The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2022
The 2022 awards were presented by Mr. Victor Sellakandu, Board Member of the Eagle Christian Fellowship of Canada, on his visit to Jaffna, where he attended the historic 200th Year Celebrations of St. John’s College.
The recipient of the Scholarship was Subramaniam Piranavan. Overcoming tremendous hardship brought upon him and his family as a result of the ethnic conflict and even suffering the loss of his sight in one eye, he has nevertheless persevered in his studies, graduating from St. John’s College and gaining admission to the University of Colombo to study computer science. He says, “…I also have a motivation to help underprivileged students and offer my services to charities once I finish my undergraduate studies and become employed because I am aware of the anguish of passionate and talented underprivileged students who are experiencing similar difficulties to mine.”
2022 Cash Award Recipients:
Samuel Luther Gurupatham – St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Rojalini Marianesan – Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
Aarthika Jeyarasa – Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2021
The 2021 awards were given in this second year of the pandemic with the recipients being notified in January 2022.
The recipient of the Scholarship was Sivaloganathan Swarnan who graduated from St. John’s College and was admitted to the University of Moratuwa (on the outskirts of Colombo) to study quantity surveying. A lover of music with a strong academic background he says “…I would like to teach some students for my satisfaction. My life ambition is to become a civil engineer and I will create my own construction company. That is my long-time dream. Now I am still working hard to achieve my dream…”
2021 Cash Award Recipients:
Kunaseelan Nilaxshan – St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Mary Densiya Anton – Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2020
The pandemic did not in any way hinder the awarding of the Scholarship and cash awards for 2020 and the recipients were notified in January 2021.
The recipient of the Scholarship was Vijayathas Vitharshan who graduated from St. John’s College, Jaffna and was admitted to the University of Jaffna to study medicine. In his words “….my ambition is to become a neurologist. Even though that field is very competitive and hard to study, I think I can succeed. I am also very much interested in doing social service. I am also willing to do free clinics to needy people…”
2020 Cash Award Recipients:
Premachandran Sugananthan – St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Roxshana Ravichandran – Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2019
The recipient of this award for the year 2019 was Jeevakumar Mathurangan who graduated from St. John’s College, Jaffna and was admitted to the University of Jaffna to study nursing. In his words “my ambition is to achieve a Master’s in Nursing and to work in a leading hospital to save the lives of people. I hope to get an appointment as a nursing officer in the year 2024…”
2019 Cash Award Recipient:
Deianira Rajan – Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2018
The recipient of this award for the year 2018 was Siron Fernando who graduated from St. John’s College, Jaffna and was admitted to the University of Jaffna to study theatre and drama. In his words “my ambition is to contribute to the life of society as a teacher and priest. I hope to touch the lives of people through the field of drama. I wish to use the theatre as a means of promoting good values…In a way everyone is an actor in this great drama of life. It is in this light that I hope to engage in this field of drama to make a difference in the lives of others and spread the Word of God as a priest…”
2018 Cash Award Recipients:
Sivasupramaniam Pukaliniyan – St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Piriyatharshini Arulgnanasundaram – Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2017
The recipient of this award for the year 2017 was Robert Dean Jenifert who graduated from St. John’s College, Jaffna and was admitted to the University of Colombo to study medicine. His mother told him that when he was just an infant “doctors worked with dedication, care and compassion to save him from a fever” that had tragically claimed the life of his little sister. As a child he also had to undergo surgery to correct a speech impediment. In his words, “I am almost about to achieve my goal of becoming a medical graduate first and later a paediatrician and serving…the infants in the same way I got treated by those dedicated and caring doctors. I am working hard to accomplish my aspiration…”
2017 Cash Award Recipients:
Tharmakulasingam Sivananthan – St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Cyril Mahinthan – St. John’s College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2016
The recipient of this award for the year 2016 was Christianna Lawrence. Christianna has so far been the only recipient of the scholarship from Chundikuli Girls' College. Upon her graduation, she obtained admission to the Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts (affiliated to the University of Jaffna) to follow a degree program in music. In her own words, “I love music very much. So I spend a lot of time on music….I have to follow four years of studies to become a music teacher….”
2016 Cash Award Recipients:
Sandos Eldan Roshan – Enrolled in the Christian Studies Unit of St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Mary Tharshika Arunthathi – Enrolled in the Christian Studies Unit of St. John’s College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2015
The recipient of this award for the year 2015 was Poologasingam Samuel who graduated from St. John’s College, Jaffna enrolling in a diploma course in Christian Studies at the Serampore University of India through the Theological College of Sri Lanka. In his own words, “…God gave me the gift of singing…I hope to complete my theological studies and become a lecturer at the Theological College….I have decided to follow Jesus Christ and do ministry in a church….I want to sing to the Lord in the same way that King David praised God through songs…”
2015 Cash Award Recipients:
Amirthalingam Joel – Enrolled in the Christian Studies Unit of St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Christilda Chlaiment – Chundikuli Girls' College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2014
The recipient of this award for the year 2014 was Kajenthiny Kaneshan a Theology student enrolled in the Christian Studies Unit of St. John’s College, Jaffna. The oldest and only girl in a family of five, she came to faith in Christ at age 16. In her own words, “I started to feel the presence of God in my life…and the importance of being God’s child…all I want to do is something for the poor children who are in need of assistance and who need care the most. I want those people to know the Gospel…I believe that praising and glorifying the Lord God Almighty through songs and music….is such a blessing and a special gift from God…”
2014 Cash Award Recipients:
Rassaraththinam Kajenthini – Enrolled in the Christian Studies Unit of St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Lavatharani Santhirakumar – Chundikuli Girls' College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2013
The recipient of this award for the year 2013 was Ruben Pradeep Rajendran who gained admission to St. John’s College and came to Jaffna from his home town in the upcountry region of Bandarawella. He excelled in his studies and in his own words “…in my daily prayers, I asked God ‘why have you brought me here, what is the reason.’ God gave me the answer. St. John’s College improved all my skills, specially leadership skills, speaking skills etc. My ambition is to spread the Word of God through music to unknown people…”
2013 Cash Award Recipient:
Kavippiriya Kinsily Vilpred of Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
The David Gulasekharam Scholarship Award for 2012
The recipient of this award, presented for the very first time in 2012 was Amos Sam Thusanthan who graduated from Grade 12 at St. John’s College, Jaffna. He lost his father and lives with his mother and five siblings in Killinochchi in the Jaffna peninsula. In his own words “…God helped me to achieve my ambition to become a priest and has given me a chance to serve Him by letting me get into Theological College. I will live my life doing the work of God for He will show us a way through our difficulties.”
First time 2012 Cash Award Recipients:
Poopalraj Prince Newshan of St. John’s College, Jaffna.
Inthusha Sivapatham of Chundikuli Girls’ College, Jaffna.
