Dr. A. Samad Ismail for decades, was a well known sportsman, promoter and prominent social worker, who used sports to promote health and was known to build relationship among sportsmen and was a well known senior citizen of Kandy, who was respected by all communities and he is the man credited with introducing hockey to the Royal Ceylon Air Force.
He started his schooling at Badulla Convent,from there he went to Uva College. When his father got a transfer to the Galle Police he attended St. Aloysius College. From there he went to Wesley College where he excelled in hockey which was his pet game. At the University he excelled in all sports.
After passing out as a doctor, he joined the Royal Ceylon Air Force, where he served as a doctor cum pilot officer. He led the Airmen at hockey and also took the game to every camp where the Airmen were housed. He was also the long time chairman of Combined Service Hockey, which is now called the Defence Services. After leaving Royal Ceylon Air Force, he took up practicing in Bandarawela and did a lot for sports.
He was a well known senior citizen of Kandy respected by all communities, one time Kandy Lions president. He was a versatile sportsman and a dedicated sports promoter. He also played cricket and took part in athletics. He was president of the Kandy District Hockey Association for many years. He was also one time president of the Kandy Association Football League and held the post for nearly ten years. It was hockey and football he loved so much and gave a big hand to both sports and helped many players to do well. When he was the president of Kandy Hockey many times schools and club nationals were held in Kandy with success. During his presidency some top players came out and they did Kandy and the country proud with their playing skills.During his presidency Football too was at top level.
He was also the president of the Kandy YMMA, during his time he promoted outdoor and indoor sports like football,hockey, table tennis, badminton, carrom and the cue sports in a big way. Kandy YMMA was one of the founders of the Billiards and Snooker Association during his time the cue sports was at its best .
He was the son of the first Muslim Serjeant-at-Arms late Mohamed Ismail . Dr. A.S Samad Ismail is no more, but his memories in the sporting, and medical field will remain forever in the minds of all those who knew him. He will not be forgotten by the sports loving public of Kandy. He is a man who promoted sports in the correct line with a true sense of sport where everyone who took up the game contributed with enthusiasm at their own expense. He left us at the age of 93 in the month of November in 2016.
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