For the first time, two students from the district would be taking part in the national-level carom championship in the sub-junior and junior categories.

R Devadarshan, a class VI student of Vallal Krishnaswamy Mudaliar School, emerged winner in the sub-junior level while Sneha Prabha, a Class VIII student of the Sri Narayani Vidyalaya came first in the junior category at the state-level carom competition, organised by the Tamil Nadu State Carom Association, in Dindigul this week. The event is recognised by the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority.

Both students met Collector Sankar on Saturday and sought his blessings to win medals in the national championship that is likely to be held either in Assam or Goa later this year.

Devadarshan said he was able to complete the board in 20 minutes flat in the finals, thanks to his eight-hour practice sessions at home. The winner said he was motivated by his father Raviraj, presently the joint secretary of the district carom association, who himself was a player in his times.

Dr Rajagopal, District Carom Association president, said more youngsters had been attracted to playing carom in the past four years. The association, started around 30 years ago, faced certain setbacks for a while but it was revived recently. “We are planning to train more school and college students,” he said.

He stressed the need for an indoor stadium for the district, which would help youngsters practise caroms in a more professional manner as currently they were practising at a cramped privatly-owned place. “The district administration should help in getting an indoor stadium, not only for carom but also for other indoor games,” Rajagopal said.

“Now that carom has been recognised in the Olympics, I see a good future for our kids to excel in this game and if we promote it in the right manner, we can be among the medals winner in Olympics,” he said, adding that he believed the game helps one improve memory and concentration and that students who practised carom were found to be doing good in the studies as well.

E M Asif, one of the coaches who has been training school kids for the past eight years, said around 500 students have shown interest in the game in the past two years. ‘Around one hundred of them have been groomed to be good players,’ he said. While around 10 of them have won district and state level competitions, this is the first time two of our students make it to the national level, he said with pride.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> TamilNadu / by V. NarayanaMurthi / ENS – Vellore / October 20th, 2013