Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan who has already carved a niche in the cricketing world’s hall of fame as the highest test wicket taker is on the threshold of bidding adieu to the game through which he brought much fame and glory not only to himself but also to his Motherland during the hard times it had to endure.It is no exaggeration to say that Murali proved a strong catalyst for unifying the nation through the medium of sport, transcending ethnic boundaries and other barriers.The majority community embraced him as “our man” for the pinnacle to which he brought Sri Lanka among the cricketing world.

The lavish send off that public of Galle - a citadel of Sinhala Buddhist sentiment- is giving to him is a testament to this fact. There is no other billboard or hoarding on the Galle International Stadium at the Galle stadium except those erected in honour of the legendary off spinner.

Much platitudes and accolades have already been showered on this simple unassuming sporting icon over the years since he began turning his arm as a 19-year-old prodigy in his first test in Kandy, and there is little that one can add to these copious volumes of praise.

Suffice it to say that a proud son of Sri Lanka is about to take his bow after serving the nation with distinction. There is no gainsaying that sport is medium through which a wide range of qualities can be imbibed by the young. Among these are discipline, grit and determination to succeed. The story of Muttiah Muralitharan, the greatest bowler of them all, is one that it is hoped will inspire our younger generation especially on how to brave the odds and triumph over adversity. Sri Lanka which was hardly on the global radar a few decades ago came into world attention chiefly for two reasons. One was the country’s protracted ethnic war and the other for its cricketing prowess particularly in the era following our World Cup victory.

The ethnic war took another 15 years to end, but in the case of Murali it was almost victory after victory from the very outset when he went on to mesmerize the world’s best batsmen bringing fame and glory to the country.

One could say that there were some parallels in the careers of Murali and that of the Presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa in their determination to overcome odds and emerge victorious. Like Murali was no balled by Western Umpires to impede his career, the President too was ‘No balled’ by the self same Western interests to stymie the progress of Sri Lanka.

That they both overcame this challenge and emerged victorious to say the least is a tribute to their grit and determination and unswerving commitment towards the country.

In this context Murali’s feat cannot be considered in isolation but the Murali saga should be intertwined with nations’s struggles to overcome adversity and the challenges posed by external forces.The legendary spin wizard deserves all the honour that is conferred on him for being a catalyst of this determination. He was also a catalyst on making Sri Lankans forget all ethnic differences and the iconic adulation he currently enjoys across all sections of the community is a true testament to this unifying spirit.

It is hoped that this spirit kindled by Murali will live on and the country richer by the experience.

Get down to business

According to a news item in our inside pages in yesterday’s edition Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda had made a surprise visit to the institutions in Colombo that come under his Ministry purview. While on these visits he had come across many shortcomings that hinder production quality and the smooth functioning of these institutions.

New Ministers making surprise visits albeit with camera crews in tow is nothing new in this country, one recalls that famous picture caption some time ago of a fair Minister sweeping the platform of the Fort Railway Station soon after her induction as Transport Minister. This however woefully failed to make our railway stations the epitome of cleanliness, lending credence to the saying ‘new brooms sweep well’.

The same goes for the big ‘shows’ staged by Ministers when they assume duties in their new Ministries, that are replete with multi religious ceremonies and the partaking of kiribath tying of pirith nool and what not for what after all is only a routine exercise.At least one Minister had the good sense to dispense with these trivialities and get down to business from the word go. Of course there will be the defenders of such practices who will hold that we should observe cultural traditions.

Be that as it may it does nor appear that these multi-religious ceremonies or auspicious times have had their vibrations, considering the sorry mess in some of our Ministries particularly that overseeing the subject of health, where Dengue still reigns.