14 Facts About Mahadevan Sathasivam

Mahadevan Sathasivam was the first, and probably the only, man to captain three national teams.

Mahadevan Sathasivam was captain of the Ceylon team in 1948, and then captain of the Singapore team, and finally captain of the Malaysian team.

Mahadevan Sathasivam was accused and acquitted of murdering his wife, which gained much attention in Ceylon.

Mahadevan Sathasivam married Paripoornam Anandam Rajendra, younger daughter of Mr and Mrs Ramanathan Rajendra, a granddaughter of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan in 1941.

Mahadevan Sathasivam started his cricketing career in his school days, playing for St Joseph's and later for Wesley College until 1937.

Mahadevan Sathasivam then played in the club level matches, playing for the Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club and later captained its team.

Mahadevan Sathasivam first played for Ceylon in 1945, when international matches started with visiting teams after the end of the war.

In 1951, Mahadevan Sathasivam was arrested and accused of murdering his wife Paripoornam Ananda Rajendra, who was found dead at her garage adjacent to the kitchen on 9 October 1951.

Mahadevan Sathasivam was acquitted after a twenty-month sensational trial, having spent twenty-months in remand prison.

Mahadevan Sathasivam stood trial before a special jury at the Assizes Court of the Western Province, presided over by Justice Noel Gratiaen.

Mahadevan Sathasivam was acquitted by a unanimous verdict and three prosecution witnesses were sentenced to jail for perjury in addition to the conviction of their servant, 18 year old Hewa Marambage William.

The jury deliberated only a little and acquitted Mahadevan Sathasivam and convicted William.

Mahadevan Sathasivam later married Yvonne Stevenson in London, they had three children.

Mahadevan Sathasivam settled in Singapore where he captained its cricket team, and then later, after that island's merger with its northern neighbour, Mahadevan Sathasivam led the Malaysian team as well.