Sri Lanka University Games

Mr. Lesley Handunge, a graduate of the University of Peradeniya himself, was a skilled sportsman who had represented Sri Lanka twice in boxing at the Olympic Games.

The University of Kelaniya has its origin in the historic Vidyalankara Pirivena, founded in 1875 as a centre of learning for Buddhist monks.

It is located just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, on the north bank of the Kelani River.

It was in the Olympic Games in 1968, in Mexico that a pet was used as a mascot and it was used to control anti-Olympic ideas stirred up by student revolts and to spread good will among people.

Oriole was chosen as the mascot because it is familiar to all Sri Lankans and also because of the close affinity it has with the area of Kelaniya in the Selalihini Sandeshaya.

It was selected as the mascot of the year because the oriole is the ideal pet which represents the ethics and principles of the university games.