Prema Pinnewale will go down in history as one of the greatest sports administrators Sri Lanka has produced. He dedicated his life to uplift sports for more than half a century especially during his tenure as Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee for a record 14 years.
Above all his determination to see Sri Lanka attain Olympian heights is attributed to his indefatigable spirit of not backing down from a challenge.
These sentiments were endorsed by guest speakers who graced the launch of Pinnewale’s autobiography ‘The Indefatigable – The Quest for Inner Strength’ on Tuesday at the Lionel Wendt. Among them were Olympian Sunil Gunawardana who was secretary when Pinnewale was president of Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA), former Sri Lanka cricket board president Ana Punchihewa and former Sports Minister S.B. Dissanayake.
Pinnewale’s erstwhile friend Prof. Siriweera underlined how he came from a village in Padukka to become a top manager in the Insurance Corporation and the international sports arena. He recounted how Pinnewale blossomed from being a raconteur during his days at the Peradeniya University where boxing was banned after he got knocked out to become an influential sports leader in the country.
Sprint legend Gunawardana recalled how Pinnewale inspired from the day he first met him as a young athlete 50 years ago in his office at the Insurance Corporation. “He is a person who could get things done with a phone call or writing a short note,” said Gunawardana who also reached out to Pinnewale when he became the president of SLA.
Punchihewa recalled how Pinnewale organized a planeload of Sri Lankan fans to witness the 1996 World Cup final in Lahore, Pakistan. “Prema’s success in life all boils down to hard work. He got self satisfaction from pushing himself to the limit knowing that all his efforts were going to pay off,” said Punchihewa paraphrasing a quote from a Pakistan poet. “His book is a must-read for sports leaders and sportsmen,” he added.
Former Sports Minister Dissanayake said Pinnewale never shied away from any challenge. Indeed the proof is in the pudding. Sri Lanka won the cricket World Cup and Susanthika Jayasinghe the medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics coincidentally when Pinnewale and Dissanayake were at the helm of sports administration.
Among the assortment of guests at the book launch were former SLA president Sugath Tillakaratne, former football chief Manilal Fernando, former National Sports Council chairman Gamini Marapone, NOC secretary general Maxwell de Silva, athletic legend Badra Gunawardana and SLA officials.
“Although I could not represent the country as an athlete, the determination to go for the Olympics saw me attending a record nine Games, including four as Chef-de-Mission of the Sri Lanka contingent when I was Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee while the other five Games I went with my personal funds,” wrote Pinnewale in his 221-page book which is available in paperback edition at Sarasaviya Bookshops island-wide. (AO)