Recognising M.C.A. Cader’s contribution to volleyball in Sri Lanka

At 88 years, M.C.A. Cader is possibly Sri Lanka’s most senior volleyball player and administrator in the country. Now well into his retirement and leading a quiet life, he reminisces on the active role he played in playing and promoting Sri Lanka’s national game.

He has the unique record of being the secretary of four districts – Hatton, Tangalle, Kandy and Colombo and the Government Services Volleyball associations. 

He was elected to the Ceylon Volleyball Federation as a member of the committee in 1953. This federation was inaugurated in 1951 with Late Major T.F. Jayawardena as President. After holding various positions Cader was elected as the Senior Vice President in 1975, of the All Ceylon Volleyball Federation.

Cader inaugurated the Hatton District Volleyball Association in 1951 and was its first secretary. From 1953 to 1956 he functioned as Joint Secretary of the Kandy district Volleyball Association.

Promoting foreign teams to visit the then Ceylon

It was due to his efforts that a foreign volleyball team was seen in the Hill Capital for the first time in 1953 i.e. the Madras state Volleyball team. When the Colombo district Volleyball Association was formed in 1957, Cader was elected as the Joint Secretary and continued till 1962. It was due to his that the Colombo district Volleyball team toured India in 1960 with Cader as the Manager of the team.

From 1959 to 1962 he functioned as the Joint Secretary of the Government Services Volleyball Association. He was also the Joint Secretary of the All Ceylon Volleyball Referees Association for a period of 10 years from 1965 to 1975. In the year 1968 he inaugurated the Tangalle District Volleyball Association. He was one of the members who represented the Ceylon Volleyball Federation at Ceylon Olympic and Common Wealth Games Association.

Flashback 1960: North Indian Tour by Colombo District Volleyball Association

For 31 years he was the Joint Manager of the team and Hony. Joint Secretary of the Colombo and Tangalle district Volleyball Associations. He was also an executive committee member of the Ceylon Volleyball Federation and member of the committee of Management of the Government Service Volleyball League, Soccer Secretary of the Municipal Sports Club and the Government Service Sports Society. He was also Secretary of the Hatton District (1952-1953) and Kandy District (1953-1955) Associations and was attached to the Municipal Passenger Transport Department.

Former sports promoter and veteran trade unionist in the local Government sector, M.C.A. Cader was elected as the Joint Secretary of the All Ceylon Moors Association, a pioneer Muslim organisation at its 77th AGM held recently. Cader’s activities spanned a period of nearly three decades.