Royal Thomian Tamil Debate Encounter

Royal-Thomian Tamil Debate Encounter
Administrator(s) Royal College Tamil Debaters' Council, S Thomas's College Tamil Literary Association
Timeline 1994 – present
Tournament format Annual Tamil Debate encounter
Participants Royal College
S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia
Current champion S. Thomas' College
Most successful Royal College - 11 wins
Most consecutive wins Royal College - 7 years
(2003-2009)

The Royal-Thomian Tamil Debate Encounter (Tamil: றோயல் தோமிய தமிழ் விவாதச்சமர்) is the annual Tamil debate between Royal College, Colombo (a government-run non-denominational school - accommodates approximately 7,000 students) and S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia (a private Anglican school that has about 2,500 boys on roll), and is the longest Tamil debating series in the world. The first debate commenced in 1994, and until now for 18 years the encounter continues.

Awards

The Shield

The Kulasekaram Memorial Shield - Version 02

This debating encounter is debated for the Kulasekaram Memorial Shield. This shield is awarded in memory of Mr.M.M.Kulasekaram - a former Vice Principal & Acting Principal of Royal College.

Mr.Kulasekaram had his early education at Jaffna College and at Trinity College where he shone as a scholar and sportsman. After having qualified at B.Sc.(Lond.) Examination he joined the tutorial staff of Royal College in 1922. He taught Mathematics & Physics and his past pupils, many of whom reached the heights of professional and academic distinction, say that they owe much to his instruction. In 1946 he was appointed Vice Principal which post he held till he retired in 1954. He was an Acting Principal for a period in 1953 and held the reins of office with efficiency and acceptance. His training made him meticulous, methodical and precise in whatever he did and these qualities he demanded from his pupils, his subordinates and even his colleagues. His interests included philosophy and his relaxations were tennis, walking and bridge. Though stern and unbending in appearance he had an understanding and sympathetic heart.[1]

The original Shield was replaced with a new version (2nd version) in 2002 and it contained 15 slots (to enter the winning team name for 15 years) & It was updated with the existing data and continued up to 2008, until the 15th Royal Thomian Tamil Debating Encounter. In 2009, at the 16th Royal Thomian Tamil Debating Encounter another new version of the shield (an enlarged version of the previous shield - 3rd version) was made with 50 slots (to enter the winning team name for 50 years) & it too was updated with previous data and it will be taken forward for the next 50 years.

Best Debater Award

A special award for a best debater will be chosen by the panel of judges in this debate competition. The award was first awarded in the 14th Royal Thomian Tamil Debate Encounter in 2007. There are no specific criteria in choosing the best debater, thus they may choose any best performed debater or debaters from the winning or the losing team. But so far the maximum number of Best Debater in one competition has been two.

Since the 2011 debate, the award for the best debater is sponsored by the Royal College Old Tamil Debaters' Association and known as the "BEST DEBATER AWARD presented by the Royal College Old Tamil Debaters' Association". The new criteria is only one debater shall be chosen as the best debater.

The Tally

The Winning Team (Royal College) of the 14th Royal Thomian Tamil Debating Encounter in front of the S.Thomas' College Building on 26 January 2008.
Year Winner
1994 S.Thomas' College
1995 S.Thomas' College
1996 Royal College
1997 Tie
1998 S.Thomas' College
1999 Tie
2000 Royal College
2001 S.Thomas' College
2002 S.Thomas' College
2003 Royal College
2004 Royal College
2005 Royal College
2006 Royal College
2007 Royal College
2008 Royal College
2009 Royal College
2010 S.Thomas' College
2011 Royal College
2012 Royal College
2013 (*held in 2015) S.Thomas' College
2014 (*held in 2016) Royal College

Captains of Royal College Team

Year Captain
1994 Swarnarajah Nilakshan
1995 Gopen Shanmugapriyan Sethukavalar
1996 Cegu Issadeen Azziyan
1997 Gopen Shanmugapriyan Sethukavalar
1998 R.Sasitharan
1999 Rajarajeswaran Thangarajah Bramavinayagan
2000 Thevaraj Yogendran
2001 Thevaraj Yogendran
2002 Skandaraja Gajendran
2003 Umar Lebbe Mohamed Resha
2004 Neelalojanan Neshanthanan
2005 S.Sivaganesh
2006 S.Sooriyaprathap
2007 Nalliah Kumaraguruparan Ashokbharan
2008 Nalliah Kumaraguruparan Ashokbharan
2009 Thaventhiran Kapilan
2010 Ravendran Arunothayan
2011 Jeyakumar Nijanthan
2012 Balakumaran Ajan
2013 *held in 2015 Selvarajah Arjunkumar
2014 *held in 2016 Sivachandrathevan Sajishnavan

Captains of S.Thomas' College Team

Year Captain
1994
1995
1996
1997 K.Surendran
1998 D.Vaitheeswaran
1999
2000 S.Gobinaath
2001 R.Aumpiragash
2002 K.Vinoth
2003 S.Satheeshan
2004
2005 S.Ajanthan
2006 S.Dhuwaragan
2007 Suhail Sinnalebbe
2008 Karuppiah Kuganesh
2009 R.Chentooran
2010 Indushan Rajan Poobalasingham
2011 Yathev Balathayalan
2012 Arnold Arulnesan
2013 *held in 2015 Diyaman Richard Saram
2014 *held in 2016 Mohan Shabishanth

Best Debater Award Winners

Year Best Debater
2007 Nalliah Kumaraguruparan Ashokbharan (RC) & Suhail Sinnalebbe (STC)
2008 Nalliah Kumaraguruparan Ashokbharan (RC)
2009 Vijei Abinandan Viswanathan (STC)
2010 Noel Rajasingham (STC)
2011 Sathananthan Lavan (RC)
2012 Balakumaran Ajan (RC)
2013 *held in 2015 Nadarasa Ganashiam (STC)
2014 *held in 2016 Murlimanoharan Mayooran

References

  1. Royal College Magazine Volumes 82,83,84 (Years 1973,1974 & 1975) Page Number 103

External links and sources

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