Ratnapura Major Champion 2020 Amara Sankajana

9 May 2020

Amara Sankajana Galagamaarachchi was born in January 19^th, 1994. He started playing chess, when he was grade 4 in 2002. The first lesson was from his father. Then Mr. Ganesh Rathnayake, Mr. Dilshan Wijesinghe, Mr. Tharidu Wickramanayaka and two former national champions -Mr. G.C.Anuruddha and Mr.Dulan Edirisinghe guided him as his chess coaches in different time periods. He was the All Island Chess Champion of Under 20 Sri Lanka Schools Youth Chess Championship 2013.

Galagamaarachchi followed Agricultural Technology and Management Degree Program of the Faculty of Agriculture,University of Peradeniya where he was an active member of Chess Team in his 4 years undergraduate period, and also he captained in 2017. The team was the champions of Inter University Chess Championships in 2014 and 2015.

He thinks his turning point in chess is National B Chess Championship 2016 in which he could beat three 2000+ rated players and finish the event as 16^th and it was in his university life. He was fortunate to get the guidance of the University seniors-Elath Mathanga, Chathura Rajapaksha, Asela Prabajith and Rajeendra Kalugampitiya who has served not only the University Chess but also for the betterment of Sri Lanka Chess. His team mates Sameera Hippola(Vice Captain 2017), Rasika Samaranayake(Captain 2018), Senavinda premarathna, Isuru Karunathilaka and lot of brothers (a long list) have helped him during the university period and he was also a member of the Sri Lankan University Team in Inaugural Asian Inter University Chess Championship held in China 2015.

He completed the BSc.Hons. Degree in 2018 and he is currently working at Cargills Bank.

He loves Spryte Loriano’s words –‘every great story happened when someone decided not to give up’. His advice to young kids is ‘Don't give up if you lost. Try hard until one day you become a master. Some days you lose badly and you become disappointed. But never give up. Great things will reach you, if you love this game of Chess.’

Currently Galagamaarachchi is playing for Kandy YMCA Chess Club. He says that YMCA team members also help him to improve his chess. Everything has become easy on his way with the help and blessings of the friends he met in different time periods of his life.

He says that his parents, two brothers and sister is with him helping and motivating to build his chess career. His two brothers Yasas Savinda and Sudesh Malinda are also chess players.

One of his favourite games is the last round game of the National B Chess Championship 2016.

by Marlon Fernando