Ten years have passed since the beginning of the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Everyone who was a part of this long journey has made memories, friends and skills that they will cherish for a lifetime. This year we got the immense pleasure and honour to bring all the past ten Presidents of RACUSJ together to share their amazing journeys they had in Rotaract.

You have all read and watched the past four episodes that were subjected on our blog. Each president was a unique individual who brought this club to greater heights. This article is something just as unique. This is the last wrap up of the last two years holding on to the ten years here at the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

This is the journey of the two presidents Rtr. IPP Vidushith Jayasundara and the president for the year 2020-21 Rtr. Amasha Sirimanna.

These two individuals are the most significant. Therefore, this is truly an honour for me to pen their journey here at Rotaract.

This is going to be a story that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster. I say this because these two individuals Vidushith Aiya and Amasha akki are the most inseparable duo from all the Rotaract presidents that have been staged here at this club.

SO WE’LL START LIKE THIS!!!

We started off by presenting a very simple question,tell us about your Rotaract Journey, and what was your first project?

Vidushith Aiya started his Rotaract journey in February 2018. His first ever Rotaract project was Rotaract Fellowship Summit. Following that year, he got the chance to organize the ‘Paduru party’ which was in November 2018.

He was then appointed as the Assistant Director for the Club Service Avenue in the year 2019 and appointed as the President for the year 2019-20 afterwards. And Currently he is the Joint Director for Sports and Recreational Activities in the District Steering Committee. Next up we have Amasha Akki and believe it or not she gave us all the details nothing left out.

She started from the very beginning. And needless to say, I know this story already. And you may too because according to her “This has history’’. When Amasha akki came to the University she had no intention to continue the university life. Just as that she got to know about Rotaract by Dulani akki – the Secretary for the year 2019-20.

The next act of site that she did was sending a DM to Dulani akki through Instagram saying Akki, I really want to join the club’’ and after getting all the details and the process she joined the club no questions asked. Her first project in Rotaract was ‘Ayubowan Sri Lanka’ where she held the position in the marketing team.

Our second Question to Vidushith aiya was “Our Club was recognized as one of the best emerging Rotaract Clubs of the year, so you definitely must have had an amazing team, tell us about the support system you had and the backup you got from your club”

He proudly started off with his Executive Committee. – “Looking back, I could say that I had the best that I could ask for’’. He also proudly recalled the moment where Dulani Akki, the Secretary for his year who became one of the most Outstanding Secretaries at the District Assembly in the year 2019-20.

Praneeth Aiya and Keshan Aiya – the two Vice Presidents were stated as the biggest support that Vidushith Aiya had the Editor, treasurer and even the Immediate Past President for his year Rtr. Oshani were all names he recalled and each one of them were the biggest pillars of strength that he had.  He then recalled his Directors and Assistant Directors He just simply went out to say that he had wonderful support from all of them. Looking around, Vidushith aiya smiled proudly and said that “Instantly some of them became the President and Secretary”.  He then said, that he is thankful for all these individuals for supporting him, the club the movement and all aspects of bringing this club to greater heights.

Our next question to Rtr. Amasha,

“2020 was a bit of a different Year for all of us. It must have truly been a very challenging year for you Amasha. How did you face that situation as the tenth president of the club?”

The year 2020 as you remember was the year of the rise of Covid-19. And Amasha akki appointed as the tenth president of the club started her year amidst this pandemic. It was a challenging year for the world and just the same it was the most challenging year for Amasha akki and the club as well. During the time when she was a general member, Amasha akki recalled how hard it was to get Sponsorships.

She stated how difficult it was to go behind these companies and beg them for sponsorships since we were an institute-based club.  Now this situation had become a problem to Rtr. Amasha when she was taking office because she knew that with the pandemic at its peak that no company would help her club perform.

But then she turned the bend and said, “I don’t really believe in luck but because of Rotaract, I actually had to think about it because we managed to find a lot of sponsorships, and we got some unexpected sponsors, and we are doing really great’’.Then she went off to talk about the pandemic, she stated that everyone in her club was able to adapt to the changes that came up with this pandemic and that all of them were able to come up with different and new initiatives. Just as anyone, she recalled her Board of Directors and her Executive committee and thanked them for their immense support. And ended up saying- “We are doing great, and I hope to end this year in a high note’’

Our next question was, “What were the projects that were close to your heart during your year as president?”

Now this is a tricky question. Picking one out of all the projects done was a hard task and yet, Vidushith Aiya went on to name all the projects he did in his year. But he did point out “Someone’s Daughter’ a project that they took onto another level, “For them to Blossom, Soar, Literato and  Paduru party”.

Vidushith aiya then called out the actual truth saying “Everything is important when you’re a president. You can’t say that this is important, and this is not.” But just as he named some of those projects, he went on to say that he named those because he personally got to know a lot of people from them and that the front-runners of the club at the current year and new leaders were emerged because of these projects.

We then passed the same question to Rtr. Amasha in a different view and asked her the most unforgettable moment in Rotaract?

This word ‘Unforgettable’ turned out to be the key word of the question because Amasha akki started recalling all her unforgettable moments in Rotaract but since that is a lot to explain she simply stated “I think for me Rotaract is something that I can always keep at the very top of my life ”.  

She  then continued on to say that Rotaract was a place that she herself made new memories, experiences and friendships, she also stated that whenever the word Rotaract was involved whatever that task was that it was always something she gave priority in her life.

She also said that she cannot really pinpoint a specific day as the most unforgettable or most memorable because it was just the fact that everything in Rotaract was always an unforgettable memory for her. Now this is something we can all agree on. 

Do you remember how I pinpointed out that these two were the most inseparable duo? Well, this is an outgoing example. Just after Amasha akki gave her answer, you see how Vidushith aiya comes to the rescue by reminding her about the Badulla visit that they had this year. And from the way each of them smiled you can get the idea that there was indeed something that happened on that visit that was the most unforgettable.

Same question went to Rtr. IPP Vidushith and we used the same word “Unforgettable’’ as well.

Vidushith aiya said that his first project “Paduru party” was one of the most unforgettable moments because he was a part of the Organizing Committee and  that it was a project that helped him make some everlasting friendships. The ‘World Down Syndrome Day’ celebrations that he attended as the President-elect was also one of the pride memories that he had because of the children that he met there.

He then simply added that being appointed as the president and a Joint director in the District Steering Committee in the following year were a few of his most unforgettable moments and that “Everything related to Rotaract was treasure to him” .

Just as before Amasha akki recalls that the District Committee Meetings are also some of the most unforgettable moments for Vidushith aiya and they both keep on smiling and nodding saying ‘Yeah’ which made it curious to all there that there was also a story behind the DCMs. 

Next, we went on to Rtr. Amasha with a very serious question. “If you can give one piece of advice for your fellow club members, what would it be?” 

She simply started off by saying “Be a passionate Rotaractor, be the change agent who initiates the change’’.  She also stated that “Rotaract is one of the best platforms that you would ever have in your life  and a place that will help you reach out to many possibilities and experiences and to not be a part of Rotaract for the sake of it,  but to take it in to your blood and body because Rotaract is a place that brings a lot of opportunities”

We then placed a common question to both presidents “What would you say is the biggest learning for you as the president of the club”.

Vidushith Aiya answered first. He said that learning how to adapt to a dynamic environment was something that he experienced in his year. Because in the middle of his year the Pandemic struck, and the most significant projects of the year was at its run, and they had to change all the initial plans and turn pages to those projects virtually. Therefore, learning to adapt to unpredictable situations was one of the most important lessons that Rtr. IPP Vidushith himself went through.

Amasha akki went off to say the same learning, because she too started her year amidst the pandemic, and in her year, she was only able to have one physical monthly gathering. She then continued saying that it was a challenging moment for her because she didn’t get the chance to know her fellow club members really well, and that said,  all of them were individuals who were giving their very best to take the club to greater heights.

She also stated that the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura represents all seven faculties in the university, and the fact that some faculties are located away from the initial location of the university that she got to work with all of them and to learn about everyone representing different backgrounds all the same.

And now It’s the RAPID FIRE SESSION….

Starting up with our very own IPP…..

• Describe your Executive Committee in one word – “Brilliant” (It was direct as that)

• What is the true reason you joined Rotaract – “Fellowship”

Now you might see that Amasha akki mouth the words “NO” just as he gives this answer. So, we added a few more words to our question and asked him if the letter N made any significance for him to join Rotaract, this question was answered both by Amasha akki and Vidushith aiya in terms of him saying ‘No’ and Amasha akki saying “Yes” repeatedly.

• Who is your Rotaract role model and why? – “Oshani akki, she had a very challenging year, and she was very fundamental for the development we had for the past year, and that’s a vision that has been going for the past years. From the moment I started my Rotaract journey she was a person I really looked up to, and when I was elected the president, she took me under her wing and taught me everything.

• Have you looked at a fellow Rotaractor more than just a friend – This question was answered by both Amasha akki and Vidushith aiya at the same time with the simple answer “Yes”

• Give one piece of advice to the current president – “Be the person that you really are, because you have been brilliant for the past seven months and keep going, and don’t stop at the end of the year, keep on being a Rotaractor and continue the Rotaract journey”. This was a nice piece of advice because of the smile that Amasha akki had afterwards.  

• Why is that everywhere you go, you are stuck with girls and you being the only guy?

Vidushith aiya had no explanation for this question. He simply kept on laughing and saying that he has no clue.

• Name three things you learnt from Rotaract “Leadership, Commitment and Connection”

• Were you a person who attended an Installation just to eat the food? “ Yeah”

• Some advice to our fellow club members – “Being a Rotaractor is not just simply being a part of a WhatsApp group. It means that you must be there to represent your club and be an ambassador of the movement and the community. And always work passionately and do not ever work looking forward to getting a position because if you deserve the position, you will solely get it. And it does not matter if you’re the president or the secretary of the club because being a Rotaractor itself is a privilege. Enjoy it,  because this is an experience that you cannot get from anywhere in the world”

• And the hard one, but we needed the 100% truthful answer, choose one between Rotaract and Lionel Messi – he didn’t want to answer this question So, we changed the question and made it harder by stating ; Choose one between Rotaract and Football – his answer was just truly amazing. “I don’t think that is a problem because Rotaract happens in the daytime and Football always happens after midnight,  so I can actually manage both”

• What does Rotaract club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura mean to you? “Everything”

And that was the end of the Rapid-fire Session with Vidushith aiya. Moving on to Amasha akki , this was also one of the most exciting moments of this interview. 

• Describe Rotaract in one word –“The-best”

• Why do you eat Biriyani after every club project and tell us about your dietary plans – She just simply replied saying “I love Biriyani” and just as that vidushith aiya offered help by asking if she wanted him to answer that. But Amasha akki continued and talking about her dieting plans she became speech less, and she said that she is planning on dieting.

• Name three things you learnt form Rotaract? – “Time management, recognize the people in need and Friendship”

• Can you name the person with two “wadakarayas”  – “None other than our Immediate Past President Vidushith Jayasundara”. We wanted to know the two people who were the Wadakarayas to Vidushith aiya, and we presented the question to him to name the two individuals, he just simply said “ Well, the current President and Secretary of course”

• Can you name the three columns in our blog – “Projects, news nest and Backstage” (Thank God she didn’t miss this)

• Name two projects that are completing their third consecutive year – For them to Blossom and Butterfly Effect

• Have you ever looked at a fellow Rotaractor as one who was more than just a friend? –“Yes” (Truthful as that)

• How was the Badulla visit? Can you share the most unforgettable memories you had – The hike itself was the most unforgettable (Are you sure Amasha was that all)

• What does Rotaract club of University of Sri Jayawardenepura mean to you? – As Vidushith aiya said it means Everything

Dear IPP and our beloved President, your time of being nervous is over!!!

And we have a SPECIAL NOTE for you TWO,

This has been one heck of a ride down memory lane. And for me, it was truly an honour to present the last article about these two personalities.

Thus, we would like to convey our sincere gratitude to Rtr. IPP Vidushith Jayasundara & Rtr. Amasha Sirimanna for reminiscing their Rotaract journey with us. Truly you both are inspiring individuals for all of us. Also, we would like to thank all the great personalities who joined with us to share their Rotaract memory lanes.

With that we would like to conclude THE LEGACY OF 10 YEARS IN RACUSJ!!!

Viva La Rotaract!!!

Written by: Rtr. Minushi De Silva

Moderator: Rtr. Hasini Amanda

Video Editing & Graphic Designing – Rtr. Dinuka Lakshan, Rtr. Ushan Kavindu, Rtr. Manuja Kariyawasam & Rtr. Nipuni Rajapaksha