The coastal town of Hikkaduwa turned into a chess battleground from February 14 to 17, 2026, as the Sri Lanka National Majors Chess Championship 2026 – Southern Province unfolded at the G/Jayanthi Primary Model School. Organized by the Galle District Chess Association, the event brought together the best talent from Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, all competing for coveted spots in the National B Championship.
The championship was held under the direction of FI Gihan De Silva as Tournament Director, with FA D G D Chamil Thilakarathne serving as Chief Arbiter, and NA R Navod Nethsara as Deputy Chief Arbiter. The Open category was contested over 8 rounds under the Swiss System, while the Women’s category was played over 7 rounds — both using the standard time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per move from move 1. The event was conducted under FIDE-rated conditions with international rating calculation.
Open Category: Elath Mathanga De Silva Reigns Supreme
In a field of over 180 players, the Open section delivered nail-biting drama all the way to the final round. Elath Mathanga De Silva emerged as champion with 6.5 points out of 8 rounds, prevailing on tie-break over two equally matched rivals. De Silva’s campaign was a masterclass in consistency — his early victories set a strong foundation, and though he drew against tough opposition in the middle rounds, he bounced back with crucial wins to seal the title.
M T H Sansutha Pesanjith — one of the tournament’s most exciting performers — also finished with 6.5 points and secured the runner-up spot on tie-break. Pesanjith’s journey was remarkable: entering the tournament seeded 26th, he defeated higher-rated opponents round after round to stake his claim near the very top.
Sanuk Nanayakkara, the top seed entering the tournament with a rating of 1864, claimed third place also on 6.5 points. Nanayakkara showed why he was the favorite, winning his final round to finish in style, though the tie-break arithmetic placed him third. Just behind the podium, U J Nimuthu Nimthaka also scored 6.5 points for fourth place — an extraordinary situation where the top four players all finished on the same score, making this one of the most competitive Majors editions in recent memory.
CM G Haritha Hansana rounded out the top five also with 6.5 points, while AFM Lithula Raveesh Perumpuli Arachchi (6 pts) and AFM Aayush Haputhanthiri (6 pts) took sixth and seventh respectively. The depth of competition was on full display throughout, with titled players including several AFMs and AIM G K Adheesha Akash featuring prominently across the standings.
Women’s Category: Pumudi R B Hansadi Claims Gold
The Women’s section was equally thrilling, contested over 7 rounds among nearly 90 players. Pumudi R B Hansadi emerged as champion with an impressive score of 6 points, demonstrating tactical sharpness and nerves of steel throughout the event. Her campaign was nearly flawless — she cruised through the early rounds and secured decisive victories when it mattered most, with her final round win wrapping up the title in emphatic fashion.
Meenu Vihansa Hewapathirana, the tournament’s top seed with a rating of 1664, also finished on 6 points and claimed the runner-up position on tie-break. Hewapathirana was relentless throughout, winning six of her seven games, and her clashes in the upper rounds were among the highlights of the entire event.
Third place went to Lithuli Chanara Ravisinghe with 5.5 points — a stunning performance where she beat rated opponents in back-to-back rounds before narrowly falling short of the top two on tie-break. Dewli Abinadi Chanseya and Sanindee Niwetha Kularathna both also scored 5.5 points, rounding out a Women’s top five that showcased the surging quality of female chess in the Southern Province. Methmi Hasana Pate and ACM A N N S Mandakini also put in notable performances, underlining the exciting depth in the women’s field.
Tournament Officials
The smooth running of both tournaments was made possible by a dedicated team of officials: Tournament Director FI Gihan De Silva, Chief Arbiter FA D G D Chamil Thilakarathne, Deputy Chief Arbiter NA R Navod Nethsara, and arbiters NA L D D Madusanka and DA S S Gayashan De Silva, among others. Their professionalism ensured a fair and well-organised event from start to finish.
Congratulations to All!
Heartfelt congratulations to all the winners, especially Open champion Elath Mathanga De Silva and Women’s champion Pumudi R B Hansadi, on their outstanding achievements. A big thank you to the Galle District Chess Association for organizing this wonderful event, and to every player who competed and made this championship so memorable. The Southern Province has once again proven that it is a powerhouse of chess talent in Sri Lanka. We look forward to seeing these champions shine even brighter at the National B Championship!
