18 leading schools to participate in second ‘Inter Buddhist Schools Quiz’

The Colonel Henry Steele Olcott Memorial Sports Foundation was founded in 1996 by some old boys of premier Buddhist schools Nalanda College, Mahinda College, Rahula College, Dharmasoka College, Dharmapala College, Maliyadeva College, Ananda College and Dharmaraja College with the objectives of perpetuating the memory of great Buddhist revivalist Colonel Olcott and to increase the interaction between the past and present students of these schools.

Since its founding the foundation has been conducting an annual cricket tournament for the old boys of the eight Olcott schools, together with a mini cricket tournament for the schools boys.

In order to diversify the activities of the foundation an inter Buddhist School Quiz was started in 2014 and 16 teams from the above eight schools participated last year, with Ananda College ‘A’ team emerging the winner, Mahinda College ‘A’ team the runner-up and Dharmaraja College ‘A’ team the second runner-up.

The distinguished Old Nalandian and well known trainer Dhammika Kalapuge is the sponsor of the quiz and the winning school is awarded the Dhammika Kalapuge Challenge Trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 100,000, the runner-up school is awarded Rs. 50,000 and the second runner-up Rs. 25,000. The winners and runners-up are awarded medals as well and all participants are provided with certificates of participation.

This year the quiz is being held on 18 July at the Sri Sambuddathwa Jayanthi Mandiraya, which was the venue last year as well. 

The quiz consists of rounds on General Knowledge, Current Affairs, Sports, Entertainment and a special fifth round on Colonel Henry Steele Olcott, Colombo Buddhist Theosophical Society and World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

Leading Buddhist schools Nalanda College, Maliyadeva College, Dharmasoka College, Ananda College, Rahula College, Dharmapala College, Dharmaraja College, Mahinda College, Visakha Vidyalaya, Musaeus College, Ananda Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Sri Sumangala College, Sri Sumangala Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya, Mahamaya Girls College, Sujatha Vidyalaya, Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya and Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya have been invited and have confirmed participation in this year’s quiz.

Ex-Senior Banker and distinguished Old Thomian Parama Dharmawardena is the Quiz Master and for the foundation the quiz was coordinated by Kumar Weerasuriya. The Ananda College 1993 Old Boys Group is associated with the foundation in organising the quiz.