Inoki's mission

The legendary Japanese wrestler Muhammad Hussain Inoki (best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki) who is visiting Sri Lanka on the invitation of the world's oldest Buddhist Missionary Society, the Mahabodhi Society Sri Lanka, paid a courtesy call on the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Maj. Gen. (R) Syed Shakeel Hussain at the High Commission office last week.

Mahabodhi Society Sri Lanka was founded in 1891 by Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala.

Inoki, a former member of Japan›s Parliament is on a mission to revive free-style wrestling in South Asia. High Commissioner Hussain lauded Inoki's efforts in this regard. The 6.4 feet Yokohama native, Muhammad Hussain Inoki, started his professional wrestling career at the age of 17 from the Japanese Wrestling Association. From 1966 to 1972, Inoki kept switching professional wrestling careers from Japan to United States and finally joined the New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Inoki, who once competed against Muhammad Ali Clay, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Pakistan's Jhara Pehalwaan and Ric 'Nature Boy' Flair, has been rated as one of the few free style wrestles who have not confined themselves to only one form of wrestling.