News ‘73 News Bulletin of, Royal College Group ’73

1. March 2004 Compiled and Edited by, Jamshid Sourjah & Priyantha Subasinghe News ‘73 News Bulletin of, Royal College Group ’73 Office Bearers for the Year 2004 …. President - Ravi Algama Past President - Rajiva Wijetunga V.Presidents - Sarath Ratwatte & Nissanka Weerasekera Secretary - Nazdi Mohamed Treasurer - Keerthi Jayasundera Asst.Treasurer - Piyal Hennayake Social Secretary - Ravi Widyalankara Bulletin Editor - Jamshid Sourjah Executive Committee : Kosala Senanayake, Prasanjith Perera, Arjun Ferenando, Pramith Pasqual, Piyal Gunatilleka, Thavindra Jinadasa, Romesh Wijenayake, Nalindra Jayatilleke, Rukmal Nanayakkara, Priyantha Fernando, Ravi Mendis THE ANNUAL GENERAL HEATING …. The AGM of the Group was held at the BRC Club Pavilion on Saturday, 13th December 2003. Although attendance at the meeting was much to be desired, those who attended the meeting were able to witness the installation of the new president, Ravi Algama who took over from Rajiva who served as the President for 2 terms. What was most remarkable was that the pro-tem Chairman just swept the floor making all the appointments, in contrast to the rituals. The outgoing President himself set a new mark by referring to the Group of ’73 as the “Club” throughout his proceedings. Later a member of the Bar was installed as the president. Yes by the consumption of methyl alcohol by some like the Captain from Galle, one might wonder if we could also call ourselves as “The Merry Men of 73”. As mentioned by Rajiva the next year was going to be the 125th Royal Thomian and it is in the interest of the Group that the new office bearers (know them from the minutes circulated) would start off immediately and ensure the group is well represented at the 125th Celebrations. Mr.Social Secretary will have a very busy year. With a very eventful year ahead, News ’73 hopes to become very informative and will look forward to your reports and updates from members of the group. Please keep News ’73 posted with your achievements in life, professionally and academically. Good Luck! If any member of the group wishes to make special business offerings through this newsletter, he may send the details along with the membership ref. No to the editor. All offers will have to be open and valid until the respective bulletin is published. Every issue of the bulletin will also feature a member of our Group. Therefore, it will be appreciated if members could send in their fact files early. In this issue we feature Rajiva Wijetunge. Please contact Jamshid Sourjah on 4-200252 (Off) or Priyantha Subasinghe on 2722991 (Off).

2. News ’73 Vol; Jan/2004 – Page 2 Simplified but Classified Royal updates,

3. Did you know “Della”?? – Rajiva Wijetunge Our immediate past President, Rajiva Wijetunge is very much a true Royalist at heart and have had a very colorful career at College. In his profession - he has been in the marketing field for well over 25 years covering stints in companies like Ceylon Tobacco, he is presently the General Manager Marketing at Ceylinco Shriram Capital Management Services Co. (Pvt) Ltd. He is married to Deepa and has a daughter, Janani (16) and son Rajiva (14). Rajiva represented College in Cricket, Athletics and also Captained the Table Tennis Team in 1976. The height of his Cricketing career was playing in the 100th Royal – Thomian, with other Cricket greats of our group like Ranjan Madugalle, Ramesh de Silva, Pradeep Kariyawasam and M.N.Perera to name a few. He also led the bowling attack for Royal College at the Centenary match. Some will know him better as “Della”. Why he was called this is another issue. In Athletics he was a member of the team that won the John Tarbat Cup from 1973 – 1978. He was also the U-17 Putt-Shot record holder for Royal College. Rajiva was also a member of the Cricket Team that was judged Best Team at the Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer Awards of 1977 – 79. Rajiva has continued to prove his excellence in sports even after leaving College by being a member of the CCC which won the P.Sara Trophy in 1979 and 1980. In TT he achieved the status of Novices Singles Champion in 1980 and also represented Ceylon Tobacco which won the “A” division mercantile TT tournament in 1978. In the year 2002, he also Captained the Sri Lanka Veterans TT team to Germany. In the Mercantile tournaments he has won top places in Athletics, Putt-shot and Discus throw. His achievements have now earned him the position of National Selector for the Sri Lanka Table Tennis side. During Rajivas tenure as the President of the G’73, many projects were successfully carried out to completion including a stage show “Charitha Hathak” to raise funds for the College Development Fund towards restoration work to the Navarangahala hall. Whoever needs to catch up with Rajiva, can contact him on, Home: 161/4 Jason Court, Dehiwela Res.Tel: 2 727744 News ’73 Vol; Jan/2004 – Page 3 Shhh!!!! - AGM Gossip A not so new bridegroom had come in time to compare a few v.statistics – what a shame, he was forced to be satisfied with what he got this time. A bit of confusion if Treasury became a mystery, while a part of the agenda had also become history. It seems that losses accruing from poor attendance was painfully curtailed by those who attended in sacrificing their own pleasures. Some little boys had left early because Santa was delaying and decided to unwrap the gifts they already had at home – Smart Guys!

4. News ’73 Vol; Jan/2004 – Page 4 G’73 - over 40s Six-a-Side Cricket Champions 2003 – LDH Peiris Trophy Piyal Hennayake Priyantha Fernando Ajith Dandeniya M M Perera Arjun Fernando Rajiva Wejethunga Pramith Pasqual Ravi Mendis Absent – Nalin Dayasagara Caught in lens….. • Ponder or Cough it out….. • The daughter of a old Thomian was going for the Roy-Tho and the mother advises her. Duwa, those Royalists are different from your father. If any fellow tries to touch your breast say “DON’T”, and if he tries to touch your buttocks say “STOP IT”. • When she came home after the match all excited. The mother was curious and she said, “Ma, you were right, they tried the very things you spoke of and it was great as I kept saying “DON’T STOP IT”. • Managing a Country is like managing a huge company. So why don’t we change the constitution to elect Ministers directly to the Ministries and leave the Pradeshiya Sabhas to represent the peoples needs? We can then have experienced professionals as Ministers. • Did you know there was Group of 73 and also Class of 73 in the RC Union? Of course our group is High Class and Classic now, although the other was only Class in 73 and hope soon they will not be history. Await the ‘73 Bash – coming soon – DONT MISS!!!!!