COLOMBO, August 16 (ePRESS) – Sri Lions International confirmed its 2026/27 Executive Committee, honoured Thilini Waththegedara as Lioness of the Year and Denuwan Lakranda Silva as Lion of the Year while outlining an ambitious expansion programme at its Annual General Meeting held in Colombo.
The club also reviewed a successful 2025/26 season highlighted by a second straight Dubai 7’s International Open Men’s title and another season in Sri Lanka’s A-Division rugby competition.
Dr Kelum Sujith Perera will continue as Founder and Chairman, with Ms Diana Oshadhi and Kemith Lindula Perera serving as International Vice Presidents.
Sujith Punchihewa was confirmed as Advisor of Finance, Sri Lanka, while Mr Leonard De Silva will serve as Chief Operations Officer, Sri Lanka.
Savinu Tharumika was appointed General Secretary, with Ms Suranji Peiris as Assistant General Secretary. Chamath Mirando will serve as Treasurer, while Amila Perera takes the position of Assistant Treasurer and Director, Hockey.
The other Executive Committee members are Ms Apsara Gunarathne, Head of HR; Savith Oshada, Director, International Affairs; Ms Kemdi Perera, Director, International Youth Affairs and Netball; Milinda Nuwan, Director, Sri Lankan Branch Affairs; Janaka Suranga, Director, Sponsorship; and Ms Sujani M Rathnayaka, Director, Junior Rugby.
The AGM also recognised several outstanding contributors to the club.
Former Sri Lanka international netball player Thilini Waththegedara was named Lioness of the Year. She represented Sri Lanka at the 2015 World Cup and was part of the team that won the 2018 Asian Championship. She also played in Sri Lions’ first Dubai 7’s netball team and will captain the club next season.
Denuwan Lakranda Silva was named Lion of the Year. He joined Sri Lions during its first year and was part of the B-Division squad that won the Sri Lankan B-Division League title and earned promotion to the A-Division. He has since progressed to the club’s A-Division squad.
Thushari Abeykoon received the Sri Lions Cap for her contribution since the club’s formation. She played in the club’s first Dubai 7’s netball side and coaches at the Sri Lions Dubai Netball Academy. She will become Vice-Captain of the netball team next season, while Jayanthi Somasekaram will join as Official Advisor.
Sri Lions also celebrated another major international rugby achievement after defeating United Kingdom side Wyvern Harlequins 45-7 to retain the Dubai 7’s International Open Men’s Tournament title. According to the club, it became the first Asian side to win the competition in consecutive years. The squad featured players from South Africa, Fiji, Sri Lanka, France and Tonga competing under the Sri Lankan flag.
Sri Lions Netball finished runners-up in the Fast 5 Netball Tournament after winning the event the previous year, with Ms Sajali named Player of the Tournament. The club also entered an all-Sri Lankan team in the Dubai 7’s Club Open category for the first time and reached the quarter-finals.
In domestic rugby, Sri Lions completed its second consecutive season in the A-Division, with more than 40 players representing the club and several later attending national trials. The B-Division squad trained under Head Coach Mr Roshan Nilantha and Forwards Coach Mr Mahesh Keerthisena, although it did not compete in the league.
The club also made progress in other sports. Its hockey team won the Shield at the Pera 6’s All Island Inter Club Hockey Tournament at the University of Peradeniya and reached the semi-finals of the Sea Guardians 5s tournament at Welisara. Sri Lions Football reached the semi-finals of the Al Fatar FC Open, where Mr Niflin was named Player of the Tournament.
Two international badminton doubles players also joined Sri Lions as official representatives, while netball player Vihangi De Silva, who has represented Sri Lanka at the Waverley International Schools Netball Championship in Sydney, received a contracted scholarship.
Sri Lions also sponsored a 12-team tournament in Anuradhapura, opened what it described as Sri Lanka’s first ladies’ rugby academy and continued its support for junior and school rugby.
The Sri Lions Oman branch completed its first year under the late President Hamza Hidayatullah, a Grade A World Rugby referee and former Sri Lanka Rugby official. Gihan Manuel has now taken over as President, with the branch operating touch rugby, netball and volleyball teams.
Looking ahead, Sri Lions plans to formally add field hockey and football to its programme while introducing tape ball cricket and kabaddi in Sri Lanka. It has also confirmed entries for the Dubai 7’s Rugby International Men’s Open and Gulf Netball Social and is pursuing a long-term plan to establish an international sports complex in Sri Lanka.
Dr Kelum Sujith Perera, also identified in the release as CEO of Sri Lions International, said retaining the Dubai 7’s title had strengthened Sri Lankan rugby’s standing in the Gulf and stressed that the organisation would continue its efforts to develop Sri Lankan sport.
International Vice President Kemith Lindula Perera said the organisation wanted to identify talented athletes across the country and provide them with opportunities and support to develop.
