Our Table tennis Star Sukitha Wickramanayake last week participate to the South Asian Junior Table Tennis Championship - 2008 held in Karachchi, Pakisthan.Sukhitha has been selected for the Asian Games to represent Sri Lanka   for the 3 rd time.

Dharmaraja College Under 15 Hockey side emrged 2nd Runners Up, in the All Island U 15 Hocky Tounment conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools' Hockey Federation held at the Astro Turf, Colombo on 10th to 15th July.

The 'A' & 'B' Teams fielded by Darmaraja College at the Central Province Open Badminton Championships held at Nuwara Eliya on the 12th & 13th July, won the Championship in both 'A' & 'B' Divisions.

TABLE TENNIS: In Sri Lanka it is a rare thing for a person to do sports at an international level as well as studies at a top level. Here is Gihan Madhusika Liyanage - an international table tennis player who has got a 'break' to do higher studies in Business Management at the University of Holmes in Melbourne, Australia.An old boy of Dharmaraja College, Kandy, Gihan had his primary education at Vidyartha College. He started table tennis, at the age of six years under the watchful eyes of talented coach Buddhika Dikkumbura. He was also coached by Chaminda Rodrigo.Gihan Liyanage's fancied sport was table tennis. In his young days he won the under 11 Junior National Title in 1999, the under 13 title in 2000 and under 15 title in 2001.

The other day, Arjuna Ranatunga, Chairman Interim Committee, SLC visited Lakeview to take a look at the newly done cricket grounds, at the invitation of Thilina Tennekoon, Chairman, CPCA. He was received by the Principal, Jagath Samarasinghe, Project Chairman and and Ajith Narampanawa, Ranjith Herath and other members of the college Cricket Foundation.The turf wicket is being laid now. A pavilion building is needed. Ground maintenance equipment is needed. All assistance and donations are very welcome

Neil Priyantha Karunaratne, editor of ‘Hasuna’, ceremonially launched his first book ‘Path of the Sri Lankan Tele Drama’, today (18th Jan.) at the National Library & Documentation Centre Auditorium. The occasion was sponsored by the Madhya Sansadaya of the Old Rajans. Dr. D.B. Nihalsinghe, the Sinhala tele-film maker was the Chief Guest. Amarasiri Kalansuriya, Old Rajan and Devika Mihirani, the two first ever tele-film stars of Sri Lanka who starred in Nihalsinghe’s Dimuthu Muthu in 1985, were in attendance. In fact Dr. Nihalsinghe mentioned in his speech that they were the first ever tele-film actors in the entire South Asia, as his film was the first tele-film in this region. So, here is another first by a Rajan! That is not all. The story of the film too was written by an Old Rajan - the late Dharmasri Munasinghe. He was awarded a ‘Dharmaraja Pranama Prasadini’ at an annual Dharmaraja Kala Ullela, before his death.

The Annual General Meeting of the Colombo Branch of Dharamaraja College OBU will be held on Sunday 27th at the 80 Club, Colombo 7, commencing 10 a.m. The new office bearers for 2008 will be elected to office at this meeting. There will be the usual fellowship lunch after the meeting. ->

A mausoleum is erected by the Dharmaraja College Past Cadets Union to commemorate their heroes of war who have paid the supreme sacrifice in the service of the country during the last 120 years’ history of the school. It will be ceremonially declared open on the 11th morning this month at 10 a.m, on the mist covered hill of Lake View.The earliest Rajan to give his life, bringing honour to his country was Flt. Lt. A.F. Kularatne, the son of Mr. P. de S Kularatne their former Principal, who in 1942 in World War II went Missing in Action after a running a series of daring successive bombing raids into Germany, flying for the British Royal Air Force. His exploits in the European Theatre were legendary. Flt. Lt. Kularatne was the sergeant of the Dharmaraja cadet platoon that won the coveted De Soyza Cup the first time they attended a Cadet Camp in 1934. His feats on the cricket field were equally legendary, still being spoken of by some of the surviving elder Old Rajans.

Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala hailing from Bogoda, a remote village in the Kurunegala District, is appointed Head Monk of the London Buddhist Vihare. Prior to this, he was a resident monk at the same temple.This appointment is made by the Anagarika Dharmapala Trust which is responsible for the management of this Vihare. The position fell vacant on the demise of the most Ven. Dr. Medagama Vajiragnana Thera.Before proceeding to London, Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala Thera has been a teacher at Dharmaraja College.Graduating from the University of Peradeniya in 1971, he had obtained an M.A. degree, studying under Professor Leslie Gunawardhana, on the subject: influence of Hinduism on Buddhism.Having learnt meditation under the well known meditation master, the late Godwin Samararatne of Nillambe, who was himself an Old Rajan, Ven, Seelawimala began teaching meditation to Britishers.Later he trained under most Ven. Dr. Henepola Gunarathana Nayaka Thera at his Meditation Center in West Virginia, He serves as the Buddhist Chaplain of the West Middlesex University Hospital and at the Eieling Hospital, as well as the secretary of the Sri Lankan Sangha Council in Britain.We wish him success in this important position. We hope that his stint with us at Dharmaraja, as a teacher, would stand him in good stead.

A mausoleum is erected by the Dharmaraja College Past Cadets Union, to commemorate their heroes of war who have paid the supreme sacrifice in the service of the country, during the last 120 years’ history of the school. It will be ceremonially declared open on the 11th morning this month at 10 a.m, on the mist covered hill of Lake View.The earliest Rajan to give his life, bringing honour to his country was Flt. Lt. A.F. Kularatne, the son of Mr. P. de S Kularatne their former Principal, who in 1942 in World War II went Missing in Action after a running a series of daring successive bombing raids into Germany, flying for the British Royal Air Force. His exploits in the European Theatre were legendary. Flt. Lt. Kularatne was the sergeant of the Dharmaraja cadet platoon that won the coveted De Soyza Cup the first time they attended a Cadet Camp in 1934. His feats on the cricket field were equally legendary, still being talked of by some of the surviving elder Old Rajans.He was followed by Douggie Fernando, cricketer, who gave his life for the RCy. Force in the 1971 Insurgency. Douggie opened batting for Dharmaraja in 1957,’58 and had a couple of centuries to his credit.

Prof. H.P.M. Gunasena, Former Professor of Agriculture & Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, was honoured with an Honorary degree of Dr. of Science by the Sabaragamuwa University, Belihul Oya on 17th December. This was really the third time he was conferred this Honorary degree. It was done previously by Rajarata and Wayamba Universities.It is not known who the first Rajan to be honoured with a Dr. Litt. Degree. It is doubtless Dr. Ananda Guruge, one time head of the UNESCO in Paris, who still holds the record to have scored the highest aggregate marks at the Final Examination at the Peradeniya University, way down in the late ‘Forties/early ‘Fifties. Perhaps, a reader more knowledgeable may correct us. Prof. Gunasena is a world authority on rice and is consulted regularly by the governments of Philippines and several other countries. He is presently the Advisor to the Agro Forestry Development International Research Centre and travels often to Nairobi for his work there. He has innumerable publication to his credit, both in Sinhala & English on Agriculture and Forestry and allied subjects.Not to be out done, the Colombo Branch of OBU honoured him at their Annual Dinner in 2004, ahead of all these universities....->

Following are the new Office Bearers of the Rajans’ Australia Branch, Melbourne. President: Chandana Ekanayake,Jt. Secretaries: Upendra Navaratne,Tilak Wijewardane, Jt. Treasurers: Rohitha Dissanayake,Gemunu Senaratne. Their activities this year included the following: 1/ Held a BBQ Get-together at the Churchill Park. 2/Had a limited overs cricket match with Kingswood Old Boys, for a second year. Rajans won. 3 / Organized an Alms giving at the Keysborough Buddhist temple, to mark the Founders’ Day on 30th June. 4 /Held a Joint Dinner with Old Kingswoodians. Rajans have also set up a joint beat group, with Kingswoodians called “ The Marroons”

On19th October, after the College Prize Giving, Principal summoned a meeting of the Old Boys comprising Jagath Samarasinghe, President OBU, S.B. Herath,President CBO Brch. MR. A.P. Gunaratne, Former Principal, Mr. D.M. Dharmatillake Treasurer CBO Brch.and Mr. Gamini Gunawardane Vice President CBO Brch. Mr. Sarath Matharaarchchi, POG and several other distinguished Old Boys and Masters In Charge of Rugby,Soccer, Hockey and Athletics and Athletics, to discuss the need to build a an alternative grounds for Rugby, Soccer, Hockey and Athletics for the students of Dharmaraja.

Work as started and concreting the pool floor is in progress, under the suppervision of a commettee headed by Old Boy Dr. Udaya Dissanayake of Engineering Faculty,Peradeniya University.

There are so many old Rajans living and working in MILANO. They have formed into a Old Rajans group under the leadership of Mahinda Godathale, to help thier alma mater. Their address is as follows. 36, Via felice Casati, 20124, Milano, Italy. They can be contacted at Tel. 00 3902-6690227, 335-1640181. Fax. 003902483766638. Email. oldrajansmilano@tiscali.it.