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| Annual
Report 2007/2008
Since the last AGM in Dec 2007, the Committee of Management of AOMUK met five times. 1.
23 February 2008 at Mr. & Mrs. Ranjith Jayasinghe’s
residence The Committee has worked hard throughout the year, continuing on the projects to the college that started in the previous years as well as organising the social events’ calendar in the UK. We received a number of letters from the Principal, Mahinda College, thanking us for the support and help that was rendered by us. In one such letter he mentioned that from the last year’s A/L results, 10 students were selected to follow Medicine at university, 12 for Engineering and many others for Commerce and Arts, including 2nd best in the island for commerce studies. AOMUK is delighted to associate with the college’s success as it appears the projects funded by us over the years are bearing fruit now. A recent achievement of a Mahinda student becoming the all island champion of the Information & Computer Technology (ICT) event is a fine example of this. At this quiz show on TV, which is similar to the University challenge here, both 1st and the 3rd places were won by Mahindians. As the first college in the Southern province to start a computer lab back in early 90s, donated and funded by AOMUK, we should be very pleased of this achievement. Using the Tsunami fund, we are sponsoring 1 tsunami affected Mahindian for his educational needs by providing Rps 2000 pm. A further scholarship programme is being set up for 20 students from grade 9 to 11 from the money available of this fund. Our Alma mater excelled not only at studies but also in the field of sports this year. They became the under 17 all island cricket champions bringing some silverware to the college after 34 years when our under 14 team won the all island championship. We are proud to record that Mahinda also won the “Big Match” defeating Richmond, our “Rival” in Galle, the first time that there was an outright winner for 30 years. To celebrate these victories both teams were felicitated and a cricket tour to Mysore and Bangalore in India was organized. AOMUK contributed Rps 200,000/ for the tour, which had a tour party of 30 and the Gold and Black flag flew high in India as they won 2 out of 3 matches. At the request of “Friends of Mahinda 85 Group”, we collected children’s books for junior section library. 3 Tea chests of books, nearly 300, were shipped and were handed over to the Principal and the Head Mistress recently. We thank Mr. Wimalakeerthi, a 85 group member in Sri Lanka who describes the books as “Very nice & attractive as well as colourful” and Mr. Sukitha Pitigala who organised it here in the UK, for their contributions for this thoughtful act. To show our solidarity with the armed forces of Sri Lanka, committee decided to fund a scholarship for a son of a fallen war hero, if possible with a connection to Mahinda. Our facilitator, the Commando regiment at Ganemulla, could not find a suitable candidate from Mahinda but requested our help for a 10 year old boy in Galle district. As a result we are now sponsoring the schooling son (at St Aloysius Galle) of late Sgt Wimalasooriya of Ratgama, who was attached to the 1 Commando regiment, with Rps 1000/ per month. The annual Founders’ Day alms giving was held on 15th June at London Buddhist Vihara in Chiswick under the auspices of Head of Vihara, Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Thero and the resident monks. A large contingent of Old Mahindians, their families and well wishers gathered on this occasion, alms were offered with Ata Pirikara and the merits were offered to the founders including Colonel Olcott and Mr. Woodward, all other tutorial and administrative staff and well wishers who have helped the development of Mahinda College. We participated in the Festival of Cricket this year and our team was led by Nalin Jayasinghe. The first match was a tie but we had the misfortune of being demoted due to a technicality. In the next round we were stopped progressing further at the penultimate ball of the match after a thrilling encounter with Ananda College. We thank the members of our cricket team for their active and competitive participation at the FOC. We would like to thank Mr. Parakrama De Silva, Mr. Chandrasiri Mendis and other members who represented us at the FoC Committee. Due to ongoing misunderstandings and disagreements with the Richmond OBU our “Big Match” was not organised this year. Hopefully these will be resolved by next summer. Our successful college projects and sponsorships have been made possible by the members' contributions and fund raising events. The annual dinner Dance, Mahinda Nite was held in October 2008 at C & L Country Club, Ruislip, Middlesex. It was a great success attended by Old Mahindians and well wishers who enjoyed and danced till well past midnight. The AOMUK thank all the well wishers who made the event successful and thus helped the AOMUK to raise a considerable amount of funds, which will be used to improve the education and the facilities of the students of Mahinda College. Our families are at the heart of our association. Talking of families, we are very happy to announce the new additions to Alwis and Gallage households this year. Well done to Mr. & Mrs. Alwis and Mr. & Mrs. Gallage !!. We also wish Mrs. Ruvini de Silva, our webmaster and wife of committee member Roy, a safe delivery of their first baby and future happiness. The
association wishes to thank all the members and well wishers who
have provided support and request similar support next year. Our
gratitude also goes to Messrs, Karunasena (Principal Mahinda College)
Paranagama (Mahinda college teacher) and Ranjith Gurugamage for
representing us in Sri Lanka. Mr.
Deepal Pitigala Joint
Secretaries |