Right Royal reunion – after almost 50 years
Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends –
The members plan to spend a day under the old Siyambala tree to play a softball cricket match
-WB Yeats
In 1835, when Rev Joseph Marsh began a private school with 20 pupils, in the back verandah of a Wolfendhal church, he could not have foreseen that from such a ‘seed’ would grow a mighty, and majestic, ‘banyan tree’. The school would undergo name and location changes, until it was named Royal College in 1881 and later located in Colombo 7. In its evolution the College has grown from the initial score of students to over 8000. Many of those who attended the school where they ‘learnt of books and learnt of men’ have served their country in various capacities. Other alumni have spread around the globe.
A reunion held in Sri Lanka at the school, with participation of overseas based Old Boys is a special occasion, since there is no happier venue than one encapsulating boyhood memories. The RC 1962 Group (year in Form I) is holding a reunion commencing May 15th. It is this group’s first reunion at the school, 53 years after they first walked the corridors of Royal. In the period 1978-2000 a few keen members based in Sri Lanka kept the group alive. It proved difficult to maintain links owing to marriage & family life and members’ departure overseas. Post 2000 the group’s structure has been formalised and more regular meet-ups made possible.
Chairman of the Reunion Organising Committee is Thamby Navaratnam, assisted by Dushy Perera, Dilanjan Soysa and Dushantha Munesinghe. Some spouses, as always, happily contribute, arranging various aspects of the reunion.
The RC 1962 Group has contributed to SriLanka and the world at large, producing 13 PhDs in various fields with two University Professors. There are also 16 Medical Doctors, 10 Businessmen/CEOs, 6 Planters, 4 Bankers, 3 Accountants, 2 Parliamentarians, 13 Engineers, 2 Hoteliers, 2 Army officers, 3 Travel Business Manager/owners. There are also 3 UN representatives, 2 Corporation Chairmen/Permanent Secretaries, 2 airline pilots, a naval architect, a Consultant Astrologer, a Horticultural consultant, a Research Scientist, a lawyer/diplomat and a Swamy. A doctor & spouse based in UK have been bringing medical teams regularly to carry out free clinics throughout the island, including dental & eye 
treatment, bringing hope to many. Retired Old Boys stay active – one being recently appointed captain of the Sri Lanka senior bridge team to the upcoming tourney in Jordan. Whatever their achievements, when classmates meet all barriers, status symbols, egos are left aside and they are schoolboys in spirit – old friends enjoying rich camaraderie.
The RC 1962 Group includes world-renowned artist Senaka Senanayake, who designed the dinner invitation.
With almost five decades elapsed since they left school it is no surprise that 28 of their number have now gone ahead “to the starlit strip between the companionship of yesterday and the reunion of tomorrow”. These classmates will be remembered fondly at an observance during the reunion.
A series of events are planned commencing with a visit to the College, to meet Principal, H.A.U. Gunasekara, followed by a conducted tour ending with lunch in the tuck shop. That evening a formal banquet is arranged, where some past teachers are expected to be guests. On Day two witnessing a sports event at the College Stadium is planned, followed by roof top dinner party hosted by three generous classmates.
Day three is likely to be exciting – possibly painful – when members plan to rendezvous under the old Siyambala tree to play a softball cricket match. Suitcases are to be used as wickets reminiscent of many lunch-interval games of the 1960s. Two classmates who represented Royal, Anil Mudalige and Dhyan Caldera (1969 big match winner) are to be captains. For those whose skills – and physical condition – may exclude cricket, games of gudu and marbles are planned under the same tree, which witnessed many a boyhood tussle.
On Day four they are scheduled to journey to Nuwara Eliya. The general manager of Hill Club is group member Nirmo Thambapillai, who has made arrangements. Outings to Horton Plains and World’s End are planned. Return to Colombo will round up a memorable six days spent by these Royalists who left school in the late 1960s.
When the group entered Royal in 1962, Dudley K.G. de Silva was Principal, Bogoda Premaratne Vice-Principal; Head Master of Forms I-III Major C.P. de A Abeysinghe. School fees per term was Rs. 5, bus fare for a boy to school from Mount Lavinia was 15 cents, and a beef patty cost 5 cents. There were 5 parallel classes each about 35 strong. The group comprised all ethnicities and religions and some foreigners too, laying the foundation for life long friendships that have endured.
The RC 1962 Group includes world-renowned artist Senaka Senanayake, who designed the dinner invitation.
Mrs T. Samarasekara, (‘Madam’) who had two sons at Royal, was the sole female teacher in 1962. Other lady teachers joined soon after – Mrs. Weerabaddana, Mrs. C. Perera and others. In modern times the number of lady teachers has swelled to over 200! In 1962 the College & Primary was separate, there being no automatic promotion. Many of the Group did get promoted from Royal Primary (Headmaster – H. D. Sugathapala) while some joined from other schools, with a few joining in later years.
Schoolday nicknames for teachers and classmates are still vivid. Escapades – some hilarious, others quite painful – will be recalled. Statistics such as who received the record number of slaps by which master or who received most canings from the VP will be discussed. Sporting heroes and thrilling wins will be recalled- especially the 1969 Royal-Thomian cricket victory that occurred towards the end of their schooldays.
In their era, sighting of the hostel warden C.E. Belleth approaching the Reid Avenue pavilion during cricket matches was met with dismay since a wicket was fated to fall if RC were batting!
Some students who received a higher share of corporal punishment appear to harbour no grudge against master/s. They are even thankful and credit teachers who disciplined them for achievements in later life! One who may find it hard to forgive an episode with a merciless pedagogue is usually a good student who bitterly recollects the indignity of verbal humiliation or unjust punishment. Anyway when friends meet these past pains are salved. Time heals, and laughter shared with old friends is a balm whose properties can soothe any soul.
When we think of friends, and call their faces out of the shadows, and their voices out of the echoes that faint along the corridors of memory, and do it without knowing why save that we love to do it, we content ourselves that that friendship is a Reality, and not a Fancy — that it is builded upon a rock, and not upon the sands that dissolve away with the ebbing tides and carry their monuments with them.
–Mark Twain in Letter to Mary Mason Fairbanks