Bodybuilder M.Raja. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu
Raja, physically-challenged body builder, has not allowed financial hurdles to keep him from following his dreams, says Vaishali R. Venkat.
“Winning Rs. 25,000 in a contest does not help me financially as I would have borrowed at least Rs.40,000 to meet the expenses of taking part in the event. That is how my debts have accumulated over the years,” says body builder Raja, his muscles bulging beneath a half-sleeved shirt.
The ‘Steel Man of Tamil Nadu’ title in the physically-challenged category (90 kg) is the latest title in his kitty.
Raja is happy but not excited. The various titles and awards have not helped him lead a comfortable life.
The 28-year-old school dropout from Kasimedu is a carpenter who was affected by polio in his childhood.
Disability and poverty have not kept him from following his dreams as a body builder.
“I will not give up on my dreams. I want to participate in the Olympics and Asian Games,” says Raja, who has plans to participate in three contests next month.
In Raja’s humble home are displayed trophies and medals he has won over the last 10 years.
M.Raja won a number of body building competitions including Mr. India. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu
He has won 10 titles at the national level, four at the south India level and the Mr. Tamil Nadu title several times.
But he has not been lucky enough to find a job.
“I can work as a coach at a gym or for body building aspirants or as a trainer for athletes,” says Raja who earns his livelihood repairing fishing boats.
It is only during the 45-day fishing ban that boat owners undertake repair works.
“My earnings are meagre as I find work only 10 days in a month,” he says.
He could be in competitive body building due to support from his friends — which include John, Sankar Ganesh, Velu and Royapuram R. Mano — gym-coach Annamalai and M. Karthikeyan, mariner and chairman of SAMS College of Engineering & Technology.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Down Town / by Vaishali R. Venkat / February 21st, 2015
For many people, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Madras is a body working for the health and fitness of youngsters.
Celebrating its 125th year of inception, YMCA Madras, along with the National Council of YMCA, has now diversified into various activities.
Lauding the contributions of YMCA Madras, established in 1890 by David McConnaughy, Governor K. Rosaiah, at a function on Friday, traced the history of the organisation that is present in over 120 countries.
Giving away lifetime achievement awards, the Governor said such voluntary organisations must play a significant role in building a harmonious society and serve as an inspiration to others.
Rolland Williams, president of the National Council of YMCAs of India, spoke on the growth of the organisation that has over three lakh members across the country. Peter Posner, president of World Alliance of YMCAs, Aerial Pollack, public affairs officer, US Consulate Chennai, and M.M. Selvakumar, president of YMCA Madras, also spoke.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai/ by Special Correspondent / Chennai – February 21st, 2015
The Madras Polo and Riding Club team in 1973 along with Mukarram Jah, grandson of the last Nizam of Hyderabad (third from left). Also seen is Col. Maharaj Premsingh (second from right)—Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu
As Chennai soaks in the fervour unleashed by the cricket world cup, a fact many residents may not know is that around the 1960s and 70s, it was polo that was the pride of Madras.
As the city soaks in the fervour unleashed by the cricket world cup, a fact many residents and even sports enthusiasts may not know is that around the 1960s and 70s, it was polo that was the pride of Madras. Every year, between September and October, the city played host to some of the best polo players from across the world in tournaments such as the Kolanka cup (which holds a Guinness record of being the tallest sports trophy at six feet), Bobbli cup and the South Indian Gold Vase.
The city’s eminent polo player Buchi Prakash says, “Before independence, many kingdoms had polo teams. The military too trained officers to take up the sport. Polo is a game that requires deft horsemanship and these skills were crucial when cavalry was one of the important components of an army.”
Hailing from the first family of sports in Madras, the Buchi Babu clan, Prakash says polo is almost a family heirloom that has been handed down through seven generations. He recalls, “It was in Gymkhana Club that my father (M.V. Prakash) and grandfather played polo. Island grounds and the Chettinad Palace (now the MRC Nagar area) were other haunts.”
The Madras Riding Club and Madras Polo and Riding Club (MPRC) however popularised the sport among civilians. N.V. Ravi, president of the Madras Riding School says, “While the Madras Riding Club did have polo and bicycle polo, it was only with the MPRC set up by M.V Prakash, A.C Muthiah, M.A Chidambaram and M. A. M Ramaswamy that polo truly gained the spotlight. They even managed to get the world renowned polo champion Col. Maharaj Premsingh of Jodhpur to train aspiring sportsmen in the game.”
Kishore Futnani, who runs the Chennai Equestrian Academy, was trained by Premsingh. He fondly remembers the words of his late coach before his first tournament, “I was all of 15 and he said to me, ‘I’ve taught you all you need to know to play, so now all I can say is when you’re in the field ask yourself ‘what the hell am I doing?’ If your answer is ‘nothing’ then that’s your cue to do something – hit the ball or stop your opponent from doing so.” Futnani says that these words have held him in good stead, even off the pitch.
Four decades on, the sport barely has a presence in the sporting landscape. Experts say only an investment in infrastructure and funding can revive the glory of polo.
In the 1960s and 70s, Chennai was home to a thriving polo culture
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Nitya Menon / Chennai – February 20th, 2015
Like any other 8-year-old girl, she would cling on to her father and accompany him to the Irungattukottai racing track in Chennai where R A Abdullah would hone his skills to become a seven-time national champion.
It didn’t take longer for Abdullah to realise that his daughter, Alisha too belonged to the circuit.“I was eight (years-old) when my dad took me to the circuit in Chennai. It didn’t take long for me to gather that I belong here,” says Alisha while talking to Deccan Herald.
Alisha now stands as the only lady racer to win the National go-karting championships. She went on to clinch the top honour in 2002. “It is my love for speed that has made me who I am today. Even when I am off the circuit, my lifestyle hardly slows down. I walk fast; I talk and when I have the steering in my hand, speed is all that I care about,“ continues the 25-year-old.
Coming from a Motorsport background, convincing family to allow her to pursue her passion was not a difficult task. With her dad being a champion himself, race analysis and review began from home.
“I never had to convince my parents to allow me to get into professional racing. But when your dad is a champion in the sport, then criticism and analysis starts from your house itself. On a few races days, I end up getting into arguments with dad and we end up the worst of enemies. But all that’s part of life and I believe that the no-nonsense attitude has helped my cause,” opines Alisha.
Getting into a male dominated area was never easy for Alisha. She says it is the challenges that made her stronger and determined to achieve what she set out for.
“It was hard for me to find motivation in the circuit. The guys, after every race, would say stuff that would have a bad effect on me. I would finish among the last and they would tell me that I was a girl and that I did not belong here. Such things made me stronger and with every race I aimed at improving my position,” she says.
Alisha crawled her way up, competing with men, to become one among the best in the circuit. Even her national title was won competing in races which included both men and women.
“Today many come up to me looking for answers about the track and the strategy one should adopt,” says the racer who also had a brief spell on superbikes before switching back to cars.
The move paid in dividends as she won the Toyota Vios Cup, a street car race held in Thailand in 2011 that featured the best women racers in Asia. She has also been a regular on the podium at the Volkswagen National Polo Cup before shifting her focus to Dubai, the hub of motorsport. The Chennai girl will be seen in a Porsche in the upcoming season, starting later this year.
Determined to bring changes in the Indian motorsport arena, she went a step ahead to launch her own motorsport academy in October 2014 in Chennai. The Alisha Abdullah Racing Academy for Women is an all-women academy which helps upcoming female racers who wish to make big in the sport.
“It is my dream to see more and more women race in our country. And I believe in coming years the Academy will be capable of producing quality female racers,” she says. The Academy is in the initial stages of scouting young talent and will see the first batch graduate in 2016.
Though driven by passion and determination to be the best in her field, Alisha, who has also made a guest appearance in a Tamil movie, realises that the road ahead is not an easy one.
“Though the Indian scene got a boost with the arrival on Formula 1 a few years back, the scenario hardly changed at the national level. People are still unaware of any other races other than Formula 1 and Moto GP. And this make it difficult for us to get sponsors,” says Alisha.
But, with the likes of C S Santosh, the first Indian to complete the gruelling DAKAR Rally, attracting more attention to motorsports in India, she hopes that the picture changes soon.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Sports Scene / by Naveen Peter / DHNS, February 08th, 2015
WINNING COMBO: The Tamil Nadu team which won the women’s trap event in Thrissur on Monday. (From left): N. Nivedha, Asiya Khilji and Asila Khilji / The Hindu
Seema Tomar of Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) held her nerve to win the women’s trap shooting gold in the 35th National Games at the Police Academy range here on Monday.
In the gold medal clash, Seema found a tough customer in Rajeshwari Kumari of Punjab. The latter applied pressure and the former shook a bit midway through. But, before any damage could be done, Seema recovered strongly for a place atop the podium.
The Tamil Nadu girls pocketed their first gold medal of the Games. It came in the team trap event. The trio of F. Asiya Khilji, N. Nivedha and Asila Khilji edged out strong contenders Delhi and SSCB for the gold.
The TN girls tallied 169 of which Asiya shot a possible 62 out of 75. Asila, who is making her debut at the Games, scored 10 less than her elder sister Asiya. Nivetha completed the tally with a 55. It was Asiya’s second-round effort that sealed the gold in favour of the team. The 24-year-old, who is doing her Phd in Finance at the Madras University, started the day badly but finished with a bang.
“It was windy and I was off target and that resulted in a score of 16 in the first round,” said Asiya, who shot a 62 as well at the senior Nationals in Delhi in 2013.
Asiya followed it up with a 24 and 22 in the next two rounds. “The second round effort is my career best score. I had to literally fight back after a poor first round show.”
Asila, a class nine student and also among the youngest in the shooting crowd, was quite aggressive in the first round but lost ground from there. “Trap is a mind game. If you allow the pressures and the scores to get to you then you will be trapped. I am happy that I contributed a bit as well for the gold,” said Asila.
After playing a part in the team event, Asiya staved off a stiff challenge towards the end from Aakriti Khapra of Delhi for the bronze.
The results: Women: Trap: 1. Seema Tomar (SSCB); 2. Rajeshwari Kumari (PUN); 3. F. Asiya Khilji (TN).
Team event: 1. Tamil Nadu (F. Asiya Khilji 62; N. Nivetha 55, Asila Khilji 52) 169; 2. Delhi 167 (Mahima Kumar Mahajan 61, Aakriti Khapra 60, Kirti Gupta 46); 3. SSCB 158 (Seema Tomar 60, Shikha Bhadauria 58, Varsha Tomar 40).
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / by Rayan Rozario / Thrissur – February 03rd, 2015
Always in vogue: A visual delight for automobile lovers and beachgoers, the cars rolled through a passage of people on Elliot’s Beach Road. / Photo: K.V. Srinivasan / The Hindu
The seventh edition of The Hindu Chennai–Pondy Heritage Car Rally was kickstarted with much fanfare
Wolf horns and revving up of engines were excused on Elliot’s Beach, on Saturday morning, as even policemen stood awestruck by the sight of vintage beauties as they rolled past them, towards Puducherry.
The seventh edtion of The Hindu Chennai–Pondy Heritage Car Rally began with much fanfare, with a fleet of vintage and classic cars taking the first turn on to 4th Main Road towards a 142-km drive to Puducherry.
Curious crowds thronged the beach from 7 a.m. as vintage cars began arriving one after the other.
As mobile phone cameras began flashing, it was time for the Austins, Chevys, Morris Minors and Fiats — a total of over 60 cars — to kickstart the heritage rally.
It was flagged off by Balsingh George, chairman and managing director of Golden Homes Private Ltd., around 8.30 a.m.
A visual delight for automobile lovers and beachgoers, the cars rolled through a passage of people. Many enthusiasts were seen elbowing their way across as they tried to capture every car that passed through.
A few vintage jeeps, including one from the Ford stables, stopped to pick up a few people from the audience, giving the rest a rare photo op.
The rally reached Puducherry by evening and the vintage cars did not fail to attract huge crowds, once again, on Beach Road there.
In the final leg of the rally, the participants will ride back to Mamallapuram on Sunday afternoon for the closing ceremony.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Petlee Peter / February 01st, 2015
Arikapudi Ramana Rao is a rarity in Indian volleyball.
Not only did he excel for his native state (Andhra Pradesh), Rao also shone in Tamil Nadu, his `second home’.Rao carved a niche for himself as a coach too, becoming in 1986 an FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball) instructor, the first Indian to do so.
It is no surprise then that Rao, the national team’s head coach during the Asian volleyball championships in Perth, Australia, in 1991, is among the chosen few to have won both the Arjuna award (in 1977-78) and the prestigious Dronacharya award (in 1990-91).
Born in Chamallapudi village near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, volleyball caught Rao’s attention relatively late, at college.”While studying at Hindu College in Guntur, I used to play both basketball and volleyball regularly since both courts were side-by-side,” recalls Rao.He did well for the college in both disciplines. “There came a point when I had to choose between the two, and I went with volleyball,” says Rao. It was a master-stroke because soon after his graduation, Rao got an offer to join the Southern Central Railway (SCR) team in Hyderabad. “At SCR, I had an opportunity to play in various nationallevel tournaments which gave me the exposure. Soon, I featured in the Indian team which was a huge high,” he says.
In 1970, Rao shifted base to the erstwhile Madras, courtesy an offer from State Bank of India (SBI) “They (SBI) had to wait for about six months before I joined, since Railways were reluctant to relieve me. I had to report on April 30, 1970, and I got my relieving order only a day prior to that,” says Rao. But that didn’t affect Rao’s performance and he soon made his mark with his new employers in his new home. “SBI had a great side, and most of the members were part of the state side.”
He may have been a part of numerous victorious squads throughout his glittering career, but winning the maiden national title for his adopted state remains close to Rao’s heart. “The 1975-76 nationals in Trichy where we won the title were special. We were two sets down in the final, and the crowd, which had gathered in large numbers, left the stadium disappointed. By the time we pulled things back, there were very few left to cheer us,” says Rao.
However, many fans came to congratulate Rao the next day after learning about Tamil Nadu’s spectacularwin through the newspapers. “Be it during a practice session or during a game -we were always cheered by the spectators in Madras.
If not for the crowd, I don’t think there will be volleyball or the players,” he says.
It is thanks to the efforts of the likes of Rao and G E Sridharan, another stalwart from the state that Tamil Nadu remains a force to reckon with in volleyball in the country .
(A weekly column on famous sport spersons whose first playing field was Chennai and its neighbourhood)
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Prasad RS, TNN / January 10th, 2014
Table tennis coach Arul Selvi with former national paddler and husband Salve Kumar. Photo: S. Rambabu / The Hindu
After playing table tennis for 20 years, Arul Selvi is now playing multiple-roles by taking up coaching assignments with senior and junior India women teams and shaping the budding career of her teenage daughter — Selena.
Tamil Nadu’s Arul, an employee with Indian Bank, is here to watch the proceedings of her daughter in the 76th cadet and sub junior table tennis championships in progress at Cherukuri Convention Centre.
“After my playing days, I got assignments from the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and accompanied women teams to France, Germany, Poland and Slovakia with a fair amount of success. I helped girls win medals,” said the former SAF Games gold medallist.
Arul, who is married to former national paddler Selva Kumar, felt the exposure trips by the TTFI were doing whale of good to the young paddlers as they were give an opportunity to play in different conditions. “We need to strengthen our bench strength and these trips are essential for preparing juniors for the bigger challenges.”
She felt the academic compulsions were hampering the growth of table tennis as the talented players preferred to give up the game for professional courses like medicine and engineering. “In countries like
China and Japan, table tennis is a 24X7 indulgence and that is the reason we are witnessing stupendous results from these countries,” she pointed out.
Arul said that table tennis was more a mind game that required swift decisions and quick reflexes. “The 11-point game hardly gives time for the player to settle down and the early initiative is very important. Though the sport is played in a small area, it requires fleet-footed movements,” she pointed out. She said the TTFI’s year-long camps for the select top paddlers were instrumental for the youngsters excelling in the international events.
Under her wings Selena is shaping as a promising paddler and she is already No. 4 in the sub junior segment. “I train her in the mornings and in the evenings; she gets trained under Vasu, Ramesh Babu and Ravi Venkatesh at Maharishi Vidya Mandir”.
Next assignment for Arul is to take care of the fortunes of Tamil Nadu team in the National Games at Kerala and at the Senior Nationals at Pondicherry.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by J.R. Sridharan / Rajahmundry – December 27th, 2014
CHAMPIONS: S.N. Mohammed Salahuddin and M.A. Sivanbarasi were declared the best athletes in the Bharathiar University inter-collegiate athletic meet in Coimbatore on Friday. Photo: M. Periasamy
Dr. NGP College of Arts and Science and Nirmala College, with 63 points apiece, emerged the overall champions in the men and women’s sections respectively in the Bharathiar University inter-collegiate athletic meet at the Nehru Stadium here on Friday.
Three records fell on the final day and all came in the men’s section. A. Deepan Chakravarthi of STC (Pollachi), who shattered the 400m mark on Thursday, doubled his effort winning the 200m gold with a record timing of 21.7s.
A. Dharun of Dr. NGP College followed it up with a new record time of 53.5s in the men’s 400m hurdles. Later in the day, the STC men ran a brilliant last two legs to set a new 4x400m record.
Triple jumpers S.N. Mohammed Salahuddin (PSGCAS) and M.A. Sivanbarasi (PSGR Krishnammal) were declared the best athletes.
The results: Men: 200m: 1. A. Deepan Chakravarthi (STC, Pollachi) 21.7s (NMR); 2. K. Kevin Rinalldo (Dr. GRD); 3. P. Arul Prakash (Dr. NGP). 400m hurdles: 1. A. Dharun (Dr. NGP) 53.5s (NMR); 2. M. Parthiban (STC); 3. J. Balaji (Sri Krishna). Long jump: 1. S.N. Mohammed Salahuddin (PSGCAS) 7.27m; 2. S.P. Laxman (Dr. NGP); 3. S. Bharathiraj (STC). 10,000m: 1. T.M. Shaheer Ali (Dr. NGP) 34:48.6s; 2. K. Thangavel Murugan (Dr. NGP); 3. G. Gopa Kumar (PSGCAS). Discus: 1. R. Ashwin (Sri Krishna) 38.04m; 2. S. Bharathi Raj (STC); 3. S. Durai Murugan (Dr. NGP). Pole vault: 1. G. Krishna Vishnu (PSGCAS) 3.60m; 2. A. Khassan Khan (Dr. NGP); 3. R. Saravana Kumar (STC).4x400m: 1. STC Pollachi 3:22.0s (NMR); 2. PSGCAS; 3. Sri Krishna. Best athlete: S.N. Mohammed Salahuddin (PSGCAS) 1003 pts. Overall champion: 1. Dr. NGP CAS 63 pts; 2. PSGCAS 55.
Women: 200m: 1. D. Anitha (Dr. NGP) 26.1s; 2. R. Mohana (Nirmala); 3. A. Manjusri (Nirmala).400m hurdles: 1. P. Iniya (PSGR Krishnammal) 1:07.3s; 2. G. Sathya (Nirmala); 3. P. Vinosha (Nirmala). Long jump: 1. M.A. Sivanbarasi (PSGR Krishnammal) 5.50m; 2. P. Monisha (Nirmala); 3. U. Sukithra (PSGR Krishnammal). 10,000m: 1. R. Poongodi (Gobi Arts) 37:34.8s; 2. E. Vasanthamani (Gobi Arts); 3. S. Vidya (Dr. NGP). Pole vault: 1. M. Deebika (Nirmala) 2.00m; 2. R. Geetha (Nirmala).Heptathlon: 1. P. Jayanthi (Dr. NGP) 3487pts; 2. G. Sathya (Nirmala); 3. M. Vetrivel Vigneshwari (Sri Krishna). Best athlete: M.A. Sivanbarasi (PSGR Krishnammal) 928 pts. Overall champion: 1. Nirmala 63 pts; 2. PSGR Krishnammal 56.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / by Special Correspondent / Coimbatore – December 13th, 2014
Somdev Devvarman tells about life on and off court
He’s a sportsman all right: tall, well built, with ripping muscles and ruffled hair. He’s briefly visiting the city he loves, the one he was raised and schooled in. At the Lacoste showroom at Express Avenue, those who recognise him scramble for an autograph or photograph, anything to prove that they’ve actually met him. For those who don’t, he gives no reason to suspect that he’s India’s No. 1 tennis player.
Somdev Devvarman, who started his sports career in the city two decades ago, betrays no sign of stardom. When he was 9, he was so energetic that his parents decided that a few hours of sport every evening would keep him out of trouble. Tennis was the natural choice, because there were two courts located conveniently close to where the Devvarmans lived in Nungambakkam. Little did they know that when Somdev got his hands on a racket, he’d fall so hopelessly in love with the game that he’d keep playing till he reached the finals of the Chennai Open, win gold at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, play all four grand slams and continue after he received the Arjuna Award for his successes.
He’s played against some of the biggest names in the game, including Roger Federer, who he looked up to even before he started playing professionally. He confesses that the first time he played Federer, he stared at him in awe for a whole five minutes before he got himself together, ready to take him on. “When I first started out, I was a little star-struck with tennis players; that’s not so anymore. I’ve played against Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, and alongside Leander, Mahesh… I’m on tour now myself,” he says with a modest grin.
In 2002, he moved to the U.S. to pursue his dreams, while getting a degree in Sociology from the University of Virginia. “Tennis being an individual sport, you can often take a non-traditional route, and college tennis in the United States is played at a very high level,” he explains. He started playing professionally in the summer of 2008 and has since been travelling the world, playing the sport he loves for a living.
“I would shuttle between the room, courts and the airport, and that’s all I’d see of a city. For the lasy three or four years, I’ve been a lot more adventurous and I’ve started enjoying the cities I go to a lot more,” says Somdev.
He’s never in the same city for longer than two weeks, but he travels with a team he shares a strong camaraderie with, and is always accompanied by his fitness trainer and physiotherapist, so there’s no dearth of company.
His closest friends, however, the ones he takes the effort to keep in touch with through WhatsApp groups and the ones who fly out to see him play at tournaments, are those he grew up playing tennis with in Chennai. He spends about two months a year here, even though his parents have moved back to their hometown in Tripura, because he feels deeply connected to the city. It’s been almost 10 years since he left, so his Tamil is not as fluent as it used to be, but he says he can speak enough to haggle with an auto driver, an activity he finds rather fun. He’s quick to say that he definitely sees himself moving back to India at some time in the future.
He doesn’t make grand plans though, because he says they nearly never fall in place. “I just go with the flow,” he casually admits. At 29, he’s not sure how long he’s going to play the sport professionally. Having already overcome a shoulder injury which kept him away from the sport for most of 2012, he says it’s tough to see himself bouncing back should he suffer another one. “At this point I feel like, if things go well, I’d like to continue with it. If not, I’ll have to think of other options.” What those options will be, he’s yet to figure out. He has a lot to come home to though — close friends, a supportive family and the social initiative, Life Is A Ball, that he co-founded to educate disadvantaged children through sport. He also admits there’s a girl he’s been seeing for close to a year now. He blushes a little bit, deciding if he should reveal anymore when asked if she’s from Chennai. “I’d rather keep that information private,” he says decidedly. Neither of them is thinking about marriage at this point, but they are both happy with where things are.
He’s surprised, and struggles to come up with an answer when asked about the worst part of being a professional tennis player. “To be honest, I don’t have too many complaints about the job that I do. I’m very happy and blessed. I get to hit a little yellow tennis ball all around the world. I learn a lot, make many friends and have so many experiences. I think it’s any kid’s dream,” he says happily.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Raveena Joseph / December 09th, 2014
