DILSHAN JAYASURIYA
(Incumbent Honorary Secretary of the STC OBA):
DILSHAN JAYASURIYA, the incumbent Honorary Secretary of the STC OBA, has been actively involved in the OBA for the past two decades. He has served the OBA in numerous capacities over the past two decades. He has served on the Ex-Co for more than 10 years and has been actively involved in numerous projects launched by the OBA during that period, including serving in the ‘Royal Thomian Joint Match Organizing Committee’ and in the ‘Thomian Fair 2011’ Organizing Committee. In addition, he has played an active role in implementing several projects launched by the numerous Sub Committees appointed by the Ex-Co from time to time.
Dilshan was originally elected with the popular support of a wide cross section of the Membership of the OBA as the 'Youngest' Honorary Secretary of the OBA in the year 2012 and thereafter was elected uncontested on three consecutive years to become the longest serving Honorary Secretary of the OBA in recent times. During his tenure of office, with the unstinted support of the Ex-Co, he succeeded in delivering on his pledge of introducing transparency and good governance to the OBA. As a result, the OBA has been transformed into a dynamic institution, which carries out its affairs in a transparent and an efficient manner, with the support of a wide section of the dedicated fraternity of Old Boys.
Dilshan was instrumental in establishing a Legal Affairs Committee in the Ex-Co comprising of eminent Thomian Legal Luminaries. The said Committee took the initiative to lodge the necessary applications to register the ‘College Crest’ and the ‘Name’ of the STC OBA in the National Intellectual Property Office with a view to preventing the unauthorized use and/or exploitation of the ‘College Crest’ and the ‘Name’ of the STC OBA. Also, the said Committee succeeded in introducing vital amendments to the Constitution/Rules of the STC OBA, which sought to introduce minimum qualifying criteria for members to offer themselves for election to senior posts/positions of the STC OBA. The said amendments also restricted the Term of Office (comprising of 4 years) of OBA Representatives to the Board of Governors to ONE (TERM), thereby affording opportunities to a wider section of the fraternity of Old Boys to serve on the Board of Governors and thereby contribute to its affairs.
As a result of the OBA gaining the confidence of the Fraternity of Old Boys , during the past four years there has been a tremendous increase in the participation of Old Boys (especially the young Old Boys) in OBA projects/activities. During Dilshan’s tenure of office as Secretary of the OBA, with the support, guidance and assistance of the dedicated Old Boys, the OBA succeeded in organizing a record number of events, which included:-
- The ‘Thomian Triathlon’ 2014;
- The ‘Thomian Beach Carnival and Water Festival’ 2014;
- The ‘Thomian Walkathon’ 2015;
- ‘Spirits on Fire’ Gala Dinner on four consecutive years;
- The ‘Adhyapana’ Education Exhibition and Careers Fair at the BMICH for three years;
- Two ‘Musical Extravaganzas’ with the participation of popular artiste at the Museaus College, Auditorium;
- The ‘Joint Drama Production’ with the Bishop’s College PPA (scheduled to be staged in March 2016).
- The ‘Saddlebreds’ Old Boys Enclosure at the Royal Thomian Cricket Encounter for the benefit of young Old Thomians;
- The annual ‘Thomian Night Dinner Dance’ in collaboration with several class groups, which raised a record quantum of funds for the Bishop Chapman Scholarship Fund.
Within a relatively short period of four years, the OBA has succeeded in raising almost Forty Three (43) Million Rupees for College Projects, which was possible because of the dedication and commitment of the Old Boys and the leadership given by the Executive Committee. In addition to the aforesaid special events and fund raisers, the OBA also succeeded in implementing the following projects/programs:-
- Establishing and maintaining a healthy and strong relationship/dialog with the Board of Governors with a view to conveying the views of the OBA to the Board of Governors.
- Completely overhauling and modernizing the OBA Secretariat to serve the membership efficiently. Towards this end the Secretariat was equipped with state of the art equipment and is manned by qualified professionals;
- Introducing a wide range of souvenirs and merchandise, which is currently bringing in an annual sales revenue of Rs.2.7 million;
- Commencing the data base development project with a view to updating and streamlining the OBA data base;
- Completely re-designing and upgrading the OBA Website;
Dilshan is an Attorney-at-Law by profession, who hails from a family of lawyers. His Brother Hiran, who is also an Attorney-at-Law, has been actively involved in the activities of the OBA and has served on the Ex-Co for a considerable length of time. Dilshan is engaged in the Private Legal Practice, as a Legal Counsel, in the fields of Civil and Commercial Litigation. In addition to his Private Legal Practice, during the period 2002– 2004, Dilshan functioned as the Legal Consultant to the Land Reform Commission of Sri Lanka. Furthermore, in the year 2005, Dilshan was appointed as a Member (Judge) of the Ceiling on Housing and Property Board of Review. In the year 2010, Dilshan was appointed as the Honorary Legal Consultant to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka, in which capacity he has been representing and advising the NOC SL regarding the revision of the Sports Laws currently applicable in Sri Lanka under the auspices and guidance of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Dilshan has represented Sri Lanka at several briefing sessions at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. In the year 2014, Dilshan was nominated by the Hon. Minister of Sports to a Special Committee appointed to propose changes/amendments to the Sports Law/Regulations currently applicable in Sri Lanka. He has also attended several workshops on International Sports Arbitration and Mediation. He has presented Papers at the National Law Conference and the Junior National Law Conference in the recent past.
Notwithstanding Dilshan’s professional commitments as a Legal Counsel and other social commitments, Dilshan admirably committed/dedicated a substantial amount of his personal time for activities of the OBA during the past four years. It is well known that Dilshan did not miss a single Meeting of the Ex-Co during his four year tenure of office as Honorary Secretary. He, together with the Vice President of the STC OBA Mr. R. Renganathan, gave leadership and guidance at all times to the dynamic Executive Committee to achieve excellence over the past few years.
In view of Dilshan’s dedication, steadfast commitment and proven track record, his candidature is endorsed by an array of distinguished Thomians, belonging to all age groups/categories. Old Boys are extremely mindful and conscious of their obligation of selecting the ‘right candidate’ to represent the OBA on the Board of Governors. The two OBA Representatives elected to the Board of Governors at the upcoming AGM could be regarded as the ONLY voice of the OBA on the Board of Governors. Hence, it is needless to emphasize the importance of the role expected to be played by the OBA Representatives on the Board of Governors, in order to voice the opinion of the OBA on the Board of Governors. Hence, electing OBA Representatives to the Board of Governors is one of the most critical choices made by the Old Boys once in every four years. Therefore, it is important to select TWO Thomians who have won the confidence of the largest possible cross section of the fraternity of Old Boys as OBA Representatives to Board of Governors. There is not an iota of doubt that the fraternity of Old Boys would intelligently and wisely select the most suitable and reliable candidates with proven abilities, track records and commitment to represent the entire fraternity of Old Boys on the Board of Governors until February 2020.
Esto Perpetua