Dr. Priyantha Edussuriya, Group of ’86
Group of ’86 is one of the most active Old Royalist groups under the umbrella of the Royal College Union. Whilst the Group of ’86 has produced many old Royalists who took the leadership in the Royal College Union, the Group has been active in contributing back to our alma mater and setting a high standard for any old Royalists’ group to match. The annual Teachers’ Trip at Royal was a brainchild of the Group of ’86 and they launched it to show their sincere gratitude towards the teachers who gave the best education in Sri Lanka at that time. The members of the Group of ’86, are spread all around the World but their love, affection and gratitude towards the College and mother Lanka have kept them together. Adopting todays’ technology, they have made the Group’s administration more inclusive. As a result, old Royalists from all five continents are represented in the Committee and are actively engaged in activities.
The Group of ’86 recently came forward to donate another ten scholarships to the Loyalty Pledge. The Loyalty Pledge is currently going through a challenging time as the current economic turmoil in Sri Lanka has directly impacted the inflow of financial donations to fund the scholarships. The Group of’ 86 generously donated ten scholarships in 2021. They have set another benchmark to be followed by other old Royalists group by donating twenty scholarships within a short span of two years.
The Loyalty Pledge had the privilege of speaking to the initiator of this worthy cause in the Group of ’86; Dr. Priyantha Edussuriya, who is an accomplished architect based in Hong Kong. These are his thoughts shared with the Loyalty Pledge.
Why Did the Group of ’86 Decide to Make this Donation?
Some of the members in our Group are out of Sri Lanka but we are committed to helping the country. We have been doing projectsindividually, also as small groups to help people. We felt that the country needs help at this critical moment because people in Sri Lanka are going through a lot of hardships. We thought that we should contribute to the education in Sri Lanka as the value of education is immeasurable. Most of the members of the Group are accomplished professionals living around the world thanks to the good education received from the College as well free education in Sri Lanka. We therefore, know the value of good education and its importance. We realized that the Loyalty Pledge functioning under the Royal College Union is the best and trustworthy vehicle to channel our donations as the Loyalty Pledge has been helping Royalists who need financial assistance for two decades through a structured programme. We initiated this project based on these collective sentiments of our members and it culminated with ten donations this year.
How Was the Response of Your Membership?
It was good. We prepared a document setting out the details of what we were going to do. We started receiving donations when we circulated the document across the membership. This initiative also gave the opportunity to re-establish links with members with whom we had lost contacts. We started with small individual collections but the overall collection grew gradually. This project is not over as yet and we expect to continue with the collection of donations. We are hopeful that we would be able to make a similar donation next year as well. I take this opportunity to thank all the Committee Members and membership for their support to make this project a success because we would not have been able to make this donation had not been for their support, guidance and commitment.
How Does Group of ’86 Help Sri Lanka Outside the Royal College Union?
There are lot of projects carried out by our members in their individual capacities as well as a group. For example, one of our former Presidents in the Group assisted in building a hospital in a village close to Anuradhapura but it was his personal project. We, as a Group are currently discussing educational support projects outside the school as well and considering options. Most probably, we will embark on a project to support the education in Sri Lanka by helping a school in a rural village. It is definitely on the agenda, and we hope that it will commence in the coming years.
What is Your Message to Young Royalists?
Young Royalists need to understand the value of the education, the exposure they receive from the College and the opportunities it offers for their development. The College offers you an environment where everyone is equal regardless of your race, religion, language, colour, economic background. Royal College is a place for intellectual masterpieces from all walks of life, and therefore get the best out of it. Learning subjects alone does not make you a Royalist. A Royalist is a repository of good values. Therefore, it is essential you harness Sri Lankan values within you as a part of your learning journey and become good citizens. The old Royalists are always there to help you whenever you need.