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Murali gives scholarships for children

BATTICALOA (Sri Lanka): Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan visited the island’s tsunami-ravaged eastern province Monday to distribute scholarships to hundreds of children who became orphans in the December tsunami disaster.

Muralitharan, the only minority Tamil player on the national cricket team, gave away Sri Lanka Cricket-sponsored scholarships to 214 children from two eastern districts, at the Tamil-majority Batticaloa town 220 kilometres (136 miles) east of Colombo. The scholarship packages include monthly cash allowances for education until the children reach 18 years of age, provision of medical insurance, school uniforms and equipment.

“Children are the future of our nation, it is important that we help them in every way,” Muralitharan told reporters. “It is wonderful to be here, the reception I received here has been very good.” Sri Lanka Cricket hopes to help 1,000 orphans under its “Cricket Aid” scheme and the country’s highest profile sportsmen are helping the cause.

Muralitharan, who held the Test record for most wickets until he injured his shoulder last year and was overhauled by Australia’s Shane Warne, has been working in tsunami-ravaged areas since the devastating waves hit Sri Lanka. “You can never feel tired of doing these things,” said Muralitharan, who is also an ambassador for the World Food program.

School children and visitors mobbed Muralitharan to get autographs and to shake hands at St. Michael’s School basketball court on Monday, forcing organisers to shuffle the bowler into the school office to continue his work. According to official estimates about 1,000 children have lost both their parents. Under the “Cricket Aid” project, Sri Lanka Cricket is providing food, shelter, medication and counseling for tsunami survivors and plans to build four villages in different parts of the country. ap

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