Salute to a twice blessed soldier

As Sri Lanka’s main contingent who took part in the London Olympics Games 2012 returned to the island empty handed, representing Sri Lanka in the Paralympics 2012 at the same venue was a true son of Sri Lanka Pradeep Sanjaya. He made every Sri Lankan proud by winning a bronze Medal in the 400 metres event.

After Duncan White and evergreen Susanthika Jayasinghe made the Lion Flag flutter at Olympic Stadiums, this brave soldier who had sacrificed his limbs towards the liberation of our motherland arrived at the BIA proudly having in mind that “I contributed with flesh and blood to see my country free from terrorism and now I made the nation cheer my achievement”. Earlier it was Nagalingam Ethirweerasingham, Lucian Benedict Rosa, W. Wimaladasa, Marathon Karu, Damayanthi Dharsha, Kosala Sahabandu to name a few though they failed to win medals at Olympics represented the country with distinction and devoted a great deal to keep our tiny island in the focus of the world.

Getting back to the soldier who was the recipient of a medal, when he set foot on the track at the starting point he would have whispered to himself ‘Never fight for survival but for victory’.

The tough and disciplined training he received from the Army would have helped Sanjaya to search for victory until he reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

Pradeep was never in the focus until he won the medal. A very soft spoken young man - trained silently with the advice and guidance of his superiors and made the nation stand up and cheer as one unit for the precious gift presented by him to his Mother Sri Lanka.

We as citizens were not fortunate enough to view Sanjaya’s achievement live, but the press played a big role in publishing your victory in grand style.

It would be a life time memory for Sanjaya and his family to be felicitated by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and could be considered a twice blessed event since he was fortunate to get a double promotion as an Army Sergeant.

Mother Lanka would have shed tears of joy to see this promising young soldier who made her proud twice by liberating her from blood thirsty terrorists and winning the first ever medal to place himself in the annals of Sri Lanka’s Paralympics history. Lakshman Ranasinghe

Nawala