Ryle de Soysa scholarships for deserving students

To commemorate his 90th birthday, which fell on June 21, the family of Ryle de Soysa is giving scholarships for deserving students to attend Royal College and Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa. A sum has been set aside with the interest from the capital being used to fund scholarships and prizes, particularly for students with an aptitude for cricket. The scholarships will be administered by the Old Boys' Unions of the two schools.

"My father did whatever he could to help people in need. He also loved cricket, so this is an ideal way to combine both his passions," said his daughter, Shantini Tenuwera. Mr. de Soysa was an old boy of Royal College and captained its first schoolboy cricket team to Australia in 1936. He went on to play cricket for Ceylon against India and later for the Singhalese Sports Club.

He was a patron of Prince of Wales, Moratuwa, a school established by his philanthropic grandfather Charles Henry de Soysa."This money will go a long way in educating many boys who would otherwise not have had access to school or have been able to develop their sporting abilities. Mr. de Soysa was a committed patron of our school and this is a good way to honour his memory," said Secretary of the Prince of Wales, Moratuwa OBU, Dilwin Mendis.