David Edirisinghe took Kandy YMCA to great heights

S M Jiffrey ABDEEN, Kandy sports correspondent

David Edirisinghe was a fine sportsman and top administrator who took the Kandy Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) to great heights, despite the forebiddings of the times.

David Edirisinghe is a product of Kingswood College, Kandy, where he excelled in sports and ended up captaining the College Athletic team. He did not play rugby at school as the Kingswoodians did not have rugby during his period. He was also the President of the Kingswood College Old Boys Association which is the oldest body of this nature in the country.

He took to rugby after leaving school and turned up for Kandy Sports Club practices whenever time permitted but to be satisfied by captaining the Kandy Sports Club 'Lions' in the 'B' Division tournament. He did not press for a place in the senior team as he felt there were many who were turning up for practices regularly and they deserved a place. He was a tough forward and his hard play helped the Kandy SC 'Lions' to win many matches.

On leaving school he joined the Department of Buildings and rose up to the ranks of Chief Engineer. Civil Engineering was his forte and he played a major role in the construction of the Sports Complex at Kingswood College and all his services were in a Honorary capacity often dipping deep into his pockets in carrying out his functions.

It was in 1968 that he joined the Kandy YMCA. First for physical training and to participate in the numerous sports this institution had to offer for the youth of the area irrespective of race or religious.

Later he found that his services as an administrator could help the YMCA and he could serve the organization better and was elected an office bearer. This was the stepping stone and he threw his full behind this organization to make it a premier institution in the hill capital.

When he elected the President of the Kandy YMCA, he took a positive step in enrolling the former Director of Sports - Central Province and one time national coach for weightlifting S. A. Wijewickrema into the cadre of the YMCA. Wijewickrema the present Executive Secretary was an able administrator with a proven track record and had experience in many fields for over 40 years. Wijewickrema was a Buddhist but this was not a discouraging factor in a Christian organization which threw its doors open to people from all communities and all strata of life.

Though losing its training centre and gymnasium to the Kandy Municipality on the expiry of its lease, the Kandy YMCA rose up like the mythical 'Phoenix from the ashes'. It extended its administrative to accommodate the Physical Education section.

As the President of the Kandy YMCA David Edirisinghe's efforts were rewarded when this branch was adjudged the 'Best YMCA in the Country in 2004".

David Edirisinghe said that the idea of YMCA was a concept of George Williams in England in 1844 to rehabilitate youth and give them a place in the society and also to provide recreational facilities to them. Since then it has come a long way spreading its tentacles over many continents. It is a non profit making organization with the motto of helping the society and make it a safe and pleasant place to life, he concluded.