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SINHALA ORATORY AND DEBATING SOCIETY
Until the year 1932, Royal College followed an education and linguistics system that was greatly influenced by Victorian traditions, with great prominence being given to subjects such as English, Latin, Greek and Classics.
Sinhalese was a language that did not feature in the curriculum, resulting in a steady decline in the overall standard of the Mother Tongue amongst the students of the school.
In 1932 the then incumbent Principal Lionel Henry Sampson was instrumental in reversing this situation. He acknowledged the grave predicament that the Sinhala language was facing and was committed to the uplift its standards. He was a gentleman with great foresight, and realized the value of the Sinhalese language despite his foreign birth and education at Oxford University. Of the more famous of his actions was the creation of the Sinhalese Debating Team in 1934. Initially this unit functioned in collaboration with the Sinhala Literary Association. A senior Staff Member and Sinhala Master, Mr. C. Samarasinghe was appointed in charge of this team.
The first debate of the newly established Debating Team was against S. Thomas’ College in 1936, which set a precedent for a tradition that is still practiced today. In order to further its objective in improving the standards of Sinhala Oratory and Debating, the Sinhalese Oratory and Debating Society was inaugurated in 2002. The numerous activities carried out by this institution have gone on to receive fame and recognition at a national and international level. A proud history of 78 years lays claim to the nurturing and moulding of some of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated and respected persons such as the Hon.Lalith Athulathmudali , Nandasena Ratnapala , Nalin De Silva , Ashoka Serasinghe , Prasanna De Silva , Lalith Weerathunga , Prof. A.V. Suraweera who have proceeded to shape the course and the destiny of our nation.
The Sinhala Debating and Oratory Society remains faithful to its vision of preserving and nurturing the ‘Lingua Pura’ (Mother Tongue) of Sri Lanka, the foundation and life giving source of our culture and identity.
VISION-To develop and enhance the Sinhala debating and oratory skills of our brother Royalists and to make a huge contribution in improving the debating skills of students island wide by leading from the front.
Motto- Truth along triumph………
Former Sinhala Debating Captains
1990 Erick Rockwood
1991 Herath Wimalaratne
1992 Kamal Udawatte
1993 Janaka Bandara
1994 Dasun Amarakoon
1995 Dinuka Lankeshwara
T. Vidunage
1996 Pubudu Ilanga Perera
1997 Amila Sooriyarachchi
1998 Udara Zoysa
1999 Bushan Illeperuma
2000 Maduka Rupasinghe
2001 Hasitha Dhaale
Ishan Ratnapala
2002 Suvindha Kalhara Cooray
2003 Suvindha Kalhara Cooray
2004 Dasun Dilhan Wijayaratne
2005 Jalitha Liyanage
2006 Binodh Eranga
2007 Mahesh Nirmal
2008 Hansaka Wickaramasinghe
2009 Sajith Threemavithana
2010 Ravihara Pinnaduva
Royal College Senior Sinhala Debating Teams from 2001-2010
2001 Ishan Rathnapala (C)
Hasith Daala (C)
Bushan Illeperuma
Suvinda Kalhara Coorey
2002 Suvinda Kalhara Coorey (C)
Ishan Rathnapala
Jalitha Liyanage
Suviran Gunasekara
Kasun Wijerathne
2003 Suvinda Kalhara Coorey (C)
Jallitha Liyanage
Kasun Wijerathne
Binod Eranga
Mahesha Nirmal
2004 Kasun Wijerathne (C)
Suvinda Kalhara Coorey
Jalitha Liyange
Prageeth Madushan
Binod Eranga
Mahesha Nirmal
2005 Jalitha Liyange (C)
Suvinda Kalhara Coorey
Binod Eranga
Mahesha Nirmal
Amila Saputhanthri
Hansaka Wickramasinghe
2006 Binod Eranga (C)
Mahesha Nirmal
Amila Saputhanthri
Hansaka Wickramasinghe
Punsara Amarasinghe
2007 Mahesha Nirmal (C)
Hansaka Wickramasinghe
Binod Eranga
Sajith Threemavithana
Gihan Ranasinghe
Oshadi Premarathna
2008 Hansaka Wickramasinghe(C)
Gihan Ranasinghe
Oshadi Premarathna
Sajith Threemavithana
Threemal Madushan
Vidura Gamage
2009 Sajith Threemavithana (C)
Threemal Madushan
Rivihara Pinnaduwa
Panchal Abeysinghe
Vidura Gamage
2010 Rivihara Pinnaduwa (C)
Panchal Abeysinghe
Vidura Gamage
Wathsala Ruberu
Basura Perera
Ravindu Hasantha
Winners of the ‘D.P. Jayasekera’ SHIELD for Inter House Sinhala debating
1957 Harward
1958 Boake
1959 Boake
1960 Marsh
1961 Marsh
1962 Boake
1963 Marsh
1964 Marsh
1965 Marsh
1966 Hartley
1967 Marsh
1968 Hartley
1969 Harward
1970 Boake
1971 Hartley
1972 Boake
1973 Boake
1974 Hartley
1975 Boake
1976 Boake
1977 Marsh
1978 Marsh
2005 Harward
2006 Marsh
2007 Boake
2008 Boake
2003
Student Chairman Kasun Wijeratne
Captain Suvinda Cooray
Vice Captain Devinda Cooray
Jalitha Liyanage
2004
Chairman Jalitha Liyanage
Captain Suindra Cooray
Vice Captain Prageeth pieris
2005
Student chairman Binod Eranga
Captain Jalith Liyanage
Vice captain Binod Eranga
Secretary Mahesha Perera
2006
Student chairman Mahesha Nirmal Perera
Captain Binod Eranga
Vice captain Mahesha Nirmal perera
Secretary Hansaka Wicramasinghe
Treasure Punsara Amarasinghe
2007
Student Chairman Hansaka Wikramasinghe
Secretary Gihan Ranasingha
Treasurer Oshadhi Premaratne
Captain Mahesha Nirmal Perera
Vice Captain H.G.B. Hansaka Wikramasinghe
2008
Chairman S.D.Threemavithana
Secretary Panchal Abeysinghe
Captain H.G.B.Hansaka Wikramasinghe
Vice Captains Gihan Ranasinghe
Oshadhi Premaratne
2009
Chairman Oshan Ratnayake
Secretary Anupama Bulegoda
Captain S.D.Threemavithana
Vice Captain Thrimal Madushan
2010
Chairman Wathsala Ruberu
Secretary Ravindu Hasantha
Captain Rivihara Pinnaduwa
Vice Captain Panchal Abeysinghe |
