Image: Pictured left to right, united in their shared commitment to excellence and collaboration across the Seylan network, Chamith Dilshan, Direct Sales Unit; Sashika Wijesooriya, Bogawantalawa Branch; Varuna Koggalage, Deputy General Manager - Internal Audit / President - Seylan Sports Club; Ramesh Jayasekara, Director / CEO, Seylan Bank; Chalitha Ranjana, Seylan Card Centre; and Nalin Karunaratne, Chief Manager - Marketing / General Secretary - Seylan Sports Club.
Colombo, July 2025 – Seylan Bank recently triumphed at the Mercantile Table Tennis Association (MTTA) Inter-Firm Knockout Table Tennis Championships, reclaiming the coveted ‘A’ Division title after a gap of seven years. Held at S. Thomas’ Gymnasium, Mt. Lavinia, this victory marks Seylan Bank’s first ‘A’ Division title win since 2018, reaffirming its place as a dominant force in the Mercantile table tennis arena.
Since 2005, the Seylan table tennis team has reached the finals in all but two of the last 20 years, demonstrating their sheer unmatched consistency and excellence in performance. Highlighting the team’s resilience and strategic play, Seylan Bank defeated MAS Holdings in the finals, having previously won out against 99X Technologies in the semifinals with a set score of 3-2, sealing their victory with a commanding 3-1 match result. Central to the Bank’s journey to victory was the role played by Chalitha Ranjana. Chalitha’s contribution was instrumental in clinching the final. A four-time National Champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, Chalitha remained unbeaten throughout the knockout championship, securing a vital singles win and partnering with Sasika Wijesooriya in the doubles to defeat MAS Holdings’ pairing 3-2.
During the events of the final match with MAS Holdings, Chalitha Ranjana & Sasika Wijesooriya won doubles vs Upasena & Weerasinghe with a score of 3-2. Chalitha Ranjana also scored a victory of 3-0, defeating Jayampathi Rathnayake. Chamith Dilshan lost to Jayampathi Rathnayake with a score of 0-3. Additionally, Sasika Wijesooriya secured a victory of 3-2 over Mihindu Upasena.
Among his recent victories at the 70th Open Mercantile Table Tennis Championship, Chalitha won the Open Men’s Singles title – marking his 10th Mercantile Men’s Championship victory, the Masters Singles and Open Men’s Doubles. His international recognition as an athlete includes winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Commonwealth Championship – an achievement that remains the highest victory set by a Sri Lankan paddler. Other victories include the South Asian Games in 1999, 2003, and 2010. Victories at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 New Zealand Open, compounded with honours received as the Best Table Tennis Player at the Mercantile Games in 2019, as well as at the National Sports Games in 2007 and 2008, further cements his robust reputation as a formidable athlete. Furthermore, Chalitha is a four-time National Championship title holder in addition to the title of Sri Lanka’s No. 1 National Table Tennis Champion from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2008 to 2010.
Working in unison, Chalitha and his team exercised remarkable skill and talent during the tournament’s ‘A’ Division. In addition to Chalitha’s leadership, Sasika Wijesooriya, Uditha Kaluarachchi, and Chamith Dilshan distinguished themselves in pivotal supporting roles. Sasika Wijesooriya once again proved his enduring value to the team, delivering a match-winning performance in the finals. Empowered with over 20 years of dedicated service to the team, Sasika is writing an irrefutable legacy of excellence in Seylan Bank’s table tennis narrative.
Serving as the the Captain of the Seylan Bank Table Tennis Team from 2003 to 2005, Uditha Kaluwarachchi’s efforts have allowed him to play crucial roles in every major achievement of the Seylan Table Tennis Team. Stepping into the roles of player and coordinator, Uditha has represented the team in the 25 years since its inception as its most experienced member. As such, his commitment has been instrumental in carrying the sport forward within Seylan Bank.
Chamith Dilshan, the team’s rising star and youngest member thus far, also impressed with his tenacity and potential, signalling a promising future in the sport. The collective victories of Seylan Bank’s team build on its growing reputation for skill, commitment to sports, and the prioritisation of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.