Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 8.30 a.m Venue: Royal College, Colombo-7.
Golden rays of sunlight cascade from blue skies; fresh foliage springs from trimmed lawns dividing tarred driveways leading from silver-grilled gates into a series of doorways at the brick-studded, stucco facade of the Assembly Hall.
Sixty-six old boys, some from overseas, reaching 60-plus, mostly attired in a white shirt, striped navy blue and gold tie, dark blue and gold metal badge displaying the gold College crest and the legend, The Class of 1961, Royal College (a gift from an overseas member, Eric Manny, from Vancouver )- affixed on shirt pocket, stride sedately through the Boake Gates from Rajakeeya Mawatha. The RC-61 Group, has arrived to celebrate its golden jubilee at Royal College!
Inside the College Hall, at a special assembly, they sit in front row seats backed by 250 students from senior grades. Onstage is Principal Upali Gunasekara -flanked by Deputy Principal Lakshmi Attygalle, three teachers and Group Treasurer Rohan Abeygunawardana, also three past masters: V. Sivalingam, R.B.A. Jayasekera and W.A. Wickramasena, Group President Shanthi Pathirage, and past Secretary Firoze Sameer.
Everyone stands, for the College song. One minute’s silence is observed for the 18-departed Group members whose names are solemnly announced: Arulampalam Balakrishnan, Vigneswaran Balasingham, V.S.K. Bamunusinghe, N. Chenthil-Kumar, Amal De Mel, M.V. de Tissera, M. Noor Deen, T.G. de S Gunasekara, M.F. Jaldeen, U.K.D. Jayantha, T.R.S. Pieris, Rajeswaran, Lakshman Ranasinghe, N.A. Ranjith, H.S. Roberts, N.S. Wannaku, A.R. Moosa and Dhammika Weerasekera.
The principal introduces the Group, and Sameer delivers the opening address followed by Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, addressing the assembly; also Indrajith Coomaraswamy and Special Municipal Commissioner Omar Kamil.
Rohan presents a cheque for Rs 233,000 to the principal for a proposed project, followed by special financial tokens of appreciation to the three past masters. The vote of thanks is delivered by past Group President Kumar Fernando.
Old boys drift out chatting to each other; amble towards the tuck shop to snack and have tea. Later, familiar corridors are explored, old classrooms are visited; the splendid 5-star washrooms admired; playgrounds are trod; past glories and times are discussed under the tamarind trees; good ole days are reminisced five decades back. Towards noon, a simple lunch at the tuckshop. One o’clock chimes and the Group departs; two luxury buses move out towards a hotel down south for a get-together which extends to the weekend.
Friendships of over fifty years with former classmates, consolidated and relived , the RC-61-Group moves on.
(RC-SixtyOnews) |
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