Kandy Sports Foundation goes flat

by Upananda Jayasundera

The Kandy District Sports Development Foundation inaugurated in the late 1990s is now defunct and disbanded. It was once headed by the late General Anuruddha Ratwatte, a former Cabinet minister, who was instrumental in renovating the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy to the present standard.

Under his tenure of office, the Foundation selected organisers for cricket, rugby, boxing, athletics, football, hockey, netball and volleball. Tournaments were held annually. These officials were selected from outstanding sportsmen of the Kandy district who were presented with Blazers to recognise them.

Under the late General's direction 13 playgrounds of the Kandy district were renovated at a cost of over Rs.3 million at the time.

The necessary funds were collected by way of friends and wel-wishers and an account was maintained at the bank under the custody of the Kandy Government Agent.

The most outstanding of sportsmen were felicitated and awarded mementos for their services to sports by the Foundation.

All that is now mere history.

The rest of the first set of office bearers of the Kandy Sports Development Foundation were J.Hettiarachchi, S.Ekanayake, J.Bulumulle, Gamini Navaratne now Senior DIG, H.M.S.Herath (DIG-Central Range) Sunil Munasinghe, C.Hemmathagama, A.M. Punchikumarihamy, J. Ekanayake, Lesley de Soysa, R.M.Kularatne, Sarath Wijesinghe, U.Jayasundera, Sanjeewa Hulangamuwa, G.W.A. Galgamuwa, D.M.U. Jayatilleke, H.M.B.Mahagedara (IP) A.H.M. Nazeem (IP) R.Maheshwaran, Deva Amunugama, M.Nadaraja and H.G.Ariyaratne.