Rugby legend Navaratnam dies aged 98

Former Sri Lanka Rugby star Sumanthiran (Summa) Navaratnam passed away today, (19) aged 98.

Having come through the ranks of Royal College, Navaratnam went on to represent Ceylon rugby team in the 1940s and 1950s. He was also one of the three local native Sri Lankans to represent the Sri Lankan national team which had then been dubbed ‘All-White Sri Lanka.’

Born in Jaffna, Navaratnam was a super star for CR and FC during the 1950s where most notably he led the Red Shirts to Clifford Cup Victory in 1954.

At the end of his playing career, he took up coaching. He gave away Royal College his services for free for many years.

In addition to being a brilliant ruggerite and coach, Navaratnam had also been elected as the President of the Ceylon Rugby Football Union in 1972 and re-elected as the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union in 1974.

He was also the first President of Sri Lanka’s rugby controlling body when this sports body was renamed as the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU).

Navaratnam was also a top athlete for Sri Lanka having won number of medals breaking several records. In fact, he was called ‘the fastest man in Asia’ after clocking 10.04s in the Men’s 100m at the India States Olympic Meet.

Apart from his heroics on the field, Navaratnam also pursued his mercantile career as a Junior Trading Executive of Dodwell & Company in Colombo.

After the closure of Dodwell’s company, he joined the Stores & Sales Department of Colombo Commercial Company. On his return to Sri Lanka in around 1989, he became General Manager of Consolexpo Corporation where he served in the relevant position for a period of three years.

He became General Manager at the Ceylon and Foreign Trades PLC in 1993 and served in the position for about 16 years before his retirement in 2009. He was also appointed on the board of Ceylon and Foreign Trades and its subsidiaries.

Navaratnam married twice. He was first married to Rosemary Rogers, the bestselling author, with whom he raised two children. His second marriage was to Romaine de Zilwa. (Harsha Amarasinghe)

The remains of late Summa Navaratnam will lie at the A. F. Raymond Parlour today (20) from 8.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. and the last rites will be done at the Borella Cemetery.