The veteran prop forward of Kandy Sports Club Kishore Jehan is set to play his last club rugby match this Saturday at the Racecourse ground against CH&FC.
Jehan has been playing more than a decade for the hill capital club and has been a titan in the Sri Lanka national side since 2007, strengthening the front row forwards.
“I think the time has come to me to retire from the game I love most, I played twelve (12) years for Kandy and I have achieved highest level by representing Sri Lanka for nearly 10 years. So I am very happy with all what I have done.” Jehan told ThePapare.com
The way Jehan came in to rugby was something inspirational. This is what he had to say when we asked him before “I first saw an advertisement in the papers by the SLRFU calling for players to join a development squad. I was just out of school so I took my chances. I got through and went for practices and got through to the development squad. At that time my first coach was Hisham Abdeen.”
Speaking to his first coach Hisham Abdeen who is also a legendary player having the name tag of ‘Yakadaya’ (man of steel), spoke to the ThePapare about his former protégé with much mirth….. “Kishore never knew what rugby was and had never seen a rugby ball, although he was big he had that pace and a killer running speed in him. I firstly trained him to play at center and in the wing later decided to put him in the front row and I had to give him two (2) parcels of rice after practice every day.” Former legend Abdeen further said that Kishore worked really hard and he was delighted to see him playing for Sri Lanka for so many years and wished the very best for his future”.
Kishore Jahan – Sri Lanka’s Front Row Colossus
At the age of 19, a young man from the outskirts of Chillaw would have never imagined that a paper advertisement on a local paper will change his life forever..
L.V. Ekenayaka former Kandy and National prop also spoke to us “If Hisham is not there Kishore will not be in this position today, Kishore did extremely well as a player to play for the country and it is a rare talent a prop playing for 10 or more years for the country and he had never played rugby at school level and it is incredible achievement by him”
Good old chum the legendary national skipper Fazil Marija also shared a few words on the retirement of his long-standing buddy “ he was relentless year after year, he had that phenomenal pace early in his career and we all used to poke fun at him. He always wanted to learn new skills and has done a brilliant service for the club and the country, most importantly he is a humble human being on and off the field.”
What’s next for Kishore Jehan?
“I will have a training clinic for tight fives and will use my knowledge to deliver as a forwards coach for schools and clubs. I think it is important to give back”
ThePapare.com thanks the gentle giant on behalf of the community. We wish him the very best for his future endeavors.
