Dharmaraja College New Pavilion Project
UK OBU Fund Raiser
Introduction
The Dharmaraja College’s UK OBU branch (established in 1980) has been a key supporter of many projects and initiatives undertaken by Dharmaraja College Kandy. Funding for the various projects is done through donations received by the UK OBUs generous members and fund-raising events conducted. In its 43rd year of operations, the UK OBU has taken a significant role in promoting and sponsoring part of the colleges’ New Pavilion construction work.
New Pavilion Project
The old Bilimoria pavilion, that carried fond memories for decades of Rajans, which hosted many significant events like the school sports meet, prize giving, assembly and many other events; was demolished many years ago to make room for the Lakeview Ground expansion.
A new and improved 3 story Pavilion is to be erected in its place that has a seating capacity of 250 with dedicated changing areas for 2 teams and having 10 toilets in total. The venue will cater to a restaurant on the basement area open to the garden with views of the Kandy town and a VIP seating area on the upper floor that can also be utilized as a training venue when events are not taking place. This project was initiated in 2014 and had to be unfortunately put on hold due to lack of funds. The foundation laying and the basement floor were completed at a cost of around Rs. 15 million before the project was halted.
Funding of the New Pavilion
The college celebrated 135 years of service to the nation on the 30th of June 2022 where this project was ceremonially re-commenced with a new budget for material set at Rs. 50 million across 3 stages of construction. The labour costs estimated at Rs. 20 million is being provided by the Sri Lankan Air Force, thanks to the Air Vice Marshal being an old boy of Dharmaraja college. Their involvement has been a significant strength given the professional quality of workmanship and efficiency of the workforce.
The college’s Colombo OBU branch have taken the lead in driving this new Pavilion project with the backing of the Principal, Mother Union and Other international OBUs to extend the reach throughout the Rajans brotherhood to gain support for this cause.
Sponsoring the Restaurant Area by the UK OBU
The UK OBUs membership decided that it was our duty at this hour of need to actively participate in fund raising for the construction of the new Pavilion at the 43rd Annual General Meeting. The committee then agreed to sponsor the Restaurant area of the new Pavilion at a cost of Rs. 1.5 million. The restaurant is a key feature of any key venue that hosts events and is likely to attract a significant crowd and generate revenue during events. The restaurant is to be located at the basement of the Pavilion with a veranda that has great views of the Kandy town.New paragraph
“The UK OBUs sponsorship of the Restaurant area and the donations made directly by UK OBU members will greatly assist us in this project. We are thankful to all the UK donors, supporters, and promoters of this initiative on behalf of the Pavilion project committee. Once completed, the new Pavilion will be an epitome of power for the Rajans Brotherhood, being one of the first ever large-scale projects done without funding from the government or any other 3rd party.”
- Nandana Kanakaratne
President Colombo OBU branch
Rajans Brotherhood
Most of us have personally benefitted from the wonderful experiences we had at the old Pavilion, and firmly believe that it is our duty to rebuild and provide the college with this facility. The UK OBU having undertaken to sponsor the restaurant area will raise the funds needed from its accumulated savings and from individual donations. Many UK OBU members have also made donations directly to the project amounting to over Rs. 1,000,000 to-date. The following generous members have been instrumental in donating to this project as part of the UK OBUs fund raising initiative to sponsor the Restaurant area.
Our Key Individual Donors
We are indeed very grateful to the above UK based Rajans for their generosity and support for this great cause and are confident that it will greatly benefit the present and future generations of students of Dharmaraja college. We would also like to thank the following Rajans in the UK for their donations in support of this great cause:
- Nalin Perera
- Ranjana Godagama
- Shalanka Randeniya
Extending your support
If you are interested in participating and supporting this historic endeavour, please get in touch with us using the details below. This will undoubtedly uplift the colleges’ sports facilities and make it a much sought after venue for sports events and other activities for many generations to come. All proceeds will go directly towards the Pavilion project funding.
Contact for sponsorship inquiries:
Name: Dinesh Amarasekera (UK OBU Treasurer)
Phone: +44(0) 7771 388975
Email: DharmarajaOBUUK@gmail.com
Beneficiary Account Details:
Name: Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Union United Kingdom
Sort-code: 30-98-97
Account: 4443 9360
Amount: £100 or more
Reference: Pavilion
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