Modern sports complex coming up near Radhapuram in Tirunelveli district

TIRUNELVELI

TIRUNELVELI

A modern sports complex with all facilities will come up near Radhapuram for grooming young talents from the rural areas, especially from the coastal hamlets of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts. This has triggered jubilation among the sports enthusiasts here.

 Since the coastal hamlets of composite Tirunelveli district have produced in the past good number of State-level players in football, volleyball and a few more sports, the sports complex to be built as per the international standards is coming up on 50 acres of land to be acquired near Thomas Mandapam on the East Coast Road under Vijayapathi village panchayat in Radhapuram taluk. The barren land, belonging to Sri Nithyakalyani Amman Temple in Radhapuram, being administered by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, is to be acquired for constructing the sports complex.

 After the invasion of cricket deep into the villages, volleyball, which was once played passionately in every village of Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Thoothukudi districts, has almost disappeared. Even though this region had produced great players like Madasamy, Martin Sudhakar, Chithraipandian, Muthuraj, Mangala Jayapaul, G. Antony Chandrasekar, Antony Dhanapaul, Peer Mohammed, his nephew Ali, Earnest Babu, Antony Ravi Jones and his younger brother Robin in volleyball, the game faded away over the past twenty years. Most of these players were identified and moulded by retired physical directors Duraisamy and Xavier.

 “All these players have underlined their presence with their stellar performance in volleyball… This attempt to create a sports complex near Radhapuram will certainly revive the past glory. Since the younger generation will see the most-modern sports facility in their vicinity, they will be encouraged to become either an outstanding athlete or a player in the game of their choice. The players to be nourished in this upcoming sports complex will certainly find place in all the teams representing Tamil Nadu and India in future,” District Collector V. Vishnu told The Hindu.

 Since Sri Nithyakalyani Amman Temple has 258 hectares of land in this area along the East Coast Road, the sports complex will be easily accessible for aspirants from Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Thoothukudi districts also.

 “As the land selected for the upcoming sports complex is close to the coastal villages of Tirunelveli district, the hitherto unidentified new young talents from these villages can easily access the facilities and hone their talents,” said Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, who visited the proposed site on Thursday along with Mr. Vishnu.