The Colombo Hockey Association (CHA) marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 70th Annual General Meeting, held recently at the BRC Club. At the event, Mr. Charitha D. Karunarathna was elected as the new President of the Association, bringing with him a fresh vision and leadership approach to one of Sri Lanka’s most historic and respected hockey bodies.
Established in 1955, the Colombo Hockey Association has played a pivotal role in the development of field hockey in Sri Lanka. It is best known for organizing premier tournaments such as the Andriesz Shield and the Pioneer Shield Leaguetournaments and Knockout tournaments such as the Pioneer Cup and The Bacon Cup, all of which have long been considered benchmarks of excellence in the local hockey calendar. Over the decades, CHA has been instrumental in nurturing talented athletes, fostering competitive play, and elevating the profile of the sport at both grassroots and elite levels.
Mr. Karunarathna is an old boy of Nalanda College, Colombo 10, and has been actively involved in the local hockey community for many years. His strong roots in the sport, coupled with a passion for uplifting hockey at the school and club level, reflect his commitment to nurturing the next generation of players. With a background in leadership and sports advocacy, he aims to bring renewed focus to youth development, infrastructure support, and strategic collaboration with stakeholders.
Newly Elected Committee of the Colombo Hockey Association:
President
Charitha D. Karunarathna
Vice Presidents
Mithree Ranasinghe
Sandun Gajanayake
Tiwanka Wijerathna
Priyadharshan Giridaran
Secretary
Kithmal Perera
Assistant Secretary
Kavindu Niyomal
Treasurer
Haaziq Jaleel
Committee Appointments:
Tournament Committee
Rasika Ranaweera (Chair)
Kavindu Niyomal
M.J.M. Naushard
Umpires Committee
Selvaraja Dineshkaran (Chair)
Akalanka Ishan
Michael Fernando
Selection Committee
Sandun Gajanayake (Chair)
Tiwanka Wijerathna
Manuja Gunarathna
Development Committee
Surani Bandara (Chair)
Dammika Jayamanne
Shaqiq Jaleel
Finance Committee
M Ratnaharan (Chair)
Dilan Niroshana
Imesh Kaushalya
In his remarks, Mr. Karunarathna expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve and emphasized the importance of collaboration in steering the Association toward a vibrant future.
With a new leadership team in place and a clear roadmap ahead, the Colombo Hockey Association is poised to strengthen its foundations and write an exciting new chapter in Sri Lankan hockey.