Cpl H R Ratnayake won the war for us
 He
is known. To family, friends and comrades-at-arms. And fellow inmates at
Ranaviru Sevana. Corporal H.R. Ratnayake hails from Dambemeda, a village
located between Ratnapura and Embilipitiya. He joined the Army on May
17, 1995. He put his life on line for country and fellow citizen.
I don’t know his battlefield story. I don’t know what he left behind
when he joined the Army. I don’t know what he acquired in addition to
salary. I don’t know of the rigors of training. I know nothing of the
thoughts that crossed his mind, his hopes or his fears, the bruises and
the bleeding, the trials that make up battlefield experience, the
heroics and the grief of losing friend and comrade.
Ranaviru Sevana
All I know is that his entire world went black three years later. He
was rendered totally blind by a blast on the Paranthan-Mullaitivu Road
at approximately 1.00 am on November 29, 1998. I know that a few days
ago, Cpl Ratnayake won the National Chess Championship for the Visually
Handicapped.
He was introduced to the game by the ‘Anda Jana Seva Mandalaya’, the
authority dedicated to serving the visually handicapped, through the
good offices of the Ranaviru Sevana. This was in the year 2000. His
teacher was Mr. Sumanapala, who was a civilian blind from birth.
Now there are those who play blindfold chess. They are not visually
challenged in any way. They’ve played long enough, studied thousands
upon thousands of positions and are therefore able to visualize the 64
squares and the potential for magic therein without any difficulty. It
is different when your first encounter with the game is through touch.
In fact, thinking about it, I feel it is impossible for someone who
‘sees’ to understand how easy or difficult it is for someone who does
not. Cpl Ratnayake picked up the game. It captured his imagination. He
spent hours playing and learning. He became reasonably good at chess. He
even went to India in 2003 to participate in a 16-nation tournament,
winning four out of the seven games he played.
Epic story
I didn’t know of Cpl Ratnayake until a few months ago. I didn’t know
that there were many blind servicemen who played chess. Not until my
friend Drupathi took me to Ranaviru Sevana to show me the amazing lives
led by those who have given so much and incapacitated themselves just so
we can all live limbed, seeing, hearing, fear-free lives. It was
humbling and empowering to learn about how they overcame injury, trauma
and the shattering of life-dreams. Each servicemen at the facility has
an epic story. Each story would evoke admiration, each inspire the
nation to be more determined in efforts to validate, again and again,
the sacrifices made by the particular individual and of course those of
the thousands who have gone forever from this land and from collective
memory.
A few days before the tournament, Cpl. Ratnayake called me to clarify
something. A few days later, Drupathi called me. She was excited and
said that two young men from the Ranaviru Sevana, Ratnayake and Upul
Indrajit had made it to the semi-finals. She wanted me to talk to them.
I didn’t have much to say except a simple elaboration of ‘All the best’.
That evening, Cpl Ratnayake called me to share with me the joy of having
won the event. Indrajit finished 4th, courtesy a mis-application of
rules pertaining to time controls. Major Dushyantha Yapa, a live wire at
the Ranaviru Sevana who had helped whip up enthusiasm for the game, had
lost at an earlier stage of the tournament. I am sure they shared
Ratnayake’s joy.
Darkest days
Cpl Ratnayake, by the way, is a three time National Draughts Champion
(among the visually handicapped). Speaking strictly for me, I just
cannot imagine the effort and commitment that this young man must have
expended to learn these games, practice, develop techniques and play
well enough to emerge as champion. I can only assume that it is this
same commitment that helped this nation prevail over the world’s most
ruthless terrorist outfit and that this is exactly what will help stop
those who harbour insidious designs on our resources, labour, cultural
preferences etc. The nation knows the leaders, appreciates the
sacrifice, sweat and blood shed and so on. The political leadership too.
It is easy to celebrate the collective and necessary too. We are,
nevertheless, indebted to each and every man and woman who laboured one
way or another to bring us the peace and create the fear-free
environment we enjoy today. Cpl Ratnayake is one among many, yes, but
let’s raise a cheer to this remarkable young man, who exemplifies those
qualities that saw us through our darkest days and will save us in the
future too, as they saved our ancestors and a civilization from all
kinds of marauders in all kinds of disguises.
You’ve made your wife Surangani and your 6-year-old child proud of
you. All the rest of us are too. And so, Cpl Ratnayake, Sir, take a bow.
And may the 64 squares conjure more magic that meets the naked eye of us
lesser mortals.
www.malindawords.blogspot.com
|
