Rugby his first love

by Lakmal Welabada

For Mahesh Senanayake, there's no substitution for honesty. And that is his motto and belief. Being the winner of a Sri Lankan Prize for CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK) in 2004, Mahesh could be introduced as a TV presenter cum Marketing Communicator.

He is the guy who produces and presents 'Biz News' on ITN which is telecast soon after the main English News Bulletin. The program is telecast thrice a week. He is a freelance TV presenter and is one of the youngest presenters who handles interviews of concerning current affairs ranging from politics, business to many other investigative stories.

Mahesh was once a famous ruggerite. However, he has been away from it for the past few years but still loves to be called a rugger player. "Because Rugby was my religion," he chuckles full of memories of his sparkling years during when he captained the Rugby team at Kingswood College, Kandy. He has played for Havelock Sports Club and Army Sports Club while working at the Hatton National Bank, Colombo.

Like many of us, Mahesh also claims that he was destined to be what he is today. As far as his life is concerned when one enterprise fails another automatically emerges. So he hardly has time to sob over failure and has no energy to waste rekindling what he has lost.

His inborn will power gives him the courage to adjust to the situation. he is able to quickly put his heart to a new venture. But memories linger on. Also though such recollections pricks his soul now and then Mahesh knows how to console himself. Rugby is the most memorable experience he ever had. "And I still love to play it as I am still a 25-year-old. I had to give up Rugby due to many reasons.

In the future I will be back in the Rugby grounds not as a player but as a coach. A few leading schools have already approached me. But, I have not put my thoughts into it yet," he says. Although Mahesh claims he has no regrets of giving up rugby, his anguished soul tells a different story.

As a child, Mahesh was a happy young boy. His grand Pa, Colonel Kuda Banda who resembled Mahesh in every aspect was the person who inspired and moulded little Mahesh to be the versatile youngster that he is today.

"It is still unbelievable how my Grand Pa so confidently predicted that one day I would be a TV presenter. He was highly regarded by villagers and was a man of policy ," he reminisces.

Though rugby was his 'faith', Mahesh did every sport that in Kingswood- from weight lifting to athletics to cricket to you name it he has done it. Mahesh got the fullest support from home for all the extra curricular activities he did.

Though his teacher mother who was dead scared to see the vigorous turns of his 'Loku Putha' who would roll on the Rugby ground to snatch the ball, never ever had guts to view a single match of his. But Mahesh would always see his tourist-guide father at the pavilion with his band of friends cheering and almost shrieking with huge placards and flags to back up 'Loku Putha' and his team.

With all this, Mahesh managed to get through all his exams at school. He did not regret when he missed campus by two marks and then the Law College by three marks as he always had positive hopes for the future.

He is a guy with a great persevering personality. After being a banker for a short period, Mahesh got the opportunity to be a Merchandiser at Penguin Group of Companies in Kandy. And it was a turning point in his life as he could master the field. And next, the doors of Independent Television Network (ITN) was opened for him when he was just 23. Mahesh was selected and was the youngest Assistant Business Development Manager's in ITN.

After gaining immense exposure by working at various places under different situations, the versatile young entrepreneur is the proud owner of his own enterprises today.

'Bench Mark Strategic Alliance', which deals with marketing communications including advertising and public relations and 'Bench Mark E and E (Entertainment and Event Management) are the two companies he is involved with.

Mahesh is a quiet social worker. Half of what he earns is spent on the underprivileged as it is his past time. He is a man of policies. For him integrity and tolerance means engaging differences with respect and civility.

Priyantha Ekanayaka, Director and Hemantha Yatawara, Human Resources Manager of Penguin Group, Asanga Seneviratne, CEO of Asia Capital, Ananda Kasturiarachchi, his over-all Coach and G. P. Gunadasa, his school Coach were a few among many of those who has have helped him to climb the ladder.

Mahesh says he is a practical follower of Buddhist philosophy who leads a very extrovert yet simple life style.