Nimal Maralanda - the unforgettable superstar sportsman

Sporting personalities with Ken de Joodt

RUGBY-Sitting in quiet solitude and listening to a group of people singing praises to a Gracious God, they began to sing a beautiful chorus 'Give thanks with a grateful heart..." which was overwhelming to say the least ...and served as a 'great reminder', to give thanks to God, for good, living souls and even those who have left our shores for heavenly places, who have been a bountiful blessing and a 'superstar' sportsmen, as in the likes of Nimal Maralanda ! It would be nine years since his departure, on the 31st of July 2006.

It was also a sweet reminder of Nimal's 'valiant' effort, to sing in the Trinity College Choir, (which was considered a Sri Lankan version of the Viennese Boy's Choir), conducted and wonderfully trained by the Vice-Principal of Trinity, British Major Gordon Burrows, who was an ADC (Aide-de-Camp) and in the Intelligence Staff of the Viceroy of India, Earl Mountbatten, before he joined Trinity.

Nimal liked 'linking and looping' with Michael de Alwis and myself, in whatever sports we participated, so he 'felt good' to take us too for a 'try-out' in the Choir...but Burrows had his own 'supersonic-ideals' about singing talents.

To cut a long story short, in less than an hour, we were very politely told 'Not you Nimal !, Not you Ken !, Not you Mike !". As true Trinitians..."With steps solemn mournful and slow..." we marched out, virtually to the tune of this nostalgic Trinity song and accepted the fact that we belonged to a class of the 'Barima - tones'!! - (in Sinhala 'Barima means 'Can't').

Thereafter, we reserved our singing 'talents' for late-evening 'Rugby get-togethers', when many were drowning in 'high spirits' or with the 'back-of-the-bus' melody-makers, where the sound of the Rugby Team bus silencer drowned the singing!

From the year 1920, the name 'Maralanda' has been synonymous with Trinity Sports, first when Nimal's illustrious father Dr. A. P. Maralanda captained the invincible Trinity Cricket team from 1920 to 1922 and was awarded the 'Lion' in 1920...and then Nimal captained Cricket in 1958 and '59 and won his 'Lion' in 1959.

They both deservedly received the Ryde Gold Medal, awarded to the Best All-round Boy, the highest honour the school has to bestow on an outstanding student - Dr. A. P. in 1921 and Nimal in 1958, a truly unique Father and Son achievement.

While Dr. A. P. captained Rugby in 1921 and was the Senior Prefect in 1922, Nimal was awarded the A. H. R. Joseph Challenge Cup for all-round excellence in games in 1958.

This Cup was awarded for the first time in the previous year 1957 and carried away by the 'mighty' M. U. Odayar, Cricket Captain 1957, rugger and hockey (colours), whose father S. A. Odayar also Captained Cricket ('Lion) and Athletics in 1930 and received colours for rugger.

Although Tennis was not a serious sport in College, Nimal 'mastered' the art by playing with the Masters and a few others who were keen on the game, like the Principal of Trinity, Norman Walters, Bobby Moses, Theo de Silva, Sam Elhart and his daughter Maureen, Rev. J. J. Elliot (the Trinity Chaplain), Jayantha Dhanapala (Sri Lanka's Nominee for the UN Secretary-General's post), Franklyn Jacob (Trinity Rugby "Lion") to name a few.

In 1958, Nimal was awarded colours for doing well in the Public School's Meet in Colombo.

In his 'growing-up' years at Trinity (1950 to 1959) there were repeated confrontations and competitions in House matches, be it Cricket, Rugby, Hockey, Athletics, etc.; yet it was with a great sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie, that we built up an understanding to combine our hearts and spirits to play as a team, together, to battle against other colleges and opposition to come out Victorious!.

We stood on the firm belief "United we stand - divided we fall !" Sometimes our wrong actions were costly errors, though unintentional and without any malice but more because of our immaturity.

Nimal on the contrary, though yet a 'mischievous' schoolboy, had a matured and positive outlook and knew his way round to the hearts of people, with a fine sense of direction, with heartfelt caring and concern for his team-mates and friends.

This is what made Nimal a remarkably, respected icon in every field of sport he participated in, during his schooldays as well as in later life, when he distinguished himself splendidly and refreshingly in the Club and Country sports scenes.

It was no surprise when Nimal was nominated as Captain of the Ceylon Schools, in an unofficial test against the Indian Schools in 1958 and scored a grand century, 112 not out ! He was a cricketer in the same mould of Arjuna Ranatunga's left-handed brilliant batting style, aggressive yet beautiful to watch, particularly his stylish stroke-play.

With his right-arm bowling, it brought him four wickets for 10 runs against the West Australian Schools in 1958, as well as a superb knock of 77 not out, which included 3 sixes and 10 fours! Nimal Maralanda was named one of the outstanding inter-collegiate cricketers of the decade, along with players like A. C. M. Lafir (St. Anthony's, Kandy), A. Polonnowita and D. H. A. Weerasinghe (Ananda), Lorensz Pereira, S. C. Samarasinghe, B. M. W. Gooneratne (Royal), Lionel Fernando (St. Benedicts), Clive Inman and H. I. K. Fernando (St. Peters') Bryan Claessen and Lou Adhihetty (Wesley), Michael Tissera. P. I. Peiris, M. L. Idroos, B. G. Reid and Ronnie Reid (S. Thomas' Mt.), L. Rodrigo and S. de Alwis (Prince of Wales).

His star-studded career never seemed to end, from a brilliant student and 'superstar' sportsman at Trinity in Kandy, upto his untimely death, at the comparatively young age of 58 years, on 31st July 1997 in Australia, while playing Golf with Russell 'Bony' Van Rooyen, on the Melbourne Golf Course.

Nimal was on vacation with his beautiful wife Cleonie (nee Pereira), whose sister is Yvette, married to another famous Thomian, Havelocks and Sri Lanka ruggerite, Frankie David, who now resides in Melbourne.

Nimal 'smother-tackled' Cleonie at the Havelocks Rugby Club, then decided to 'scrum-down' and marry her in 1967. From the 'line-out' they brought forth two lovely children, a daughter Samantha, who married Michael Muthumani, to produce a son, Jai (1st grandson) who is now 6 years old. their son, Heshan resides in Melbourne, Australia with his wife Shamila (nee Perera), who also produced a son Aitken Nimal, just one year and six months old (their 2nd grandson).

As Managing Director of Aitken Spence Shipping, Nimal served for over 30 years and contributed vastly with his wide experience and knowledge in the Shipping business.

With his popularity in the Shipping Fraternity, he was elected the Chairman of CASA (Ceylon Association of Steamer Agents) and served on various Advisory Committees, set-up by the Ministry of Trade and Shipping, to promote and develop the Shipping Industry of Sri Lanka, in the late 80s and early 90s.

A man of rare distinction with a princely personality, Nimal Maralanda Captained the Havelocks Rugby team in 1963, the Sri Lanka rugby side in 1964 and coached the 'Havies' in 1971. He was also elected the President of Havelocks Sports Club in later years.

Nimal was also Manager of the Sri Lanka Rugby teams on some of the foreign tours. Michael de Alwis and I had the joy of teaming-up with Nimal, and playing together in three victorious teams, from School to Country! Another unique achievement when we played together in the famous unbeaten Trinity College 1956 Rugby Team, then together in the Havelocks Club Rugby Team that won the Clifford Cup in 1961 and together again when we were selected to play in the All-India Rugby Tournament for our country, Sri Lanka in 1961!