Dr. Nagalingam Rasalingam - A versatile sportsman
AN APPRECIATION
September 9, 2017, 8:44 pm
Rasalingam (seated, 2-L) as Royal College badminton team Captain in 1956. Also in the picture are (seated, L-R): D.K.G. de Silva, Principal, V. Sri Skanda Rajah and H.W. Nathanielsz, Master-in.Charge. (Standing, L-R): S. Veeravagu, R. Sivaratnam and G. Veeravagu.
Dr. N. Rasalingam affectionately called "Ras" by his fellow Badminton fraternity passed away after a brief period of illness on August 24, 2017 at the age 81 years in Auckland, New Zealand and cremation took place on September 3.
Ras entered the portals of Royal College, Colombo, in 1947. He lived at Fernando Road, Wellawatte, where the famous Cosmopolitan Badminton Club was located. At an early age around 1947, N. Rasalingam, C. Thurairaja, C. Vivekanandan, P. V. Nadaraser, V. Sri Skandarajah (all Royalists), Sam Chandrasena and R. Saravanabhavan (both Peterites) took to the playing of this wonderful and exciting game of Badminton like the proverbial ducks taking to water. It was at Cosmo that their talents were developed by that Badminton enthusiast, the late C. P. Perera and Sam’s elder brothers, late Arthur and Bertram Chandrasena.
Ras represented Royal College in Badminton at the Inter College Tournament conducted by the Badminton Association of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka Badminton Association), from 1953 to 1956, having captained the team in 1954 and 1956. The Royal College Badminton team won the coveted T. Ratnarajah Challenge Shield defeating all leading teams like S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Wesley College, St. Joseph’s College, St. Peter’s College, Christian College, Kotte and Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda. This writer at the age of 14 years was fortunate to have played under the captaincy of Ras in 1956 in a team which included V. Sri Skandarajah, late Ratna Sivaratnam and late Ganendran Veeravagu. All the members of this team received Badminton Colours.
At Royal College Rasalingam won Colours in Badminton, Basketball, Boxing and Hockey. He featured in the Stubbs Shield Boxing encounter for Royal College and culminated his career at Royal College on his appointment to the prestigious position of Head Prefect.
Ras won the Junior Boy’s Singles at the YMCA Open Tournament in 1952. He also won the Men’s Singles at the 4th Open Cosmopolitan Floodlit Badminton Tournament in 1953, defeating C.R. (Dick) Schoorman. Ras won the National Men’s Singles Title in 1955, 1957, 1960 and 1962. He was the Runner-up at the Nationals in 1956 and 1961. Ras was a schoolboy at Royal College when he won his first National Men’s Singles title at the age of 19 years. He was the winner of the Men’s Singles at the YMCA Open Tournament in 1959, 1962 and 1963 and was also the Runner-up at the YMCA Open Tournament in 1964. Rasalingam played No.1 singles against the visiting Indian Thomas Cup team in unofficial tests held in 1955 at the Central YMCA Indoor Gymnasium.
Ras won the Triple Crown at the YMCA Open Tournament in 1963 winning the Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles partnering Gerry Chandrasena, and the Mixed Doubles, partnering Lucky Dharmasena.
Ras along with Sam Schoorman were the Runners-up of the Men’s Doubles in at the Nationals in 1958 and 1960. Ras partnering Gerry Chandrasena were the Runners-up of the Men’s Doubles at the Nationals in 1962.
Ras along with Sam Schoorman were the Runners-up of the Mens’ Doubles at the YMCA Open Tournament in 1959. Ras along with Gerry Chandrasena were Runners Up of the Mens’ Doubles at the YMCA Open Tournament in 1962. Ras partnering Sam Chandrasena were the Runners-up of the Mens’ Doubles at the YMCA Open Tournament in 1964.
Ras was a reserve in the Ceylon Thomas Cup team which played against Pakistan in 1954. He as a schoolboy and represented Ceylon at the Thomas Cup tie against Japan held at the Royal College Hall in 1960 playing No.1 Singles for the country. He also represented Ceylon at the Thomas Cup tie against Pakistan in Lahore, Pakistan where he was once again the No.1 Singles player for the country.
Rasalingam was also a member of the Ceylon team which participated in the official tests against the visiting Malaysian Thomas Cup Squad at the Central YMCA Indoor Gymnasium in 1961. He played in the Men’s Singles as well as in the Men’s Doubles partnering V. Sri Skandarajah.
Ras represented Ceylon at the Inaugural Asian Badminton Confederation Championships (A.B.C.) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was the Manager cum Captain of the Ceylon Schoolboys Team at the 4th International Schoolboys Championships (4th I.S.B.C.) held in Tokyo, Japan. Ras was the Secretary of the Badminton Association of Ceylon in 1967.
It should be noted that of the schoolboys who participated at the Cosmopolitan Open Badminton Tournament, N. Rasalingam, C. Thurairaja, C. Vivekananthan and V. Sri Skandarajah entered the Colombo Medical Faculty and passed out as doctors. P. Nadaraser became a telecommunication engineer at the Dept. of Telecommunication. R. Saravanabhavan, qualified as an engineer at the University Of Ceylon and emigrated to USA, while Ras and Vivekananthan sought foreign pastures in New Zealand. V. Sri Skandarajah emigrated to Australia.
Rasalingam’s brothers Major Amirthalingam of the Sri Lanka Army left for the USA and passed away a long time ago while Sunderalingam, who did Physics Honours at the University Of Ceylon, left for USA.
May he attain Moksha!
By Surendran (DUTTA) Veeravagu
