Deepal unanimously re-elected to lead KTC for another year

Members of the Kalutara Town Club (KTC) in its 124th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held yesterday unanimously re-elected Deepal V. Perera to lead the club for another term.

Established in 1888 by the British planters, KTC is one of the oldest cricket clubs in the country. Addressing the members, President-elect Perera said that his vision was to make KTC the best outstation club in the country and said that the vision and the mission statements of the club would be launched soon to achieve that target.

KTC in its activities last year introduced the first-ever ladies cricket team and involved them in playing for ladies cricket tournaments conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket. In its cricket development initiatives, KTC is currently engaged in coaching youngsters in the area at its indoor nets with an objective of creating professional cricketers to lead the future of cricket of Sri Lanka.

In 1931, KTC went into the history books of then Ceylon, where the club won the country’s first-ever interclub cricket tournament, the Daily News Trophy, under the leadership of Sir Cyril De Soyza. Since then the club had groomed many youngsters from Kalutara to lead the Sri Lanka Cricket team including Dilshan Thilakaratne, Malinga Bandara and Sujeewa De Silva.

Currently the KTC cricket team is performing well at the ongoing Sara Trophy league tournament conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket, where the KTC team emerged as Group Champions, defeating Malay Cricket Club last weekend.

Perera, a diehard member of KTC, joined the club in 1989 and has been involved in the development of the club for nearly two decades.

Perera becomes the youngest-ever to be elected to this prestigious post in the 124-year-old history of the club. Perera is the son of Siri Perera who is a Past President of KTC and a prominent lawyer. Prior to being elected as the youngest President, Perera was also elected as the youngest Secretary of KTC in 1995 and later served as the Vice President.

Apart from his contribution and the support he has extended to sports at KTC, he is an active social worker in the Kalutara District via the international Lions movement. He is an old boy of Wesley College Colombo and St. Thomas College Guruthalawa.

Kalutara Town Club officials 2012-2013

President: Deepal V. Perera

Vice Presidents: Colin Silva, Dixon Punchihewa, Pinsith Perera

Secretary: Wasantha Ariyawickrama

Assistant Secretary: H.D. Dharmasekera

Treasurer: Palitha Jayaneththi

Social Secretary: Gaya Gunatilleke

Sports Secretary: Dilip Chaminda

Bar Secretary: Wills Perera

Committee Members: Percy Abeysekera, Sumith Liyanage, Lyn Gunawardena, Ravindra Vithanage, Kinsula Liyanage

Patrons: Siri Perera, Rohan Cooray