National sports associations of Sri Lanka

Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka

Who introduced table tennis to Sri Lanka is a million dollar question.

Britain, the United States of America, as well as India and South Africa have each been named the birthplace of the game. But most students of the game claim that it began in England.

Even those who suggest that table tennis was played in India or South Africa agree that the British Army stationed there were probably responsible for its introduction into those countries. So, it may be logically correct to accept that the British were the masters of Sri Lanka Table Tennis.

On a day in July 1944 a group of table tennis enthusiasts met at the Fort YMCA hall to give more muscle to the sport and a meaningful future with the establishment of an association called Table Tennis in Ceylon though the game had been in existence since 1930.

Sri Lanka Table Tennis Federation, now known as Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka was established in 1944 with Houmi Rustomjee at the helm. Mr. Balaji was the elected Secretary. The country’s first ever Table Tennis Championship was held in 1945 at the Fort YMCA tables.James Sarangapani and Frances Siriwardene notched the coveted National Champion’s Trophy.

Sri Lanka Karate Do Federation

In July 1975, with 11 member clubs, the Sri Lanka Karate Association was formed, but was subjected to a Constitutional Amendment in 1985 to accommodate seven more provincial associations and was renamed Sri Lanka Karate Do Federation.