage Susil Premaratne in ‘’Andagoda, Ambalangoda. Susil Premaratne was a great performer skilled with varieties of talents rarely found in the field of Arts. The vacuum left by the demise of an artiste of his caliber in 2010 February can never be replaced.    This veteran artist not only entertained the public by his deep melodious voice singing in his own unique style but also enthralled the people with his fascinating paintings of natural beauty and comic stories (Chithra Katha).”Ru rese andina lese”, “Somnasa ho santhapaya hamuwe” and many of his songs recorded in 40s, 50s, 60s & 70s are still spellbound household favorites in Sri Lanka. Susil Premaratne had acquired painting instincts through hereditary affiliations from father with ...

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Thomians grab Peninsula Trophy at Sydney touch Sevens – By Trevine Rodrigo reporting from Sydney The weather God’s and S.Thomas aligned in Sydney to provide the unexpected at the Sri Lanka Schools Sevens touch Rugby competition graced by an appreciative crowd.  Inclement weather was forecast for the day,  and a well drilled Dharmaraja College was expected to go back to back at this now emerging competition in Sydney’s Sri Lanka expatriate sporting calendar.  But the unforeseen was delivered, with sunny conditions throughout, and the Thomians provided the upset of the competition when they stunned the favourites, Dharmaraja in the final, to grab the Peninsula Motor Group Trophy.  Still in its infancy, the Sevens touch competition, drawn on the lines of Rugby League rules, found new flair and more enthusiasm among its growing number of fans through the injection of players from around Australia opposed to the initial tournament which was ...

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Aussie opener Ashton Agar is proud of his Sri Lankan origin-by Kumudu Jayawardana Source:Ceylontoday Ashton Agar, who opened batting for Australia in the third T20I in Canberra today (15), has a Sri Lankan origin. While his father is an Australian, the mother is a Sri Lankan, Sonia Hewawissa. Ashton is the grandson of Nala Hewawissa who played cricket for Dharmaraja College, Kandy. Sonia, who emigrated to Australia in 1974, says her eldest son is proud of his Sri Lankan descent. After playing for Western Australia, under-19 national team and perch Scorchers, Ashton was called up for national duties in 2013. He had his ODI debut in 2015 and played his first T20I in the following year. ...

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Ardnaree Kandy – The story of a bungalow-By Anil Ellepola Ardnaree Kandy, as it was in 1915, Source:Sundaytimes ‘Ardnaree’ the official bungalow of the Principal of Dharmaraja College Kandy has had its share of distinguished residents and visitors over the years. When George Morrison Reid Henry, the ornithologist whose magnum opus was ‘A Guide to the Birds of Ceylon’ (OUP 1955), took over the post of acting Assistant Entomologist to the Department of Agriculture and moved to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens on June 28, 1915, he took up residence at Ardnaree Bungalow. In 1916   his sons Jim and Bob had attended Trinity College while living at Ardnaree. G.M. Henry says the hill on which Ardnaree was situated was clothed with a mixture of cocoa, coconut and areca palms, jak and breadfruit trees, Dadap and others, all rather neglected and forming a rich paradise for the birds characteristic of that kind of ...

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A Golden Period-by Meghavarna Kumarasinghe A batch of Ananda Colloge Prefects Source:Dailynews In 1995, A.P. Gunaratne completed 60 years and had to retire, but on an appeal by the Ananda College Old Boys’ Association and the College Parent–Teachers’ Association, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga gave an extension of service for three years. It was the first time that a school Principal in a National School had been granted a service extension, but the official letter of extension of service was not received by him. After verifying the position from the Secretary of the Ministry of Education, he was informed that the letter had been issued, but the Minister of Education had wanted to personally grant the letter to him. Gunaratne had informed the Secretary that he was not willing to meet the Minister personally to accept the letter of service extension as the Minister was not on good terms with him ...

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Milroy Mendis passes away-by Hafiz Marikar Milroy Mendis Source:Dailynews Former St. Anthony’s College, Dharmaraja College, Outstation Schools, Kandy SC and Up-country ruggerite Milroy Mendis passed away in Kandy yesterday from COVID-19 complications. Milroy, served as coach, referee and was committee member of Kandy SC and Central Province Rugby Football Union. ...

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D. D. P. Alwis – a fine all-round sportsman and cricket coach-by Upananda Jayasundera D. D. P. Alwis Source:Dailynews D. D. P. Alwis is a fine all-round sportsman who excelled in cricket, football and hockey for Dharmaraja College and is currently a senior cricket coach at the SSC School of Cricket. He has been working at the SSC Cricket Academy under Chief Coach Carlton Bernardus as the Senior Coach. Alwis has been involved in coaching in the academy for the last 16 years. After leaving school he continued playing cricket and his cricket career spanned over 45 years and during this period he represented his alma mater, Sri Lanka Schools and Kandy Cricket Club in the Donovan Andrew Trophy Cricket Tournament. ...

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Nuwan Hettiarachchi was a superb place kicker-by Althaf Nawaz Source:Dailynews It is unique to find a family imbibed with a sportsman starting from the father. The children of the family followed in the footsteps and reached great heights in sports with some of them ending up wearing the National jersey. Akila Nuwan Hettiarachchi was one of the them whose whole family mingled in sports with the guidance of their father to become a profound sportsman. Akila Nuwan Hettiarachchi was called ‘Hetti’ in rugby circles and was born in 1988 in Kandy. His father Sunil Hettiarachchi is a businessman and was a former soccer player. Vineetha is his mother and is a house wife. He has five other siblings with Kanchana the elder sister, Sanka and Pathum elder brothers while Kusal and Deneth younger brothers. All the boys represented Dharmaraja College, Kandy and were involved in sports. His two elder brothers ...

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