Lions Essay Contest Awards ceremony

BY SARATH Malalasekera

THE results of the annual all-island essay contest on Drug Abuse & HIV/AIDS conducted by the Lions International District 306 A for the 13th consecutive year were released by the Project Chairman Lion S. Ramachandran.

The winners in this contest open for all school children in the age group of 15 to 19 years in all three languages on two topics namely 'Drug Abuse Destroys Your Future" & "Human Race in the Death Grip of HIV/AIDS' are as follows.

Drug Abuse Destroys Your Future- winner in the Sinhala language category is Thinithi Nishamalee Subasinghe of C.W.W. Kannangara MMV, Mathugama. Runners-up are Isuru Udari Punchihetti, Gnanodaya Maha Vidyalaya, Kaluthara South and I. Deepasika Poorni Kulatunga of Holy Family Convent, Kalutara.

The Winner in the Tamil language category is M.H. Sakeela, AL-Hira Muslim Girls MV, Kinniya and the runners-up are Rishika Yoganathan of Manipay Ladies College and Shalini Chandrasekeran of RKM Girls Vidyalaya, Karaitivu.

The winner in the English language category is Prathibha Dissanayake of Musaeus College, Colombo. The Runners-up are Kugathasan Vishnukanth of St. Michael's College, Batticaloa and Sumedha Kelegama of Trinity College, Kandy.

Human Race in the Death Grip of HIV/AIDS- the winner in the Sinhala language category is Gayan Chandima Premaratne of Mahanama Vidyalaya, Colombo. Runners-up are Thakshila Subashini Adikari of Dhameessara National School, Nattandiya and Wudhari de Silva of Holy Family Convent, Kalutara South.

The Tamil language category winner is Sherifdeen Mohamed Irshad of Muslim Central College, Akkaraipattu. The Runners up are Yodendran Kilakshan of St. Michael's College, Batticaloa and Nirosha Jatheeswary Mariyadas of Good Shepherd Govt. Tamil Girls Viddiyalayam, Kotahena.

The winner in the English language category is Perinpam Gopiharan of Akkaraipattu Muslim Central College, Akkaraipattu.

The Runners-up are Tharani Tennakoon of Ecole International, Kandy and Ahamed Imran Sheriff of Amal International School, Colombo 6.

The awards ceremony will take place on April 10, at the Taj Samudra. Cash prizes, trophies and certificates will be awaded to the winners.

District Governor Lion Paddy M. Withana accompanied by his wife Lion Chandani will grace the occasion as chief guests.

This project is sponsored by the Lions Club of Dehiwela North, assisted by the Sri Lanka Anti Narcotics Association (SLANA).