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bowled over Murali
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The world's greatest spinner will finally be caught and bowled on March
21st. Traditional "Nathaswaram" music will blend harmoniously with drum
beats as the "Kettimelam" reaches a crescendo when the groom Muthiah
Muralitharan ties the "thali" around the bride Madhimalar Ramamurthy's
neck at the auspicious moment. The venue will be the Rani Meyyammai
Wedding hall in Chennai (formerly Madras) built by the famous movie
mogul AV Meiappan Chettiar (AVM).
32 year old Murali aiming to be the world's first to reach 600 test wickets
has bowled many a maiden over in his cricketing career. Madhi the 24
year old maiden who bowled him over last November in Madras will now
have him caught firmly for life.. In true Thamilian fashion "Missus"
Muralitharan will be moving to her husbands home and homeland after
marriage.
Madhimmalar Ramamurthy is the daughter of the Late Dr and Dr. Mrs.
Nitya Ramamurthy of Adaiyar in Chennai. The family owns the Malar
hospital in Adaiyar and Madhi hereself with a MBA degree is a director
there. Her father an avid Cricket fan would have been most proud of his
son in law to be. Unfortunately he passed away last year.
Many Indian journals have begun featuring Madhimalar and the
forthcoming marriage. Madhi according to Indian scribes is a bubbly
personality with a giggly temperament. She is one of three girls and the
second of twins. Her elder twin Radhimalar is a doctor and married to one
too. They are settled in Trichy. The younger sis Dhiviamalar is studying
Architecture and engaged to a medico doing higher studies in the USA.
Madhimalar did her schooling at Rosary Matriculate Convent and first
degree at the prestigious Stella Maric College. Her masters in Business
Administration is from Sathyabhama U. She is a gold medallist too.
A prominent Tamil Nadu filmstar (Vaigai) Chandrasekhar along with "Sun"
TV executive Shanmugam played cupid. Known to both families they
arranged for Murali to meet Madhi. Chandrasekhars brother in law and the
Ramamurthy's were fellow medical students and friends. This led to
Chandrasekhar himself getting close to them. "Nitya is like a sister to me
and after her husbands death last year asked me to find a husband for
Madhi. I gave it some thought and Murali came to my mind" says
Chandrasekhar.
Chandrasekhar had met Murali first through Shanmugam of "Sun".The
bond grew closer when Chandrasekhar discovered that Muralis mother
was a fan and had seen almost all movies he had acted in. She too had
asked Chandrasekhar once to look for a "ponnu" for her son in Tamil
Nadu.
So Chandrasekhar and Murali approached Murali first. He was evasive at
first saying he wanted to play cricket some more years to come. They told
him marriage wont interfere with cricket. "you can play many matches. Just
see whether this girl is a suitable match" Chandrasekhar said.
Murali agreed and flew to Chennai last November. The meeting took place
at Madhis residence in the presence of her mother Dr. Nitya, Shanmugam,
Chandrasekhar and wife.
"Within fifteen minutes I knew that Murali was willing" says Chandrasekhar
who has starred in nearly a hundred films from "Paalaivanacholai" to the
recent "Kalaignarin Kannamma". Vaigai Chandrasekhar is also a leading
functionary in the Dravida Munntera Kazghagham (DMK).
Even if not "love at first sight" it was certainly a "Love at first meet". They
spoke to each other alone for an hour and found themselves compatible.
The vivacious Madhi was impressed tremendously by Murali's charm and
simplicity. " He was a down to earth, plain talking person without any sign
of vanity. He was not like a VIP at all and very easy to talk to" says Madhi
shyly. " What I liked most in him was his eversmiling face. Such people are
very easy to get along with. I felt very comfortable with him from the start"
she says giggling.
And Murali? "He seemed relieved that I did not know anything about
cricket. I think he wants to talk about a lot of other things not cricket with
his life partner" Madhi replies with her trademark giggle.. But Madhi is now
reading up voraciously on cricket. Soon Poor Murali may find her
discussing the finer points of the dhoosra. Who knows she could have the
last word on whether Murali chucks or not!
After this meeting Murali's mother went to Madras in December and met
her prospective daughter in law. They got on famously. Murali's mom
presented Madhi a diamond ring. According to Madhi she has a superb
relationship with her future mother in law and talk to each other on the
phone daily.
Murali met her again in Chennai and had a frank discussion. According to
Madhi the ace spinner unburdened his future plans with her. He told her of
his cricketing objectives, when he planned to retire and what he proposed
to do thereafter. He then posed a direct question whether she could
sacrifice and make compromises to live with him in Sri Lanka? That she
was and how! Their fate was sealed then and there!
"It was a very happy day for us that December when Murali announced
that they will be getting married" said Madhi's mother Dr. Nitya. Her only
regret was that her husband was not there. "He was a great Cricket fan
and will go for all test matches on the final day. He was Murali's fan too."
she says.
Madhi and her mother were in Sri Lanka around last Christmas. They were
planning to visit Galle with Murali on the day of the tsunami. They were
warned to keep away from Galle by Murali's secretary.
Mother and daughter saw at first hand the immense social service done by
Murali and family to help the tsunami victim and were happy though Murali
had no time for them."We saw truckloads of biscuits being taken from their
biscuit (Luckyland) factory to the tsunami ravaged areas" they say.
Murali is the eldest of four sons. So Madhi will be "Anni" to all others. None
of the brothers are married.
Madhi is fond of reading. " I read everything and anything" she says.
Nowadays she is focussing on cricket, cricketers and cricket history.
Another of her interests is psychology. One hobby is to psycho - analyse
people. Wow! Soon she may be able to tell us why the Aussie umpires
suck!
What about her hospital? " I will be in Sri Lanka keeping abreast of it. It will
be a case of macromanagement" .
Will there be a conflict of interests? Who will she cheer for when India
plays Sri Lanka? " Why my husband and his team of course" emphasises
Madhi. So too does the Mother. " In our case it is family first. So it will be
for Murali and his team" she endorses.
The wedding will be low - key because of Dr. Ramamurthy's death and the
tsunami. Yet Muralis team mates will all be there. So too will be the man
who stood by him in the face of many controversies. " Captain Cool "
Arjuna Ranatunga will be one of the attesting witnesses.
Recently some racist Sri Lankan expatriates living down under commenced
a dirty mud slinging campaign against Murali. He handled it with grace and
dignity.
Murali also scored greatly by teaming up with his Cricketing arch rival
Shane Warne in raising funds for tsunami victims. Now he is embarking on
another great venture.
More than two decades ago a Sri Lankan damsel Shyamala Wenceslaus
married a top Indian sportsman Vijay Amirtharaj of Tennis fame; Now an
Indian bride is tying the knot with a top Sri Lankan sportsman.
Congratulations and best wishes to Murali and Madhi."Vaalthukkal"
"Nalvaravu" (welcome) to Sri Lanka "Thirumathi" .Madhimalar
Muralitharan! Varuha!! Varuha!!! [The Sunday Leader]
to toughest test [BBC]
The internationally
known Sri Lankan
cricket superstar,
Muttiah Muralitharan,
has been helping in
the post tsunami
reconstruction effort.
and caught by
Chennai girl
TamilWeek, Feb 13, 2005
ravaged Tamil Town
TamilWeek, Nov 28, 2004
(welcome)
to Sri Lanka
"Thirumathi"
Madhimalar
Muralitharan!
Varuha!!
Varuha!!!
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