Vidyartha College, Kandy which was founded in 1942 by the Vidyartha Society, soon became popular in the sporting field . They started their sports with Football and hockey. When the college was established, it only had a few buildings, a principal, and eight teachers. Today there are nearly 5,000 students receiving their education.
This school earned a name in the field of sports. Later in 1960’s rugby was introduced chiefly due to the initiative of Old Trinitians like S.G. Mediwake, K.A. Perera and T. Muttiah who were on the staff and the guidance and advice of Principal A. Athauda. It was Kandy Sports Club who helped them to find their feet at rugby by permitting the use of their grounds at Nittawela, and also channeling their knowledgeable players to coach Vidyartha boys.
They were coached by host of Trinitians, first was Bobby Jayaweera, then there was Nihal Halangoda,Jayantha Jayawardene, Noel Paranagama, A.R.A. Mohamed, Maj. Asean Fernando.There were also some Trinitians like Lt. Col. Bertie Dias, Lt.Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Maurice Perera,Royalist Dr. V.C. de Silva who gave a helping hand. Later the old boys of Vidyartha - George Jayasena,H.G. Ariyartatne Sunil Munasinghe, Charles Wijewardene, D.N.Kumar Meriyagolla,Anil Jayasinghe gave their best in coaching the Vidyartha team.
This school has not only produced top teams, several top-notch players and also some of the finest national players. One of the first and best products of the school in the field of rugby was Tikiri Banda Wijesinghe was the first to hit the top in rugby, who after his school career polished his rugby at Kandy Lake Club and later played for CR and FC and became the first from Vidyartha College to play for the country. He was followed by George Jayasena, who also started his club career at Kandy Lake Club, later played for Uva, Kandy SC, and toured Singapore with the Sri Lanka team in 1969 and played in the 1970 Asiad. Then Edwin Viper Gunaratne Snr, another top ruggerite played for Air Force, Defence Services, CR and FC and Sri Lanka was rated as a top class tackler. These three were ruggerites who earned a name for the school at the start.
Then the others were players like Sunil Serasinghe - a fine fullback, played for Air Force, Kandy Lake Club, Kandy Sports Club, Uva, Up-County and Sri Lanka Presidents XV. Then there was the famous full back “King Charles” Wijewardena who started his rugby with Sri Lanka Air Force and later played for Sri Lanka Police, CR and FC, Kandy SC and the country and was the best place-kicker at that time. There were whole lot of players who took to the game and went on to play for the country.
Some of the other talented ruggerites who played top club rugby were Z.M. Zarook started with Kandy Lake Club, later played for Kandy Sports Club, Up-Country and was a fine coach, Fly-half R.M.. Lafir played for Kandy Sports Club first and later for Police Sports Club and Sri Lanka, , Sunil Perera represented Police and Sri Lanka at 1972 Rugby Asiad, Sunil Munasinghe played for Kandy SC, Up-Country and Sri Lanka, H.G. Ariyaratne, Lakshman Samarawijeya, D.G. Dayaratne, G.Chandra , Nimal Malagamuwa played for Kandy SC and Sri Lanka, Athula Manchanaayke, Kandy SC and Sri Lanka, Anil Jayasinghe played for Kandy and was also a top class referee and coach and Kumar Meeriyagala,
In recent years Sumeda Malewana, Dilan Ekanayake, Danushka Pushpakumara, Saliya Kumara, Jason Dissanayake,Chanaka Chandimal, Charith Seneviratne, Kavindu Perera and Ashan Bandara donned the Sri Lanka jersey Vidyartha College, like other schools, get a lot of support from their old boys rugby wing. Today Vidyartha’s main game is rugby and their most looked forward matches are the William Gopallawa Shield game against Ananda College. The encounter consisted of two ‘legs’, one being played in Colombo and the other in Kandy. Now it is only one game, and for a few years, the game was not played.The first encounter between the two schools was started in 1962 and the Shield Game came to be played from 1968.Then the other most looked forward encounter is against their rivals St. Sylvester’s College for the PML Banda & Bertie Nillegoda trophy started in the year 2010
At Cricket despite having limited facilities, Vidyartha College has emerged as one of the leading cricket playing schools in the hill capital. They have been playing cricket since 1952, and has reached great heights without a proper playing field. They have a small ground for their practices at Nittawela where they play junior matches and also train. In the early days they suffered a lot without a proper place even for training. This school which is situated along Katugastota Road has produced several top cricketers and some of their products have done their alma mater proud by excelling in school,club and district level. Some of the top cricketers are GeorgeJayasena, T. B. Wijesinghe, T. B. Uduwerella, G. B. S. Diyawa, Sunil Searasinghe, Z. M. brothers Zubair, Anwer and Zarook, L. B. Aluwihare , G. D. Ariyaratne, R. M. Lafir, Sunil Munasinghe, H. G.Ariyaratne, C. K. Gajanayake, Nimal Malagamuwa, R. Ramanayake. Athula Manchanayake, Sanjan Boruppe, Kodikara brothers Tushara, Chaminda and Chamara to name a few.
They boast of several of their products who have represented Sri Lanka in Boxing,Football, Hockey, Chess and Table Tennis. In boxing too they have done well and produced several top boxers and champion teams, this sport remains popular,They have won the L.V. Jayaweera, T.B. Jayah, Stubbs Shield meets many times.
Some of the recent boxers who did well are Thiwanka Ranasinghe , NilanthaWalisundara, Harsha Kumara, Bandula Wickramasinghe, DamithWijeratne Samith Heelbathdeniya, Manju Wanniarachchi and Harsha Kumara who gave his best in coaching for the last two decades. They first played football in the 1950’s . Same in hockey they have produced many top class players. In Chess too they do well and have come out winning many tournaments, then in Table Tennis too they have been on top with some top players representing the country like Thilina Piyadasa and Udaya Ranasinghe, both national champions.
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