Sri Lanka Schools rugby has turned into the most glamorous school sport with a large and ardent following of both young and old.
The Inter School’s league tournament is organized by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association every year along with some other tournaments which include sevens rugby as well.
Organising tournaments of this magnitude island wide is no mean task and the man we refer here unto is one of work horses behind tournaments. Mr Nihal Mudannayake is one of the oldest administrators in the schools section and has continuously been lending a yeoman service to uplift schools rugby.
ThePapare.com met up with the rugby administrator and sports fanatic Mudannayake to feature in our newest segment, ‘ThePapare sports personality’. Mudannayake currently functions as an organizer of the Western Province rugby union. His tenure as a sports administrator spans for more than 40 years playing his part in many sports along the way.
Mudannayake was educated at Carey College Colombo and actively involved with sports playing cricket and football for his school. He has understood the significance of sports in the world and his sentiments were, “Life without a sport will be a life without a soul”. After leaving school he then joined as a teacher in 1972 and was first employed at the Ceylon school for Deaf and Blind in Rathmalana as a Mathematics teacher.
During his period in Rathmalana, Mudannayake played his part in helping the students in many ways and prominently figured getting involved in Carom and Cricket mainly. When ThePapare asked him regarding the experience he had he said, “I created an opportunity for these children to be with the ordinary children, and the satisfaction cannot be matched”.
In 1984 he entered the rugby arena and states he had very little knowledge about the game. However as the years progressed, he studied the game comprehensively and was able help tournaments conducive to the atmosphere in Sri Lanka. He made special mention of Mr.Fernando, Mr. Lal Kumarasinghe, and Mr.Senudene who he praised for helping him during his initial years.
He has the distinction of being the first treasurer of the Sri Lanka school rugby association, in 1993 a played his part being the secretary on many occasions.
When ThePapare asked him regarding the present situation in terms of the sports he was cynical saying that there are many problems in the rugby field and the most highlighted problem is the lack of numbers of the sponsors. He stated that the present administration must take steps to increase the number of sponsors for rugby.“It is very hard to go forward in the international stage under these circumstances”.
His main aim is to uplift the sport and give it the recognition it deserves. ThePapare.com wishes him success and on behalf of its sporting community thank him for the services to uplift Sri Lankan sports.
