Impressed with his yorker, MS Dhoni invites Sri Lankan teenage pacer to CSK nets Source : timesofindia The 17-year-old right-arm Sri Lankan pacer’s dream delivery has not only caught the attention of CSK skipper MS Dhoni but also reportedly earned him an invitation to bowl in the CSK nets in IPL 2024, which is allowing Dhoni to have a closer look at the young bowler from Jaffna. When Kugadas Mathulan bowled a lethal in-swinging yorker that swept the batsman off his feet, he wouldn’t have thought that the viral clip from the match between St. John’s College and Jaffna Central College will catch the attention of Chennai Super Kings’ iconic skipper MS Dhoni. Interestingly, Muthulan’s bowling action bears close resemblance to current Mumbai Indians’ bowling coach Lasith Malinga. Like the Sri Lankan great, Muthulan too delivers with an unusual round-arm action that can put the batsmen off. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is ...

Read More →

Meet the pioneers of Sri Lanka women’s cricket in Centenary year-BY KKS PERERA Leila Abeykoon-Beverley Roberts Source:Sundayobserver Long before the island enlisted foreign coaches, a woman from the West Indies, CG Roberts, settled in Panadura to teach English literature and coach: Pioneered by St. John’s College Panadura in 1923, women’s cricket in Sri Lanka has a rich history. They were coached by GC Roberts, a skilled cricketer who had previously been a member of the West Indies (Barbados) cricket squad in the late 1910s. Roberts moved to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the early 1920s and settled in Panadura, where he joined St. John’s schools as an English literature teacher and cricket coach. During this time, there were no girls’ schools in Sri Lanka that had ever considered playing cricket, making it difficult to form a team for friendly matches. However, in 1933, a significant milestone was achieved when a ...

Read More →

Thank You for Being “A FATHER AND A FRIEND” Appreciation-E.P. DE SILVA Source:Dailymirror I write this reflection for what would have been my father’s 100th birthday on November 16. My father was the nicest person that anyone could wish for. He passed away 41 years ago and I am still struggling to come to terms with it.   A product of St. John’s College, Panadura, he was a keen sportsman during his school days. His flair for journalism was evident even as a student as he showed a keen interest in writing articles to newspapers on a regular basis.   After completing his studies, he started his career as a clerk attached to the Department of Prisons and rose to be the Chief Clerk there. He soon bade good bye to the clerical service and joined the teaching profession.   ...

Read More →

Director of Music at St John’s appointed as Organist and Master of Choristers at – Westminster Abbey Source : joh.cam. Andrew Nethsingha will lead the musical life of Westminster Abbey after he was named as the next Organist and Master of Choristers at one of the United Kingdom’s most notable religious buildings. Andrew, who has been Director of Music at St John’s College since 2007, will succeed James O’Donnell, who has been appointed as Professor in the Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music. James will leave the Abbey this Christmas, and Andrew will replace him in the New Year. As the Abbey’s Director of Music, the Organist and Master of the Choristers is the head of the Abbey music department and oversees all musical aspects of the Abbey’s work, including directing the celebrated Choir of Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey is one of the United Kingdom’s most famous religious ...

Read More →

Peshala a maestro a brand doyen in Tabla at the pinnacle of celebrity – by Sunil Thenabadu Source:songhub.lk   Peshala Peshkaaran Manoj popularly known as Peshala is a ‘brand’ name in Sri Lanka synonymous with Tabla. Peshala perhaps the most qualified Tabla exponent having Nipun.Masters and a Degree from the Bahathkande University in Lucknow India where he had a prolonged career for nearly eight years from year 2000 when he began his university career even before his Advanced level results were released.In fact it is on record that Peshala’s Advanced Level results were dispatched to him while in Lucknow.  Peshala hails from Dematagoda has humbly affirmed that his parents were not that affluent not artistes either , not had any hereditary affiliations to his music ability.Father and Mother had been adherents to normal music which Peshala and his younger brother had followed suite. Pehala’s father had played the Dole with ...

Read More →

175 Year old Church in Kandy-by L.B Senarathne The Church of St John at Getambe Source:Dailymirror St. John’s Church at Getambe celebrated its 175th Year in October. Proceedings were conducted on ‘Zoom’ keeping to the country’s health requirements. It has a history unparalleled in the history of churches in the country. Incidentally, the first Church of England was to be built on Kandyan soil.   This Church could boast of being the first Church to organize a school for children first as a Vernacular school in Kandy and then a school for English education. The school was on Church grounds and the prime mover was an English Church of England.  Presently the school so founded is Madima Maha Vidyalaya, which was St. John’s College, Getambe and now Mahanama Madiyama Maha Vidyalaya. ...

Read More →

Rev. Dushantha Rodrigo new Bishop for the Diocese of Colombo – A mission to serve humanity – by Dishan Joseph Source:Dailynews The Anglican Church of Sri Lanka was bestowed with a new Bishop for the Diocese of Colombo. Reverend Dushantha Lakshman Rodrigo, affectionately known to thousands as Fr. Dushy was recently appointed as the 16th Bishop of Colombo.    The decision to appoint him to this high office in the episcopate was made by His Grace Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in his capacity as the Metropolitan of the Church of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The Episcopal ordination and Installation into this high office is set to take place in November at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour Colombo. The installation of an Anglican Bishop is a key ceremony in the church, laden with decorum.     ...

Read More →

A Biographical Anecdote: Being a Perera: “What’s in a Name…?” by KKS PERERA   A reader and a well-known Buddhist scholar mailed a comment in response to my article on a  full moon day entitled, ‘Futility of Abhi-dhamma in the Path of Emancipation’ with a harsh personal attack saying , ‘You are a skeptic heathenist with a Portuguese name who is trying to …’  [sorry, the rest is unprintable, but I referred the dictionary and made a short reply thanking him for upgrading my poor vocabulary];  he, however, coaxed me to reminisce down memory lane to mid 1950s, when our teacher, Mrs … Perera was taking a class on Ceylon history at lower school, St John’s College, Panadura.                                                           “All Pereras, please raise your hands.” A rather friendly appeal than a command made to the seventh standard in the mixed school.   Five of us responded to her request and among them ...

Read More →

  75th Death Anniversary of Very Rev. Fr. M.J. Le Goc, OMI The Man who saved Sri maha Bodhi-By D.C Jayasinghe Source:-Daily mirror St Joseph’s College   Certainly, 75 years is a long period. It is a triple quarter centenary; more than a Diamond memory; Just a quarter less than a century. It is a well-fit occasion to be commemorated. Etymologically “Le Goc” means “The Cheerful Man”. True to the word, great in all respects, Fr. Le Goc was a cheerful person. His childlike simplicity, his charming and generous manner won the hearts of all. Today, as a teacher of St Joseph’s College, Colombo for almost 40 years (Of which I was the Principal of the Middle School for 10 years and another 10 years Principal of the Upper School) I am fortunate to have got an opportunity of writing on that great Rector, the unique Frenchman Very Rev. Fr. ...

Read More →

  ERROL GRAHAM DIAZ (Guitarist and Vocalist) Errol Graham Diaz was born in 1956 in Kollannawa, Sri Lanka.  He was the second of four children.  Errol started his education at St. John’s College, Dematagoda and at the early age of seven, he started playing music by teaching himself to play the guitar.  As a youngster, Errol started entertaining his neighbour’s nextdoor at Pagoda, whilst the adults were playing card games.  He was encouraged by everyone and received payment of Rs 5.00 for his efforts.  He would collect the monies and purchase music books to enhance his knowledge. In 1969, Errol migrated to Australia with his grand-mother and siblings.  In Sydney, he attended Birrong Boys High School and was a member of the school band.  Once he completed his schooling years, he joined a Dutch band called “Orbit Shuffle” and played for a few years earning very little. After a number ...

Read More →