Life and times in sport

Former DIG Chandra Mendis - cricketer cum athlete

Premasara EPASINGHE

TO Stimulate the interest of a person in an activity can be defined as motivation. There was one particular sportsman, who motivated me, to be a future wicket-keeper opening batsman. He was my childhood idol.

As a thirteen year old schoolboy at Nalanda College, Colombo, I was fascinated and quite exited, seen this smart, dark-skinned pleasant wicket-keeper opener, who walks majestically, weaving the Maroon and Silver cap to keep wickets or to bat.

I watched him from the boundary lines, under the shady Mara Trees close to the Taxila Building or Nalanda College premises.

For a moment, I thought, I will be the happiest, if I can emulate him. He was a batting artist and a brilliant wicket-keeper. His sizzling lover driver are still in my mind. His partner Niel Seneviratne who wears a sun-hat was a grafter of runs.

My childhood hero is none other than one and only, Munasinghe Chandra Prema Mendis - popularly known as Chandra Mendis or M. C. Mendis.

I am happy that I achieved my ambition in 1957, When I opened batting and kept wicket for Nalanda champion outfit in 1957.

Mendis, was a fine versatile sportsman produced by Nalanda. He excelled as an outstanding athlete, cricketer and cadet. After leaving school, he joined the police, as a sub inspector in 1954, and ended his career as a Deputy Inspector General of Police in 1994.

This outstanding sports personality is a very rare character. He is a man of highest honesty and integrity. He is a highly respected gentleman and a fine sportsman, who brought credit, honour and glory to the field of sports as well as police administration in later years.

Chandra Mendis was born on 30th December 1933, at Madampe, Ambalangoda. His presents were Munasinghe Arnolis Mendis of Migettuwatta, Balapitiya, and Kalugala Sebeliya Peiris of Madampe, Ambalangoda.

He started his schooling at Madampe Government Sinhalese school and during the second world war he studied at Siddhartha College, Balapitiya.

In 1947, he joined Nalanda Vidyalaya Colombo. His principal at Nalanda was the great educationist late D. C. Lauris. He was his teacher guide and philosopher.

"I was a hosteller at Nalanda. I took a great liking to cricket, athletics and cadeting. I played for the under 16 cricket team as the wicket-keeper, opening batsman, and graduated to play in the First XI in 1952-1953. I was guided by the Prefect of Games and Master-in-charge T. Kandaswamy and coach Gerry Gooneratne.

Former old Nalandian wicket-keeper, Bloomfield fame Hinton Gunaratne influenced me to become a wicket-keeper. Further, it was the greatest Nalanda, Ceylon and Lecisetershire batsman Stanley Jayasinghe and Lincoln Perera (M. A. L. Perera) who helped me in improving my batting technique.

In my first outing in the Fist XI, I scored 68 runs against the Cambrians," stated Chandra Mendis. He was an athlete and Sergeant Major in the college platoon from 1951-1953. He was also a senior prefect.

It was like an Alfred Hitchcock thriller

Going down the memory lane, Chandra Mendis stated that the most thrilling match he ever played was the Ananda-Nalanda Big Match in 1953, where Nalanda won the match, when the bespectacled Ananda De Zoysa, dispatched the last ball of the match through the slips cordon for a boundary. This was the most thrilling school match I witnessed.

Mendis scored 21 in 42 mts in the first innings and in the second essay after batting for 17 minutes was run out for 10 runs. He took two brilliant catches to dismiss U. D. Wanyapperuma off the bowling of W. J. Jayasuriya, and S. L. Silva off the bowling of Ananda De Zoysa.

He was a fine schoolboy athlete, who later represented Ceylon. In 1952, he won the 110 metres Hurdles at the public schools meet beating D. Madugalle of Trinity and the reputed Sri Lankan Nagalingam Ethirveerasinham (High Jumper) of Jaffna.

In 1953, representing Ceylon Cadet Battalion, Chandra Mendis established a new Army record in 110 m hurdles.

I quote the Ceylon Daily News of Saturday October 3, 1953 - report under the headline - Four Army Records Broken.

Then came some excellent hurdling by the Nalanda schoolboy M. C. Mendis, who uses the Modern "American Style" over the hurdle having both hands in front of him in the act of going over.

This style was incidentally adopted by the olympic winner Harrison Dillard. Mendis returned the noteworthy time of 16.9 secs in the heats, but found no one to offer him any opposition in the final which he won easily in 17 secs. His time in the heats beat the Army record of 17.2 secs.

After leaving school Chandra Mendis continued his cricket and athletics. From 1954 to 1984, he played cricket for Negombo CC, Kegalle CC, Chilaw Marians, Police (govt services).

His love for cricket never faded away at the age of 59 years, he played for Kandy against the visiting team of Pakistan umpires cricket team in 1993 at the university ground, Peradeniya.

Further, Mendis, held many high positions in the cricket administration as the President of Chilaw - Puttalam District Cricket Association, Kandy DCA. It is a pity that such men of honesty and integrity are sidelines today.

After joining police as a sub inspector in 1954, and while practising for the police athletic meet, he suffered a hamstring injury, and had a three year period lay-oft.

"In 1957, I was posted to Anuradhapura. I started practising at the playground between Mahameunauyana and Ruwanweliseya. ASP, late Chandra Seneviratne (Tiny Seneviratne) gave me all the encouragement and helped me. In taking part in the police athletic meet, I won the 110 m hurdles event," stated Chandra Mendis.

Record intact for 32 years

As a sub-inspector he established a new police record in 1958, in the 110 m hurdles. This record was erased by STF officer after 32 years, when he was a Deputy Inspector General of police.

"This incident still echoes in my mind. I am happy that another police officer broke my record. There was also another incident I will never forget. It was a strange coincidence.

When my record was broken at the police grounds, my second daughter Nilmini Mendis, established a long jump record at the Vishaka Vidyalaya sports meet, held less than 1/4 mile away almost at the same time in the same afternoon.

Mendis established a new government services record in the 110 m hurdles in 1958.

In the AAA championship in 1958, Anandian Vijitha Wijesekera beat Chandra Mendis at the tape to 2nd place. But, few days later, at the All Ceylon Trials, held at Depot Grounds, Bambalapitiya he beat Vijitha Wijesekera 0 the national champion and was selected as the first choice in the Ceylon Team to Tour India. He was the only police officer in the ceylon team in 1958. "Another memorable incident in my athletic career was the 1958 Dual Meet held at the university grounds, Peradeniya. The starter Samarawickrema of the university staff used to old method and did not fire a pause after the GET SET, whereas, I was used to the starter Duncan White (Olympic Silver Medallist) in Colombo, who gave a pause after the GET SET as done in International meets.

Although I was left behind by about 3 hurdles, I beat late W. Premaratne (Daily News schoolboy cricketer) St. Anthony's College, Katugastota) at the tape.

He was an exemplary police officer, and was an ornament to police service. He was an highly respected officer and was assigned to high powered special investigative team. Even today, his name is spoken for his honesty and integrity the greatest achievement in his life.

In 1966 Mendis functioned as one of the member of three (03) man committee including Aleric Abeygunawardhana (DIG), who later became Inspector General of Police, K. D. C. Ekanayake SP, who retired and ordained as a Buddhist priest at Pallekele, Kandy, to investigate the death of a suspect, who fell through a window of the 4th floor of the CID and subsequently inquired into by one men commission of inquiry.

Lover of Music

Chandra Mendis was a lover of Sinhala Music. He was a lyric writer, who composed the song sung by Dayaratne Ranatunga - "Sri Maha Bodhi Rajanane" - and "Pibidemu Pibidemu Lakvesi Putune" a popular hit of H. R. Jothipala.

His wife and children were sportsman and sportswomen.

Prabha, his life long partner, is the wind behind his wings. She was an athlete from Anuradhapura.

M. Samuddhika Mendis, is an athlete, Basket Ball and Netball player and a brand manager of Hatton National Bank. M. D. Nilmini Mendis is an athlete.

His only son M. S. Sanjaya Mendis, was a member of Royal College Hockey Team and a member of the Sri Lanka schools Hockey Team in 1996/1997. Presently, he is the corporate Account Manager of Suntel Limited.