Thursday Nov 21, 2024
Thursday Nov 21, 2024
Wednesday, 12 July 2023 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lankan icon Alston Koch and Alan Border seen here dining with their wives Jane Border and Yolande Koch at a Brisbane restaurant close to the ‘Gabba’ cricket grounds
On 1 July sad news broke through the media world that renowned sporting celebrity Alan Border AOM, an Australian icon and legendary cricketer and Patron of the ‘Alan Border Medal’ (A very popular sporting Television show in Australia) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Visually affected by the breaking story and although pursued by the world’s paparazzi Alan Border however decided to spend quality time on that same evening to the surprise of all media networks worldwide following him at the concert of long-time friend and international actor-singer and Sri Lankan icon Alston Koch in Brisbane.
Yolande Koch (nee Yolande Ahlip) favourite granddaughter of Sri Lankan national hero T.B. Jayah and a former Miss Ceylon who was also a finalist of the Miss World 1970 and Miss Universe 1970 beauty pageants greeted Alan and Jane Border and accompanied them to their VIP seats at her husband’s sold out charity performance for Queensland cricket. Alston Koch an actor, singer and an A.R.I.A ‘Gold and Platinum’ award winning Australian with huge pop hits in the charts of Radio Stations from 4 CA Cairns down the coast to Brisbane and to other territories in Australia from the 1980’s onwards was visibly moved when he sang a special song dedicated to Alan Border to which he had skilfully re-written the lyrics to suit the occasion.
Audiences present saw a visibly moved Alan Border singing along with his mate to a wildly cheering audience responding to the live cameras covering the event with huge cheers and thunderous applause for these popular icons of Australia and Sri Lanka. That same evening during his performance The Speaker of the House of Representatives in Australia Milton Dick felicitated Alston Koch for his extraordinary contribution and dedication to the communities in Australia and to their recognised charities. A winner of the Best Actor Award in 2019 for his amazing portrayal in ‘According to Matthew” (A SIGNIS international Award) which qualified him for nomination for the Academy Awards, Alston was also recognised by the US Congress, US Senate and The House Of Representatives in the US for his contribution to communities in America.
Alston Koch probably the first singer songwriter to recognise the Australian Aborigine when he was commissioned by the Australian Task Force to perform and produce the AMERICAS CUP Album way back in 1986 for the Kookaburra Yacht is currently planning his re-release of his song ‘ARNHEM LAND AGAIN’ and album called ‘The Kookaburra Connection’ (Alston and The Kookaburra Connection E.M.I /Laser Records). This is very timely release due to the fact that in late 2023, Australians will have their say in a referendum about whether to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
