Sports Minister takes sports to the next level

Hafiz Marikar

Sports Minister Mahindanda Aluthgamage hails from Nawalapitiya. As the Country’s most vibrant Sports Minister, he has undertaken major projects and programs to unite all parties for the advancement of the town of Nawalapitiya and its outskirts.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. Picture by Palitha Gunasena

Together with the people of the District, he has created new avenues and become a friend of the youth and in particular a friend of the different communities.

He started his schooling at Gampola Gangasiripura Vidyalaya and ended up at Royal College, Colombo. Upon completing his education at the Gampola Gangasiripura Vidyalaya and Royal College Colombo, Aluthgamage made his initial entry to politics in 1994 as a member of the Central Provincial Council.

In 2000 he was elected as a Member of Parliament. The longstanding family legacy in the political field, his continuous and loyal rapport to SLFP since the start of his political career until now and assiduously developing the electorate which he represents are some of the significant characteristics of Mahindananda Aluthgamage as a renowned politician. Aluthgamage entered the political arena following the demise of his father, M. S. Aluthgamage who was a renowned politician who was a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) since its inception. In his political career until now, he has taken all sports activities from a low level to a higher platform executing his duties admirably.

The most significant development undertaken in his electorate is the upgrading the Jayathilake Sports Complex to a well equipped sports stadium at a cost of Rs.250 million under the Regional Sports development programme with all facilities for all sportsmen and sportswomen.

We have to take great pride of him for heading the ICC World Cup Cricket, 2011, commencing of the 2011 Beach Games, Bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games at Hambantota, Creating the National Sports Policy and Act, Re-arranging National Sports Pools, ICC World Cup Cricket T/20 just concluded in Sri Lanka which our team became runners-up.

It is on records that International sports tournaments conducted in Sri Lanka under the Ministry of Sports ably let by the Minister himself has been praised by participating Countries which brings credit for a tiny Island to perform at the top. Recent success being the winning of the world carrom title by Nishantha Fernando.

The sports loving public in the Kandy district are proud of the enormous work done by the Minister and humbly request him to consider a well equipped playgrounds like the one in Jayathilake Sports Complex at Nawalapitiya, in Kandy.

He can also help to upgrade the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy with the facilities and standards to International level to bring pride to Kandy.

The playing area needs reconstruction and als concessions should be granted to the schools and clubs in respect of ground fee, dressing rooms, referees rooms and also when there is a sporting event on Saturdays or Sundays.

The club or school who book the ground have to pay a service charge to the workers, because Saturdays and Sundays are public holidays.

Bogambara Stadium is the only public ground in Kandy which caters for football, rugby, hockey, athletics and netball. When this ground was under the Municipal Council a nominal fee was charged.