Rotarians, Rotoract cricket Sixes on October 3

by Hafiz Marikar

A much looked-forward to annual sporting event in the hill capital, the six-a-side cricket tournament organized by the Kandy Rotary Club and sponsored by the Sun and Asoka Group of Companies for the Rotarians and Rotaract members of the country will take place on October 3 at the Trinity College stadium.

This will be the 13th in the series organized in memory of a well loved Rotarian the late T.R.R. Rajan. He was the 51st President of the Rotary Club of Kandy and the man who did yeoman service to this club and Rotary family.

TRR as he was known, was a versatile sportsman, sports benefactor, philanthropist and above all a gentleman. He was the first to offer sponsorship to the Kandy Sports Club rugby team in 1992, the year they won the first trophy, the Clifford Cup. Later he sponsored Old Trinitians Sports Club rugby team. TRR also gave a big hand for hockey, the sport his father P.T.Rajan introduced to Kandy. At present all his good work is being continued by his brother ‘BDR’, Suri Rajan and daughter Gowri Rajan, who became the first Lady Rotary Governor of District 320 in 2014/15, a position Suri held in 2009/10.The event will be graced by District Governor, the wife of the late ‘TRR’ Jeeva.

The winners will be presented with the T.R.R. Rajan Memorial Trophy and there will be awards for Best Batsman, Bowler, Fielder and the Best Dressed Team. At last year’s event, the Rotary Club of Anuradhapura won the championship with Rotary club of Panduwasnuwara taking the second place. The Rotaract championship went to Rotaract Club of Nallur while the Rotaract Club of SLIIT took second place.

This year’s organising committee comprises BDR Suri Rajan –Advisor, Ajith Jayasinghe – Chairman Gowri Rajan (District Governor), present president Vinoth Kumar, Girish Atmaram, John Baskaran, K. Wigneswaran, Sabry Abuthahir, Vaithies Balasubramaniam, Parakrama Tennakoon, Prasad Rajan, Geshanie Diasdesinghe, Yalini Jayaseelan, Dr. Ajay Jayaseelan, Rosemarie Greve, Ahalya Rajan all from the Kandy Rotary Club.

Past winners Rotary - 2003/4 Combined Teams from Rangiri Dambulla Mt..Lavinia and Kandy Metro, 2004/5 Badulla, 2005/6 Anuradapura, 2006/7 Panduwasnuwara, 2007/8 Wariyapola, 2008/9 Dickoya, 2009/10 Panduwasnuwara, 2010/11 Wariyapola, 2011/12 Badulla, 2012/13 Panduwasnuwara, 2013/14 Badulla, 2014/15 Anuradhapura

Rotaract Winners - 2003/4 Gampola, 2004/5 Gampola. 2005/6 Katugastotoa, 2006/7 Katugastota and Pamunugama joint champions, 2007/8 Colombo mid town and Batticaloa joint champions, 2008/9 Colombo mid town, 2009/10 Combined Colombo Millenium City and Mid City, 2010/11 Jaffna, 2011/12 Jaffna mid town, 2012/13 Nikaweratiya,2013/14 Kuliyapitiya, 2014/15 Nallur.