A striker for gold
CHENNAI: IPL, IFL, IBL..how about ICL? Indian Carrom League. It is one of the cherished dreams of Ilavazhaki, who is one of the most talented carrom players in India. She is determined to organise a tournament within the next five years. This three-time world champion has bagged over 111 international gold medals. For most of us playing carrom is a leisure-time activity, but for many carrom is a serious sport. To showcase these talents from the rural pockets of India, Ilavazhaki set up the World Carrom Champion Academy in 2016. Located in Thiruvallur district, around 40 kms from Chennai, over the past two years, she has trained 60 students for free.
“The primary challenge we face is in conducting tournaments for our players. This kind of exposure is crucial to the development of their skill. One tournament may cost more than a lakh. Sometimes, we get sponsors, but this is not a constant source, so most of the time we need to spend from our own pockets,” says Chennai-based Ilavazhaki.
Ilavazhaki firmly believes that practice makes a man perfect. She practices for three hours a day. “I sit next to each and every player to fine tune their shots. Players should have a high level of confidence and concentration. We also give mind training to players so that they can focus better,” she says.
Despite all these efforts, Ilavazhaki rues that the scope of indoor games continues to be bleak. She says that one of the reasons carrom is not treated on par with other sports is that the prize money offered pales in comparison to other sports. Besides, the audience is still not too many. “The game has also evolved. Gone are those days when we had to persuade parents to bring their children for classes. Now they are willingly doing it,” she shares.
Through a crowdfunding campaign Milaap, she is raising money from different parts of the globe for running her academy and future projects. “As opposed to the common fear of losing a secure future due to sports, the reality is quite the opposite. Even with carrom we can get government jobs. Players who win national and international games get a chance to be in government jobs,” she says. “Concentrate on the game. Keep focusing. Carrom will definitely change your life.”
Academy for carrom champions
Ilavazhaki set up the World Carrom Champion Academy in 2016, in Thiruvallur district. She has trained 60 students for free. Some of her students S Ganesan, A Sagayabarathi, R Gayathri have won national tournaments. Mathews, has also made it to the international tournament held at Maldives.