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| Saturday, 24 January 2004 |
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Sports | |
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Daya jayasundera was a top class ruggerite by Y.C. Chang It was in my planting days in the sixties that I was playing for the Kandy Sports Club, which had the support base of loyalists like Colonel Sydney Ratwatte, Bunty Wijenayake, E. S. Martin, Fred Murray and Dr. Nadarajah. This was a period when we had to make seasoned players out of schoolboys that I first set eyes on a determined, schoolboy from Dharmaraja, who had never handled a rugby ball. Being the Captain of the team the burden of having to mother all new recruits fell on my shoulders and that was how young Jayasundera caught my eye. His perseverance and the tenacity to keep at the rituals of pre season training and master the art of playing as a flanker made me drop E. T. Abeywardena, a Trinity Lion and give Daya his initiation into the big league. Haroon Chunchie, Dr. Rasiah all of repute and stature too had to give way to this dynamic flanker. The year I am relating to was in 1966. He could have easily played for Sri Lanka on his fitness alone, but that he achieved after he joined the Police Service in 1988. Up Country players never had opportunities of selection preferences as the Low Country players. Hence a player of repute from the hills was always overlooked. It happened to Daya as well as many others. The screw has turned completely and its players from Kandy that are dominant in the national side despite selectors being from Colombo. No superlatives can describe Daya's role as a model cop. A teetotaller, mild in his manner and a gentleman in his actions the thirty-six years he spent with the police force saw him rising one step short of the top slot. In 1976 he was promoted to the rank of Inspector, in 1983 to the rank of Assistant Superintendent, in 1988 to Superintendent, in 1992 to Senior Superintendent and finally Deputy Inspector General of Police in 1999, which rank he holds even now. His stint with the Special Task Force from 1983 to 1990 as Assistant Superintendent and 1994 to 1998 as Deputy Commandant Operations saw him carry out many successful operations between the Government Forces and their enemy. In his current position as DIG he heads the traffic and Road Safety Division. He is also in the advisory board as Director of the National Transport medical Institute, Member of the Motor Traffic Advisory Council, and National Council for Road Safety. The medals awarded during this period are Janaraja Padakkama, Janadhipathi Dooraprathi Padakkama, Deerga Seva Padakkama, Sri Lanka Police Vishista Seva Padakkama, 125 Sangwathsara Padakkama, Poorna Bhoomi Padakkama, Swarna Jayanthi Padakkama, Prathamadhara Padakkama. Whew! It's sure a long list of worthy decorations for the service he had rendered. His career as a rugby player is no lesser in illumination. After having played for Kandy Sports he went on to play for the Police for eleven unbroken years. On many accessions we used to analyses the reason for frequent injuries amongst young rugby players of today and not during our period? The unanimous conclusion we came to was that players today are not supremely fit. 1972 was a year of belligerence for selection of the National Team to Hong Kong for the ASIAD. The Minister of Sports actively participated in the selections with his nominee on the committee. Players were axed from the original selection. If I remember right even Malik Samarawickrema who was selected as the Scrum Half was a victim of the Minister's machinations. I was retained as the Captain and young Daya winged his way to Hong Kong. This tour carries many memories of the Balasuriya brothers, Gamini Udugama, Dr. Maiya Gunesekera, Jagath Fernando, Anton Benedict and Holdenbottle. Some of the deeds in and out of the rugby field were indeed hilarious but require a separate column that will have the editor's censorship in a stroke. He was one of finest referees and served as the Socieites Secretary. He was also a National Selector of the Union from 1985 to 1987. He was the Manager of the Sri Lanka side in 1990 and 1992. In 1990 the ASIAD was in Colombo and in 1992 in South Korea. On both occasions I was privileged to be involved as the Chairman of the Tournament in Colombo and Chief De Mission to Seoul. He was Secretary of the Rugby Union from 1997 to 1998. Daya leaves the police force end of this month and the invitation card for the felicitation sent by Nimal Lewke DIG. Chairman Designate of the Police Rugby Committee had this:- A Message for our Adored Sir, On the eve of his Retirement, Today is a good time for remembering, A perfect day for looking back, and reliving the happy moments of his life, And a time to think of all the special times he shared with those who have worked, A time to reflect upon the proud moments accomplishments and achievements. Today is a time to reminisce about friendships that have grown through the years. It is time for remembering his favourite days and fondest moments. Nevertheless, it is also a time for looking forward. For rich and rewarding as his life has been, there is so much happiness waiting for him. Yours in Rugby I can't think of anything fonder than this for you DAYA. |
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