Dr. Mahendra joins Cargills

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Correspondent

Former President of the Kandy District Cricket Association and national hockey player Dr. R. Mahendra who retired after a long service as Procurement Manager with Nestle’s Lanka Limited has joined Cargills Ceylon PLC as Manager Dairy Development recently.

He will assisting Cargills and Kotmale Holdings in the dairy development activities and other projects in addition to the milk procurement for the factories.

Dr. R. Mahendra a product of St. Sylvesters College, Kandy, was an outstanding sprotsman in the school and also at the Peradeniya University where he won his colours in several sports and ended up being adjudged the ‘Best Allround Sportsman’ at the Peradeniya University.

Though a fine cricketer and a ruggerite, hockey was his forte in which he represented the Kandy Schools, Sri Lanka Schools, Kandy District at the Senior hockey nationals and also Sri Lanka. He was also national selector for hockey for many years.

He was a founder member of the Kandy Youths Cricket Club which will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year.

Dr. Mahendra, a qualified Veterinary Surgeon joined the government service at the start of his career and later joined Nestle Lanka PLC where he served for over 25 years before retiring from service. He was in-charge- of dairy development and milk procurement activities for Nestles. He has obtained training in milk procurement and dairy development activities in India and Indonesia.

While with Nestles Lanka he obtained his MBA from the Sri Jayawardenapura University (PIM) in 2002.

He is also a well-known social worker and has been heavily involved in social activities and has also been the President of the Lions Club of Senkadagala, Kandy in 2006.