Sunday Times 2
Fights of his life: Notes from a champion boxer’s diary
It is rarely that sports personalities choose to express themselves in prose or poetry. A rarity locally could be found in an autobiography ‘A Moment in Reckoning’ authored by a former champion amateur southpaw boxer Wazir Sourjah.
Sourjah expresses himself by sourcing facts and information from his personal diaries! He claims to have diarised life events from his early teens as a student heeding the advice of his father Tony Sourjah. Wazir began his boxing career at St. Michael’s College, Kollupitiya in 1970 and the same year went on to represent Royal College, Colombo, where he subsequently won his boxing colours and also captained the college team in 1973.
He won his weight in the Stubbs Shield championships on a few occasions. He continued his boxing, representing the Police Sports Club. Participating in all the major domestic boxing tournaments, he won Police boxing colours and captained the Police team in 1981. Later in life, he was involved in the administration of the sport by being the Honorary Secretary of the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) of Sri Lanka, in 2006/7 and also as a referee and judge of the Boxing Referees and Judges Association (BRJA) of Sri Lanka.
His moment of reckoning came in early 2018, when he was diagnosed with a cancer in one of his kidneys, leading to its removal surgically. He is nursing the remaining kidney to health, requiring regular tests, medications and specialist consultations.
His autobiography centres on the diagnosis, surgery, recuperation and coping with all of its accompanied challenges and major lifestyle changes he went through. His tale, told by reproducing his diary entries, is enriched with glimpses of some interesting episodes from his personal life as a student, sportsman and policeman. The book also contains information of how he coped and managed with diets and special food regimen comprising select fruits and vegetables in the post-surgery period. It is of use for those who face similar medical conditions. Sourjah pays a tribute to all friends and relations, especially his wife Fareena, daughter Sabrina, son Azlan, and son-in-law Chulanga, who rallied round him during his predicament.
The 113-page book containing 10 chapters will be launched at the Public Library Auditorium in Colombo on Sunday December 22 at 10.30 am under the distinguished patronage of General (Retired) Jagath Jayasuriya, RWP, VSV, USP, ndu, psc, former Army Commander, Chief of Defence Staff and former Ambassador to Brazil. General Jayasuriya, another distinguished boxer from Royal College, won college boxing colours and captained the team in 1977. He is a contemporary of the author. He is also an International boxing Referee/Judge.
The book, printed and published by Star Publications Pvt Ltd at 47, Jayantha Weerasekera Mawatha, Colombo 10, is available at Star Publications Pvt Ltd at Rs 600.00 a copy and could also be obtained from the author by contacting him on email; wms2414@gmail.com.
Book facts
A Moment in Reckoning – An Autobiography
By Wazir Sourjah
Publisher: Star Publications Pvt Ltd