Kandy's new Mayor Mahendra Ratwatte to give big hand for sports
By Hafiz MARIKAR
Kandy Municipal Council: In the past the Kandy Municipal Council has
played a leading role in the promotion of sports, providing men and
women irrespective of race or religion an opportunity to develop one's
body, mind, the spirit as well as training in leadership. These
objectives are symbolised in the emblem of the Council.
Men of great distinction have served the Council as members and young
men and women are afforded opportunities for healthy sportsmanship,
recreation facilities and fun.
In the sphere of sports, the Kandy Municipal Council has been in the
forefront. The newly elected Mayor of Kandy Municipal Council - Mahendra
Ratwatte who started schooling at S. Thomas' Prep, later joined his home
town school - Trinity College, where he played junior rugger and also
played hockey and was also a boxer.
Having learnt the rudiments of sports in his very young dates, he is
now determined to spread the word of sports through the Council for the
benefit of all sports loving personnel in Kandy.
Kandy Municipal Council has some top sportsmen in their ranks, to
name a few: Kelum Shanthasiri, the head of the department, a fine hockey
coach; G.G. Darmarathne - another hockey coach, Nihal Ananda - a
ruggerite and coach from Sri Rahula to play for Kandy SC and Sri Lanka,
S.A. Weerasinghe - one-time Sri Lanka Footballer and Junior National
Coach, M. Jamaldeen - a top class football referee who also played for
the country, G. Wijawardene - football coach, A. Sunil - table tennis
coach, Amitha Wijeratne - netball coach, Gamini Silva-table tennis and
football coach, A.B. Ranasinghe - a cricket coach.
The Mayor, a keen follower of sports, is in a position to give a big
hand to develop all sports. His brother Lohan Ratwatte MP - a top notch
ruggerite, played for Trinity, Combined Schools, Kandy SC and also
coached Trinity and present Kandy District Boxing Association President,
says that he's proud of his brother.
There is wide interest for sports in the historic city of Kandy, with
more youngsters taking active participation. The Kandy Municipal Council
pays special attention to promotion of sports through play grounds and
sports like football, hockey, rugby, table tennis, iron sports
(weightlifting and body-building) then cricket, netball, indoor sports
have a big following.
In the early days, sports was promoted through the Playgrounds
Department. It was during the Mayoralship of Harindra Dunuwille, one of
the finest cricketers to come from Trinity College, under his
initiatives as Mayor, the first ever Sports and Youth Affairs committee
was formed in the Council and sports began to flourish.
The Municipal Council provides all the necessary backing and
encouragement for sports, which brings unity amongst everyone and
emphasizing that victory is secondary to participation. The Council
pays, special attention to the promotion of sports, with limited
facilities.
Today there is a crying need for more and more grounds, with more
youngsters taking to sports. It is the responsibility of the Council
with the help of the Provincial Council and the Government to cater to
the needs of the youth of the city.
Mayor Mahendra Ratwatte is a determined man who is dedicated to his
job and trying to make the youngsters feel at home.
Now that he holds the top job in the city of Kandy, it is upto the
young sportsmen and sportswomen to gather round him and take Kandy's
sports to the top.
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