Latest news with #ArjunMenon
CNA
15-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Singaporean cricket coach killed in Malawi was a 'gentle giant' who touched the lives of many, friends say
SINGAPORE: It was cricket that brought Mr Arjun Menon and his neighbour, Mr Sean Gerard, together as friends. When the then-teenagers met for the first time, Mr Menon had wickets in his hands. He invited Mr Gerard and his friends to play a game of cricket, and the pair would go on to play with the Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) together. Now, it is the memories of playing cricket together that Mr Gerard, a CEO of a digital agency, holds closely to his heart. "Arjun was the pillar of our team. He was our wicketkeeper, and you could see he was so passionate about the game," he said. Mr Menon was killed in his residence in Blantyre, Malawi, last Friday night (May 9). The 48-year-old was the coach of Malawi's national cricket team and had played five senior matches for Singapore's national team before moving to Australia in 1999. A SMILE THAT WOULD LIGHT UP ANY ROOM Despite spending parts of his career abroad, Mr Menon always made time for everybody, said Mr Anthony Lourdes, who is based in New Zealand and works as a residential youth worker. The two were schoolmates in St Patrick's School, but only got close by playing football together as part of the school's alumni team in the last ten years. Whenever Mr Menon would visit Singapore, the group of friends would get together to play football and go out for drinks. "Everyone always had the nicest thing to say about him, because that's how he was," he said. "Every time he walked into a room, he smiled … and he would light up any room." Mr Menon brought different groups of friends from football, cricket and St Patrick's School together. "So many of us have moved, you know, thousands of miles away, but (Mr Menon) connected all of us in this very, very big way," said Mr Ashley Nonis, who met Mr Menon in St Patrick's School. "He's a larger-than-life character, literally, I would describe as a gentle giant." "GAVE HIS WHOLE LIFE" TO CRICKET Mr Menon always gave and "never expected anything in return", Mr Nonis added. His passion for cricket ran deep, despite the lack of infrastructure and progression for such a career in Singapore, he said. Mr Menon had followed in his late coach Grant Stanley's footsteps to become the national coach of the men's team from 2015 to 2019. In 2017, he led the team to win a historic gold at Twenty20 cricket at the Southeast Asian Games. "He gave his whole life to it, and he travelled the road less taken," said Mr Nonis. Beyond cricket, Mr Menon was always thinking about ways to give back. For Mr Jeremy Lim, who knew Mr Menon since they were 13, what he will miss the most about Mr Menon is their conversations, he said. "When guys get together, it's always about banter. It's always about having a laugh," said the marketing sales director. "But when I sit down with Arjun, it's always about how we can get better. How can we make the world a better place?" Over the past five years, Mr Menon led charity initiatives in Vietnam in a joint effort with other members of the alumni football team. They would buy sports gear and food, and raise funds for orphans there, Mr Lim said. KINDNESS REMEMBERED Above all, friends of Mr Menon whom CNA spoke to, echoed the same sentiment that he was kind. Mr Nonis, who works in automotive sales, fondly recalled when he first joined the alumni football team. He did not have a jersey yet, so Mr Menon - the team's goalkeeper - offered his. "Till today, I wear that same jersey every time I play," he said, adding that he would score a "couple of goals" in it. "So it's really emotional because … our lives are so intertwined, and he was a large part of me growing up." Mr Nonis added that he "cannot imagine" Mr Menon as someone who would have any enemies. "It's ridiculous," he said about the killing. "I just can't understand why anyone would do this." For Mr Gerard, Mr Menon was a "gentleman and a legend". He recalled the pranks Mr Menon would play on him as kids, including a time he pranked him with fake blood. "He was a prankster, and he would have a huge, hearty laugh," he said. "And he would tell stories to everyone," he said, adding that loyalty and friendship were "above everything else" to Mr Menon. CELEBRATING HIS LIFE On Monday, SCA held a minute of silence for Mr Menon before its National League matches at the Singapore National Cricket Ground and Ceylon Sports Club. "Arjun was more than a coach; he was a mentor, leader and an embodiment of Singaporean values of excellence, humility, and service," SCA said. Mr Menon's family is set to hold a memorial on May 31. The family has declined to comment at this time. For Mr Lim, the date weighs extra heavily as it was when he had planned to meet Mr Menon in Africa. He had planned a trip with his family to visit Zimbabwe, Johannesburg and Botswana. Mr Menon had helped to vet their itinerary, he said. "He was going to come all the way (from Malawi) just to hang out for a couple of days. So that's the kind of guy he is." Moving forward, his friends hope to honour him through his love for sport.
CNA
14-05-2025
- CNA
Murdered cricket coach was a 'gentle giant' who touched the lives of many, friends say
SINGAPORE: It was cricket that brought Mr Arjun Menon and his neighbour, Mr Sean Gerard, together as friends. When the then-teenagers met for the first time, Mr Menon had wickets in his hands. He invited Mr Gerard and his friends to play a game of cricket, and the pair would go on to play with the Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) together. Now, it is the memories of playing cricket together that Mr Gerard, a CEO of a digital agency, holds closely to his heart. "Arjun was the pillar of our team. He was our wicketkeeper, and you could see he was so passionate about the game," he said. Mr Menon was murdered in his residence in Blantyre, Malawi, last Friday night (May 9). The 48-year-old was the coach of Malawi's national cricket team and had played five senior matches for Singapore's national team before moving to Australia in 1999. A SMILE THAT WOULD LIGHT UP ANY ROOM Despite spending parts of his career abroad, Mr Menon always made time for everybody, said Mr Anthony Lourdes, who is based in New Zealand and works as a residential youth worker. The two were schoolmates in St Patrick's School, but only got close by playing football together as part of the school's alumni team in the last ten years. Whenever Mr Menon would visit Singapore, the group of friends would get together to play football and go out for drinks. "Everyone always had the nicest thing to say about him, because that's how he was," he said. "Every time he walked into a room, he smiled … and he would light up any room." Mr Menon brought different groups of friends from football, cricket and St Patrick's School together. "So many of us have moved, you know, thousands of miles away, but (Mr Menon) connected all of us in this very, very big way," said Mr Ashley Nonis, who met Mr Menon in St Patrick's School. "He's a larger-than-life character, literally, I would describe as a gentle giant." "GAVE HIS WHOLE LIFE" TO CRICKET Mr Menon always gave and "never expected anything in return", Mr Nonis added. His passion for cricket ran deep, despite the lack of infrastructure and progression for such a career in Singapore, he said. Mr Menon had followed in his late coach Grant Stanley's footsteps to become the national coach of the men's team from 2015 to 2019. In 2017, he led the team to win a historic gold at Twenty20 cricket at the Southeast Asian Games. "He gave his whole life to it, and he travelled the road less taken," said Mr Nonis. Beyond cricket, Mr Menon was always thinking about ways to give back. For Mr Jeremy Lim, who knew Mr Menon since they were 13, what he will miss the most about Mr Menon is their conversations, he said. "When guys get together, it's always about banter. It's always about having a laugh," said the marketing sales director. "But when I sit down with Arjun, it's always about how we can get better. How can we make the world a better place?" Over the past five years, Mr Menon led charity initiatives in Vietnam in a joint effort with other members of the alumni football team. They would buy sports gear and food, and raise funds for orphans there, Mr Lim said. KINDNESS REMEMBERED Above all, friends of Mr Menon whom CNA spoke to, echoed the same sentiment that he was kind. Mr Nonis, who works in automotive sales, fondly recalled when he first joined the alumni football team. He did not have a jersey yet, so Mr Menon - the team's goalkeeper - offered his. "Till today, I wear that same jersey every time I play," he said, adding that he would score a "couple of goals" in it. "So it's really emotional because … our lives are so intertwined, and he was a large part of me growing up." Mr Nonis added that he "cannot imagine" Mr Menon as someone who would have any enemies. "It's ridiculous," he said about the murder. "I just can't understand why anyone would do this." For Mr Gerard, Mr Menon was a "gentleman and a legend". He recalled the pranks Mr Menon would play on him as kids, including a time he pranked him with fake blood. "He was a prankster, and he would have a huge, hearty laugh," he said. "And he would tell stories to everyone," he said, adding that loyalty and friendship were "above everything else" to Mr Menon. CELEBRATING HIS LIFE On Monday, SCA held a minute of silence for Mr Menon before its National League matches at the Singapore National Cricket Ground and Ceylon Sports Club. "Arjun was more than a coach; he was a mentor, leader and an embodiment of Singaporean values of excellence, humility, and service," SCA said. Mr Menon's family is set to hold a memorial on May 31. The family has declined to comment at this time. For Mr Lim, the date weighs extra heavily as it was when he had planned to meet Mr Menon in Africa. He had planned a trip with his family to visit Zimbabwe, Johannesburg and Botswana. Mr Menon had helped to vet their itinerary, he said. "He was going to come all the way (from Malawi) just to hang out for a couple of days. So that's the kind of guy he is." Moving forward, his friends hope to honour him through his love for sport. "The idea, I think, is to now organise something for him once a year, just in his memory," said Mr Lim. "We'll play football, do something with cricket guys, and celebrate him."
AsiaOne
13-05-2025
- Sport
- AsiaOne
His legacy lives on: Singapore's cricket community mourns coach Arjun Menon who was 'brutally murdered' in Malawi, Singapore News
Singapore's cricket fraternity mourned former national cricketer and coach Arjun Menon who was "brutally murdered" on Saturday (May 10) night at his residence in Malawi, Africa. On Monday (May 12), Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) members held a minute of silence in his memory before the start of the national league matches. "His legacy lives on in the players he shaped and the communities he uplifted across continents," the association said in an earlier Facebook post on Sunday. In the same post, SCA expressed 'profound sadness' at his passing. The association said that Menon's career reflected his 'unwavering dedication' to the development of cricket, both at home and abroad. 'A passionate ambassador for Singapore cricket, he carried the Singapore flag with pride wherever he coached. And Malawi, where he passed on, was the beneficiary of his cricket contribution,' the post said. Menon, 48, was coach for Malawi's national cricket team for five years and played a crucial role in the team's international success which led to three accolades during the Malawi Sports Awards. In a Facebook post on March 1, Menon said clinching the awards was an "extremely proud moment" for him as the Head of Cricket operations at Cricket Malawi. The Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) described Menon as a "dedicated coach" and a "passionate advocate for the development of cricket", adding that they "strongly condemn this heartless act of violence". Reports said that Menon was allegedly "attacked by thugs" in the city of Blantyre, although the cause of death is still unknown. Cricket origins The SCA added that Menon was a "talented wicketkeeper" who started his cricket journey in St. Patrick's School. As a student there in 1993, he was part of the Singapore Schoolboys Cricket tour to Perth, he had shared on Facebook on March 20. He was "smitten" by the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) ground, and told his teammates he would love to work there one day. He found himself working there 14 years later. He added: "That trip and that particular day kneeling on the WACA ground having this photo taken set the course for me of where I find myself today." Menon's cricket legacy in Singapore Having represented Singapore both as a junior and senior player, he returned as a coach after pursuing his degree. He coached numerous national teams in countries such as Chile, Botswana, Indonesia and Malawi, but still "remained deeply connected" to Singapore, SCA said. In 2017, Menon led the Singapore national team to a historic gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games. In an interview with Straits Times, Menon said it was "one of the proudest moments in my life singing Majulah Singapura as I watched our nation's flag hoisted above the rest during the medal ceremony". [[nid:717373]]
CNA
13-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Cricket community mourns Singapore coach who was 'brutally murdered' in Malawi
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) on Monday (May 12) held a minute of silence for Mr Arjun Menon, a Singaporean cricket player and coach who was killed in Malawi last week. Mr Menon was the coach of Malawi's national cricket team. According to the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS), he was 'brutally murdered' at his residence in Malawi on Friday night. 'MNCS is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic and untimely death of Mr Arjun Menon,' said Dr Henry MS Kamata, CEO of MNCS, in a statement on Facebook. 'As sports council, we strongly condemn this heartless act of violence and urge law enforcement authorities to pursue all leads to ensure that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice.' On Monday, SCA held a minute of silence for Mr Menon before its National League matches at the Singapore National Cricket Ground and Ceylon Sports Club. In an earlier Facebook post on Saturday, the association had expressed 'profound sadness' at Mr Menon's death. Mr Menon's career reflected his 'unwavering dedication' to the development of cricket, both at home and abroad, it wrote. 'A passionate ambassador for Singapore cricket, he carried the Singapore flag with pride wherever he coached. And Malawi, where he passed on, was the beneficiary of his cricket contribution.' IN MEMORY OF Mr. Arjun Menon. Players, match officials and umpries today held a minute of silence in memory of late Mr.... Posted by Singapore Cricket Association on Monday, May 12, 2025 'MORE THAN A COACH' According to the SCA, Mr Menon's cricket journey began at Saint Patrick's School, where he discovered his love for the sport. A talented wicketkeeper, he went on to represent Singapore at the youth level before making his senior debut against the United Arab Emirates in Malaysia. He played five senior matches for Singapore's national team before moving to Australia in 1999 to pursue a degree. The association described Mr Menon's coaching legacy as 'immense', noting that he led national teams in Chile, Botswana, Indonesia and Malawi. 'But (he) always remained deeply connected to his roots and love for Singapore,' it added. From 2015 to 2019, Mr Menon served in key coaching and development roles within the SCA, including as head coach of the national men's team. In 2017, he led the country to a historic gold medal win in Twenty20 (T20) cricket at the Southeast Asian Games. In 2020, he became the operations manager for Cricket Malawi. He also took on coaching duties, guiding the country's national team at the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier A. Describing him as a 'dedicated coach' and 'passionate advocate' for cricket's development in Malawi, Dr Kamata said Mr Menon's contributions to the sport were 'immense and far-reaching'. 'His commitment, professionalism and vision were truly inspirational, and his loss is a devastating blow to the entire sporting fraternity in Malawi and beyond.' SCA noted that Mr Menon remained a proud Singaporean even while he was overseas, often crediting Singapore's cricketing journey as the inspiration for his global work. 'Arjun was more than a coach; he was a mentor, leader and an embodiment of Singaporean values of excellence, humility, and service. 'His legacy lives on in the players he shaped and the communities he uplifted across continents.'
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Top Cricket Malawi official dies after 'heartless violence'
Malawian cricket is in mourning after the death of top official Arjun Menon on Saturday night.A statement from the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) said that the 48-year-old had been "brutally murdered" at his residence in police in the Southern African nation are yet to issue a statement following Menon's a wicketkeeper who represented Singapore five times at senior level, was the operations manager of Cricket chief executive Dr Henry Kamata said Menon's contributions to the sport were "immense and far-reaching" and that he had played a "pivotal role" in the growth and success of the national side."We strongly condemn this heartless act of violence and urge law enforcement authorities to pursue all leads to ensure that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice," Dr Kamata added in a statement posted on social media."We extend our heartfelt condolences to Arjun's family, friends, the cricket community, and all those affected by this tragic loss."Menon had previously coached Singapore and also had stints in Chile, Botswana and Indonesia."Arjun was more than a coach; he was a mentor, leader, and an embodiment of Singaporean values of excellence, humility, and service," a statement from the Singapore Cricket Association said."His legacy lives on in the players he shaped and the communities he uplifted across continents."
