He helped Mahinda College reach great heights
Lionel Edward Perera Wijewardane Jayatilaka, born in Wathupitiwela attended Gampaha Government School and later, Udugampola MahaVidyalaya. While at Udugampola MV, he was a cadet and boxer and won many trophies as a marksman as well. After completing school, he joined Minuwangoda Central College as a teacher and then was transferred to Hikkaduwa Central College.
In January 1956, Mr. Jayatilaka entered the Government Training College, Maharagama and received the English Trained Teacher’s Certificate on January 1, 1958. He had been the President of the Students’ Council while at the Training College.
I can remember Mr. Jayatilaka joining Mahinda College, Galle, in 1958 as a teacher and also as the Officerin-charge of the Mahinda College Cadet Platoons. He won the respect of students and teachers with his smart looks as well as his eloquence in both languages. He was a very good teacher in English and Geography and a strict disciplinarian too. Todate we value him for inculcating such good habits in us.
Lt. Col. Jayatilaka achieved the pinnacle of his career as an officer of the Ceylon Cadet Corps when he and his team of cadets became the “Best Platoon” in the island and won the coveted “Herman Loos Cup” in 1962. Mahinda College went on to win that prestigious award in 1964/1965 as well.
He was also the Athletics’ Coach and had the resources to select the best students, such as the sprinters to become Cadets so that the College could achieve the best in sports at the Diyathalawa camp. Also, he selected the students who studied in the Bio stream to specialize in First Aid and students who did Geography to specialize in map reading. Pooling of all these resources helped Mahinda College win the “Herman Loos Cup” in 1962, 1964 and 1965. Lt. W.J. Abeygoonawardane, a contemporary at the College, supported Lt. Jayatilaka tremendously in taking over the Senior Platoon, as in 1963 Lt. Jayatilaka was elevated to the Rank of Captain.
His efforts and sacrifice brought the outstation “Tarbet Cup” to Mahinda College in 1966 with D.C.W.Lekamge as the Captain of the team. To name a few athletes who underwent his training in the 50s and the 60s, there was D.C.Brindley De Silva, who established a new Southern Group record in Discus throw in 1958; P.L.Karunasena, who was a 400 metre runner and held the national record for the triple jump in 1970 and also represented the national side at the 1970 Asian Games held in Bangkok; N.T.A.
Jayawickrama- a Javelin thrower; K.Rathnasiri and Godfrey Tissera - sprinters and the one who brought the Asian Games Gold medals to Sri Lanka as a member of the 400 x 4 relay team-Kosala Sahabandu.
In the early days, the Cadets were commanded in English. When the Army switched to commands in Sinhala, the Cadets too changed to Sinhala. I had the privilege of commanding at the College in Sinhala in 1962, for the first time as instructed by Capt. Jayatilaka
His beloved wife Wimala, who was a past teacher of Mahinda College, Galle, predeceased him a couple of years ago. Lt. Col. Jayatilaka was a wonderful father to four daughters and a son. At the time of his demise, he was a grandfather and a great-grandfather too.
Lt. Col. Jayatilaka, was a rare breed. May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
Ranjith Gurugamage