Mercantile Hockey Association Elects New President at 70th AGM
The Mercantile Hockey Association (MHA) marked a major milestone with the successful hosting of its 70th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 28, 2026, at the Burgher Recreation Club. The event highlighted the association’s enduring contribution to hockey in Sri Lanka while ushering in a new leadership team for the 2026–2027 term.
Veteran sportsman Dennis de Rosayro, a Life Member of the MHA, presided over the AGM as pro tem Chairman. Addressing attendees, he shared forward-looking insights for the association before announcing the appointment of Ajith De Silva as the new President.
De Silva, representing Brown & Company PLC, brings extensive corporate expertise across Sales, Finance, Product Management, and Marketing. Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer of the Automotive & Hardware Cluster, he oversees a portfolio of leading brands in Sri Lanka. Beyond his corporate role, he is an experienced sports administrator, holding the presidency of the Browns Group Sports Club and maintaining active involvement with the MHA since 2018, including serving as Vice President since 2020. He is also the President of the Colombo MBA Alumni Association.
In his remarks, De Silva expressed appreciation for outgoing President Vengadasalam Balagobi of Deloitte Sri Lanka, who concluded an impactful tenure spanning three consecutive terms from September 2022 to March 2026.
The AGM also confirmed several key appointments. Charitha Senanayake of Hatton National Bank PLC was nominated as Vice President, while Yogendren Suganthan and Sameera Ushantha of Sampath Bank PLC will continue as Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, respectively. Vishwa Prabhath and Deepika Kariyawasam were re-elected as Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer.
Established over seven decades ago, the Mercantile Hockey Association stands as one of Sri Lanka’s oldest sporting bodies. It has played a central role in promoting and sustaining hockey across the country, producing numerous players who have represented Sri Lanka at both national and international levels. Through regular tournaments, development initiatives, and strong corporate participation, the MHA continues to serve as a cornerstone of the sport’s growth.
Office Bearers and Committee – 2026/2027
Patron
Rohitha Silva – IDAC (Pvt) Ltd
Vice Patrons
Deva Ellepola – Bartleet Religare Securities (Pvt) Ltd
Ramesh Schaffter – JXG Janashakthi Group
Tharaka Ranwala – Sampath Bank PLC
Manjula Wijemanne – Comvey (Pvt) Ltd
Iqram Cuttilan – Aitken Spence Shipping Ltd
Kumar De Silva – GlaxoSmithKline Sri Lanka
Juragen Majid – Expo Ceylon Pharmaceuticals
Vengadasalam Balagobi – Deloitte Sri Lanka
Trustee
Deva Ellepola – Bartleet Religare Securities (Pvt) Ltd
President
Ajith De Silva – Brown & Company PLC
Vice Presidents
Sumith Jayasena – Commercial Bank PLC
Chandana Weragama – Sampath Bank PLC
Sadique M. Hanas – Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC
Charitha Senanayake – Hatton National Bank PLC
Honorary Secretary
Yogendren Suganthan – Sampath Bank PLC
Assistant Secretary
Vishwa Prabhath – Brown & Company PLC
Honorary Treasurer
Sameera Ushantha – Sampath Bank PLC
Assistant Treasurer
Deepika Kariyawasam – Hayleys Group
Executive Committee
M.J.M. Irshad – Seylan Bank PLC
Thilina Perera – Hatton National Bank PLC
G. Jayaprakash – John Keells Group
Priyan Senevirathna – MAS Holdings
Laknath Guruge – Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC
Inthiqhab Majid – Brown & Company PLC
Roger Vijayakumar – Nations Trust Bank PLC
Janitha Jayawardana – DPMC Group
Gihan Peiris – Allianz Insurance
Marlon De Alwis – Commercial Bank PLC
As it celebrates its 70th anniversary, the association looks ahead with renewed momentum under its new leadership, reaffirming its commitment to fostering talent and advancing hockey in Sri Lanka.
