Batting For Peace! MPL aims to promote Peace, Harmony & Goodwill through Cricket
Batting For Peace! Mangalore Premier League (MPL) aims to promote Peace, Harmony & Goodwill through Cricket, with the motto ” Let’s Get United Through Cricket”! Ten teams will fight for glory in this mega event, starting from 20 March until 1 April 2018.
Mangaluru: The three significant roles of cricket in establishing peace and harmony are: 1) Cricket teams when they visit many places where games are played, they come in contact with various cricket fans and attendants. This exchange of visits helps in bringing communities closer. 2) Cricket provides a platform for the people of different communities to exchange their culture and way of life, to promote understanding and fellow-feeling and establish a harmonious relation. 3) Cricket serves as a patron of world peace. Cricket matches are telecasted on the T.V. networks and through various forms of media. People can see the same scene and sights as well as share the same thrill and sensation all over. This fosters emotional and psychological unity and brings the people of the world, nation and town closer which is necessary to maintain world peace and harmony.
Following on the same concept as mentioned above, the committee members of Mangalore Premier League have once again decided to host their 4th Cricket Tournament, but this time with a strong message of bringing awareness on Peace, Harmony and Goodwill in the community, since there have been too many clashes, disharmony, unrest, murders etc in the name of religion and culture. Sporting events apart from promoting sports and games, also serve as a launching pad in promoting peace and harmony and impressed upon the organizers to hold tournaments with the same objective. With that belief, MPL organizers are hoping for the best to make a difference and bring a change in the society with peace, harmony and goodwill, with the motto-“Let’s Get United Through Cricket!”
At the “Gala Meet” held at Hotel Goldfinch-Mangaluru on Saturday, 3 February, between the organizers and Cricket Team owners, a interaction was held with the media pertaining to the forthcoming “MPL Cricket Tournament” which will commence from March 20-April 1, 2018, played at the Dr B R Ambedkar Stadium, Panambur-Mangaluru. The mega event will be jointly organized by the Brand Vision Events Management Company, Mangalore Occasionals Club and Sea Bird Cricket Academy-Mangaluru- and also with backing from the Karnataka State Cricket Association-Mangalore Zone, under the leadership of Convener Manohar Amin.
Prior to the interaction with the media personnel, the organizers had a meeting with the cricket team owners from 5pm-7pm. The Teams owners present at the ‘Gala Meet ‘ were- Maestro Titans ( Owners-MLC Ivan D’Souza and Canyut Fernandes ); ‘The Coastal Digest (Mohammed Dawood, Mohammed Azaruddin and Asif); ‘Karkala Gladiators’ (Avinah Rao); ‘Bedra Bulls-Moodabidri ‘ (Mithun Rai-President Youth Congress); A K Sports-Udupi (Sheesh Mohammed); Wise Warriors Suralpady (Addu Majid); Mangalore United (MLA Moideen Bava); United Ullal (Minister U T Khader and Ismail); Classic Bantwal (Minister Ramanath Rai and Hamza Dejepadi); Ali Warriors (Ali Aspaq Tara); and T4 Super Kings (Marcel Noronha ands Macneal Noronha-the Dad and Son duo)
MPL Cricket Tournament Certificates were handed over to the owners during the occasion, by the dignitaries on the dais namely- Sandalwood Actress Bhavana, MLA Moideen Bava and Mithun Rai. Addressing the gathering Mithun Rai said, ” If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress” had said former president of USA Barack Obama- and for that matter the duo behind MPL, Sirajuddin and Imthiaz have walked so many miles in the right path in making MPL reach greater heights through their efforts and dedication. And also Manohar Amin of KSCA has been the guiding force behind the MPL tournament. Decades ago we used to play cricket, but now cricket has advanced with modern facilities. In Mangaluru, cricket is in the blood and pulse of each individual, and therefore we should promote cricket to the highest level. And also through cricket, we should also promote peace and harmony in the society, since we have been haunted by many murders, clashes and so on. If we make up our minds we can bring a change – let’s do it through cricket for peace, harmony and goodwill”.
Manohar Amin addressing the gathering said that KSCA will lend their full support to the MPL cricket tournament, during the 12 days tenure. “I am glad that youngsters like Mithun Rai are backing up this event. MPL other than KPL league is one of the well-organized league in the state. Mangaluru has great potential to come up in Cricket, having produced many star cricketers. We need help from the government, and Mangaluru needs a good stadium very badly, so that young cricketers can reach greater heights to become the players of Indian Team. We need at least 10-15 acres of land to construct a stadium- and if we get this land provided by the govt, we can immediately start the project. Let us hope for the best”.
Sandalwood actress Bhavana also speaking during the occasion said, “We need to compliment MPL organizers for providing a platform for young cricketers to unleash their hidden cricket talents. Although I am not a cricketer but an ardent fan and I know much about it. I have a close relationship with Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada. The people here are well-educated and intelligent, but sadly these days the district is making headlines for negative news, especially murders which later turn communal. I cannot understand why the people of Mangaluru are tolerating such things. Why are they not speaking up?” Also through cricket, we need to promote peace and harmony. Let us make a change in this beautiful and peace-loving coastal region, rather than make a war zone due to some bad elements and miscreants.”
MLA Moideen Bava addressing the audience said, ” I am a great cricket lover, and I love it so much I formed my own team “United Cricketers”, with an intention to bring communities united together to create peace, harmony and goodwill in the society. Cricket should play an important role in bringing awareness about peace and harmony. Lately, there have been unrest and communal disharmony in the society because of a few hate mongers and peace breakers. We need to get united and bring a stop to such communal tensions in the society. I know that Mangaluru is in badly need of a Cricket stadium, and I have been closely monitoring the proceedings in trying a get a suitable land for a stadium in this city. We need your support for this project to be materialized”.
The meeting was graced by Sirajuddin- MPL Chairman, Imthiaz Ahmed- MPL Convener; Balakrishna Parkala, and Sashidar Kodikal- both Coordinators. The players auction will be held on 18 February 2018 at the Forum Fiza Mall-Mangaluru.