Former Australia batter Damien Martyn “Miraculously” comes out of coma, likely to get out of ICU
Former Australia batter Damien Martyn has shown significant improvement after being treated for meningitis, with doctors bringing him out of an induced coma, offering relief to his family, friends and the cricketing fraternity.
The positive update was shared by close friend and former teammate Adam Gilchrist, who has been in regular contact with Martyn’s partner, Amanda, and his family. Martyn is currently undergoing treatment at the Gold Coast University Hospital, where he was admitted after falling ill on Boxing Day.
Speaking to Code Sports, Gilchrist said Martyn’s recovery over the past day has been remarkable. He said Martyn responded extremely well after being brought out of the coma, adding that the turnaround had been so encouraging that doctors and family members are hopeful he can soon be shifted out of the intensive care unit.
Gilchrist said the family described the improvement as nothing short of extraordinary, noting that the speed of recovery had surprised everyone involved. He added that the move out of ICU, if it happens, would mark a major step forward in Martyn’s recovery, though he will continue to remain under close medical supervision.
“He has responded extraordinarily well since morning out (of the coma) to the point where his family feels it is like some sort of miracle,” Gilchrist said on Code Sports.
According to Gilchrist, Martyn’s partner Amanda has expressed gratitude for the support the family has received. She conveyed that the messages of goodwill, concern and solidarity from across the world had a profound emotional impact during a difficult period. Gilchrist said the family believes the collective support and care shown by fans, former teammates and the wider public played a role in lifting spirits during the crisis.
In a statement issued to the Courier Mail, the Martyn family thanked the public for the overwhelming support and acknowledged the efforts of the medical team at Gold Coast University Hospital. They described the past days as extremely challenging and requested privacy as Martyn continues his treatment and recovery.
Meningitis is a serious condition involving inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and can lead to dangerous swelling if not treated promptly. Doctors had placed Martyn in an induced coma as part of the treatment protocol.
Martyn, 54, is regarded as one of the key figures of Australia’s golden era in international cricket. He represented the country in 67 Test matches and 208 one-day internationals between 1992 and 2006, scoring 4,406 Test runs at an average of 46.36 and 5,346 ODI runs at 40.90. He was part of Australia’s 2003 World Cup-winning squad and is particularly remembered for his unbeaten 88 in the final against India.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
86 nations, two int'l organisations sign AI Impact Summit declaration: IT Min Vaishnaw
New Delhi (PTI): As many as 86 countries and two international organisations have signed the AI Impact Summit declaration, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said, adding that the US, UK, Canada, China, Denmark, and Germany are among the signatories.
The strong global backing for the declaration comes at the conclusion of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
Vaishnaw told reporters that nations across the world have formalised and upheld principles of 'welfare of all, and happiness of all'.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's human-centric AI vision been accepted by the world. Democratising Artificial Intelligence resources so AI facilities, services and technology can reach everyone in society has been accepted by all," the minister said.
Balancing economic growth with social good has been prioritised, he added.
"Not just economic growth, even social harmony has to be kept in mind. Safety and trust are at the centre, they have been brought among the main points," Vaishnaw said, adding that a secure, trustworthy and robust AI framework has been focused on.
Other major areas of thrust include innovations and development of human capital, he noted.
"For all these areas, all countries have agreed to work together. Almost all countries that participated, including the US, the UK, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, and Germany... everyone has participated," the minister said.
The mega AI Impact Summit secured investment commitments of over USD 250 billion in infrastructure alone, with Vaishnaw on Friday terming it a "grand success".
Vaishnaw had said participation at the summit crossed five lakh visitors, reflecting strong domestic and global engagement with India's AI push.
The India AI Impact Summit brought together global policymakers, industry leaders and technology experts, positioning India as a key player in shaping international AI governance and infrastructure development.
"More than five lakh visitors participated in the exhibition, learnt a lot, and interacted with many experts from around the world. We had practically every major AI player in the world participating in large numbers. We had so many startups getting the opportunity to showcase their work. Overall, the quality of the discussion was phenomenal," he had said.
Be it the ministerial dialogue, the leaders' plenary, the main inauguration function, or the Summit overall, the quality of participation and dialogue was phenomenal, Vaishnaw had pointed out.
The investment pledges have crossed USD 250 billion for infra-related capital and around USD 20 billion on VC/deep tech investments.
Vaishnaw had said that the Summit reflected the world's confidence in India's role in the new AI age.
Delhi played host to a lineup of global tech heavyweights this week - Google's Sundar Pichai, OpenAI's Sam Altman, Microsoft's Brad Smith and Anthropic's Dario Amodei - as discussions spanned most intensely debated global topics in the tech universe, from AI's opportunities and risks, all the way to AGI, governance and the future of jobs.
