Rohan Somawansa Elected to Head the Olcott Sports Foundation
Veteran Marketeer in the local mercantile sector, Rohan Somawansa was elected as the 07th President of the Colonel Henry Steel Olcott Memorial Sports Foundation. The Annual General Meeting was held at the Mercantile Cricket Association, recently. An alumni of the Wrexham Glyndwr University, United Kingdom – he was a former Hony. Treasurer & Vice President of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation & represented the country at World Volleyball Federation events & also acted as Head of Mission to the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in 2006. He has also represented the National Olympic Committee & the Volleyball Federation in Beach Sports. The Founder President was the late Bandula Warnapura – Sri Lanka’s first test cricket captain.
Office Bearers for the ensuing period ;
Patrons / Advisors :
Dissanayake Mudiyansalage Dharmathilaka ( Dharmaraja ), Jayantha Seneviratne ( Nalanda ), Kumar Weerasuriya ( Ananda ), Dhammika Kalapuge ( Nalanda )
President : Rohan Somawansa ( Rahula )
General Secretary : Upali Jayasekera ( Mahinda )
Treasurer : Nihal Pathirage ( Nalanda )
Senior Vice President : Bimal Wijesinghe ( Ananda )
Vice President : Salinda Rodrigo ( Nalanda )
Assistant Secretary : Anura Perera ( Ananda )
Assistant Treasurer : Tikiri Wanninayake ( Maliyadeva )
Executive Committee :
Ashoka Karunaratne / Amitha Munasinghe ( Ananda ), Charith De Alwis / Ananda Chandrasiri ( Nalanda ), Asela Patabendi / Anuradha Jayathilaka ( Maliyadeva ), Udaya Yatawara / Senarath Alwis ( Dharmaraja ), Nissanka Dissanayake / Wijitha Lankathilake Withanage ( Dharmapala ), Janaka Kumudu / Channa De Silva ( Dharmasoka ), Sujith Sirimanna, Brigadier Rahula Weerawardena ( Mahinda ), Sujeewa Lokuhewa / Nalin Dissanayake ( Rahula )
Media Secretary : Thilan Rangana
Auditors : Hemasiri & Co.
Among some of the main projects to be undertaken & implemented urgently are developing of soft skills & leadership skills of school cricketers, inaugurate & maintain a scholarship fund for the needy students of the Olcott Schools & conducting an All Island Girl’s Cricket Tournament as part of a broader programme to raise the level of Women’s Cricket in the island.
Colonel Henry Steel Olcott was born in the United States of America on 02nd Aug. 1832. He was involved in various administrative jobs during the American Civil War. His services were recognised by the US Army & US Navy & later became a popular & capable lawyer. He converted to Buddhism & having arrived in Ceylon was able to be the co – founder of the Buddhist Theosophical Society. This was the organisation that promoted the formation of schools to popularise Buddhist Education in the island nation. 08 Leading Buddhist Schools were established : Ananda, Colombo ( 1886 ), Dharmaraja Kandy ( 1887 ), Maliyadeva, Kurunegala ( 1888 ), Mahinda, Galle ( 1892 ), Dharmasoka, Ambalangoda ( 1913 ), Rahula, Matara ( 1923 ), Nalanda, Colombo ( 1924 ) & Dharmapala, Pannipitiya ( 1940 ). The Colonel Henry Steel Olcott Sports Foundation is an organisation of the Old Boys Associations of these leading Buddhist Schools in the country. It was established in 1996 with the Founder President being the late Bandula Warnapura – the first test cricket captain of Sri Lanka. 17th February is celebrated as the Colonel Henry Steel Olcott Day in Sri Lanka.
Report / Photos courtesy CHSOMSF Media
