All time legendary double international at Cricket and Rugby at Royal, Mahes Rodrigo, celebrated his 80th birthday on June 30th at the Colombo 80 Club. Fittingly, it was organized by his teammates who played with him at Royal, SSC (Cricket) and Rugby at the CR and FC.

Mahes and his wife Yoga

A colourful gathering including the fairer sex was there to say "Many Happy Returns to Dear Mahes" in one echo. Mahes never demanded respect but he commanded it, which he duly received from everyone who associated with him. This felicitation will no doubt remain a sweet memory to Mahes and his charming wife Yoga.

In the midst of the gathering, shining out were Golden Oldies Bertie Wijesinghe and his wife Doreen, Ian Peiris, the Cambridge Blue and his wife Gun, Gamini Salgado the 1942 Royal Cricket Captain, Summa Navaratnam, yet another diehard old Royalist in Athletics and Rugby and Asia's fastest male sprinter on Grass 10.4 secs in 1951, Hadji Omar and Ifthika Cader to name a few. Joining him on his grand occasion were his charges U.L. Kaluaratchi, Vijaya Malasekera, Shaw Wilson, Chanaka De Silva, Malik Samarawickrama, Jagath Fernando, Susantha Ratnayake, Dhammike Wedande, Ray de Silva, Nalin Pathikirikorale, Ana Wimaladharma, Dr. Fred Perera and other vintage cricketers and ruggerites.

Glowing tributes were made to diminutive Mahes who stood tall at this reception. The tributes paid to Mahes were sweet and were relived by greats such as by Bertie Wijesinghe who said, "He keeps some things to himself and never throws his thoughts around. Quite a shy personality, but never shy when the pressure was on. A great pal since my days at the SSC." Ian Peiris said "a very good cricketer, who played and enjoyed the game for the right reasons, scoring a mammoth 138 n.o.

against the mighty West Indies, a rare milestone in that era, where Mahes opened the innings without the now indispensable protective gear. I've played with him and his motto was first a Gentleman and then a Cricketer." Gamini Salgado on a more humorous note recalled when Mahes opened batting with F.C. De Saram for SSC. "Rodrigo had the gift of running like a hare, but FC was the opposite and he got run out. Back in the pavilion, with a sense of humour, FC in the dressing room had said, "Rodrigo, you are a Portuguese b*****, which drew shrills of laughters."

Long live this giant of the great sports Cricket and Rugby.