All-round Pera undergrads honoured:

Glamorous varsity evening

Tharindu Weerasinghe

Students who enter the national university stream are considered the cream of the country and undoubtedly are the luckiest of all the students who sit for A-Ls. Almost all of them are academically brilliant and some extraordinarily so. Out of these undergraduates if someone is talented not only in the academics but also in the fields of extra-curricular activities such as sports and aesthetics, then he or she is considered an outstanding undergraduate who posses all-round potentials.

Colours Awards Ceremony of one of most prestigious universities in South-Asia, the University of Peradeniya will be held on March 25, 2011 at the University Gymnasium under the patronage of Vice-Chancellor Prof Sarath Abayakoon and Physical Education Directress Arosha Perera. All undergrads who have added colour to the Pera environs in the aspect of sports, will be honoured in this wonderful occasion.

Some of these undergraduates not only brought pride to the university itself but also to the whole nation as they have represented Sri Lanka in World University Games. Peradeniya sporting culture hails from a proud history. Colours Awards Ceremony of the University of Peradeniya is one of the most significant events in the university calendar. It is an event that has spanned for over five decades.

The first of its kind held in 1960, was organized by the University Sports Council. It is obvious that the student body is extremely keen on sporting activities.

Pera has produced international and national level sportsmen and sportswomen, such as Leslie Handunge, a two-time Olympic participant, and Prasada Perera, a national ranking athlete.

In order to improve personality development and physical fitness of the undergraduates in their respective sports, they have been granted the opportunity to many facilities. The athletic ground was established in 1953, while the massive gymnasium was established in 1957, with the swimming pool opened in 2002. Merely a few sports such as baseball, athletics, cricket and boxing were practiced in the early years. Today 24 different sports are practiced within the University which is considered a great accomplishment.

Initially, colours were awarded only to those who participated at district level competitions. It was only after the 1970s that the participants of the Inter-University Games received suchawards. Full colours were given only to the first place winners, while half colours were awarded to second place winners.

At present, colours are awarded to participants of international, national and inter-university level games.

University Sports Council has done a tremendous job in order to make this event a success each year; all the undergraduates who have excelled in one of the 24 different sports are entitled to receive colours awards in this glamorous evening. There will be music and entertainment after the function.