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After participating at the opening ceremony of the 34th Sri Lanka Junior Badminton Championships at the Royal College Sports Complex on September 22, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse recalled the 'Badminton Revolution of 1971' and the role of "that humble teacher of Dharmasoka, Ambalangoda - Ariyadasa Silva - who dedicated his life to make Sri Lankan Badminton what it is today."

Referring to the officials of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association, the Sri Lanka Schools Badminton Association and the 5,000 odd participants as "the Children of the Badminton Revolution of 1971", Prime Minister Rajapakse went on to recall the history of badminton in Sri Lanka and the pivotal role of the late Ariyadasa Silva of Ambalangoda, now a legend in the sporting annals of our country.

Prime Minister Rajapakse recounted how "in 1971 the late Ariyadasa Silva of Ambalangoda embarked on his crusade of taking badminton to rural schools in all parts of the country.

Ari, as he was fondly known, was in political life a Marxist revolutionary. And in the world of sports too, he was a revolutionary - but of a different kind. The legendary Ari who ushered in the 'Badminton Revolution of 1971' by promoting the game with the zeal of a leftist political activist, was a man who has never played a game of badminton in his life or held a badminton racquet in his hand."

Recollecting the almost forgotten facets of the history of badminton in Sri Lanka, he went on to say that "It was in the late fifties or perhaps the early sixties that Ari who was then undergoing training as an English teacher at the Maharagama Training College, was taken - for the first time - to watch a game of badminton at the Colombo YMCA by his brother - the late Mahinda Silva - himself a legend in the public service for his integrity, honesty, simplicity and dedication, a Marxist by conviction - the 'alter ego' of the late Hector Kobbekaduwa, the father of Sri Lanka's Land Reform."

With his penchant for details, especially when describing past events, the Prime Minister recalled that "by 1964 or thereabouts, Ari had introduced badminton to Dharmasoka, Ambalangoda, where he worked as an English teacher.

In 1965 he was victimised for working for the LSSP candidate at Ambalangoda, and abruptly transferred to Richmond College in Galle where I too had my early education. Ari is still described as the 'greatest gift the UNP has ever made to Richmond'. He introduced badminton to his new school almost with a sense of political vengeance, and from 1966 for five years in a row, Richmond won the Schools Badminton Championship."

Describing the run up to the badminton revolution in 1971, the Prime Minister pointed out that by 1970 thanks to the legendary Ari, badminton was played in 2 outstation schools - Dharmasoka and Richmond.

The change of government in 1970 saw Ari back in his element - now enjoying all the freedom he needed to start his badminton revolution. And it was in 1971 or thereabout that Ari the revolutionary embarked on his mission of taking badminton to the rural schools in the nooks and corners of the island with a sense of purpose and dedication unparalleled in the history of our sports in out country.

Ari kept his base at Richmond for the next 7 years or so. And it was from this base at Richmond Galle that he launched his badminton revolution. His comrade - in - arms at Richmond during Ari's difficult years of UNP rule - that well known educationist and nationalist D. G. Welikala - was soon the principal of Royal and president of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association as well. With his strong support and the unqualified backing of another great educationist Dr. Premadasa Udugama secretary of that period Ari was back in action.

Tracing the history of the Sri Lanka Junior National Championships, the Prime Minister stated as follows: "The first Ceylon Junior National Championship was organised when I was still a little child - in 1956. But you may judge its scope and popularity from the fact that it was played in the back garden of the late E. R. S. R. Coomaraswamy's home in Chitra Lane. Yes, this is absolutely true. And a handful of children participated from 4 or 5 Colombo schools at best.

Even on the eve of Ariyadasa Silva's 'badminton revolution', - that is, in 1970 - the National Junior Championships had only about 75-100 participants from just 10 or 12 schools. The next year - 1971 - saw the first impact of Ari's single-minded mission. He spent the year travelling to all parts of the island, and at the end of 1971 the National Junior Championships had, I am told, more than 500 participants from 30 schools."

He went on to state that "in this way the numbers went on increasing, year after year. And today, I am told, you have more than 5,000 participants from more than 140 schools. I do not think there is any other sport in Sri Lanka that has expanded so widely and so rapidly in such a limited period of time. I don't think we are wrong to assume that the Sri Lanka Junior National Badminton Tournament records the largest number of participants in any sport in the island."

He concluded by expressing the view that "in the world of Sri Lankan sports, this is indeed a great achievement. The Sri Lankan Badminton Association (SLBA) and the Sri Lankan Schools Badminton Association (SLSBA) must take the credit for harnessing and sustaining the dividends of the 'Badminton Revolution of 1971' and taking such meaningful steps for the further development of the game."

The Prime Minister was full of praise for the Minister of Sports, Jeewan Kumaratunga, for his commitment to the further development of badminton in the country. He spoke of how Minister Kumaratunga is working on a plan to establish an indoor stadium in each and every district, and after that in each and very electorate, for the implementation of which the Prime Minister extends to him his fullest support and cooperation.

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