A Kandyan Titan of Sports
Roy de Silva
Today is the 81st birth anniversary of the first National Olympic Committee (NOC) President from Kandy, the late Roy de Silva, a gifted sportsman and promoter, who died mid-January this year. Only a few may remember the part played by him to uplift sports. He should never be forgotten in the field of sports and at the NOC. Roy is one of the top sportsmen produced by Kingswood College, where he excelled in Hockey, Football, Athletics and Cricket, his last few years at school level was at St. Sylvester’s College.
After leaving school, he represented Kandy Whites at Hockey, and was an automatic choice for the Kandy and Upcountry teams, whenever they played against foreign teams. He was also a top Hockey umpire and coached his alma mater. Later, he took to administration and was elected Secretary of the Kandy District Hockey Association, and held the post for 10 years, under the watchful eyes of the late M.S. Jainudeen.
From Kandy, he was elected President of the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation, and held the post from 1979 to1998. During his term of office, the Women’s National Hockey Championship was introduced and a Cup presented by him. It is now held annually. He also had the rare privilege of being the Vice President of the Asian Hockey Federation from 1979 to 1983.
He was elected Vice President of the NOC in 1979 and held the post till he became President in 1983. He was the President for 14 years, which is a record. He was elected Vice President of the Asian Olympic Council (AOC) in 1986, and his finest moment came in 1990, when he was elected its Acting President, and had the privilege of opening the 1990 Asian Games in China. Roy also had the privilege of being in the Finance Committee of the Commonwealth Federation from 1990 to ‘98, and was elected Life President of the SAF games in 1996. He is the first man from Kandy to assume the NOC Chairman’s post, and hold it for 14 years.
He was once the President of the Kandy District Cricket Association and Old Kingswoodians Union. He presented the trophy in memory of the founder of Kingswood, LE Blaze, for the annual Rugby encounter between Kingswood and Wesley. He was a longstanding President of the Kandy Cricket Club for 14 long years, and did yeoman service for it. If not for him, today, the Club would be dead.
During his Presidency, he obtained donations and constructed 6 rooms for the the club. Today, the main income of the club is derived from this. Only a handful of members know this. Sad to say, his absence is badly felt.
Roy is no more, he left us 9 months ago, but his memories and good work remain forever in the minds of all those who knew him. He will not be forgotten by the members of Kandy Cricket Club.