COIMBATORE: The morning light spreads gently across the ground behind Thiyagi NG Ramasamy (TNGR) Memorial High School. Even before the first bell rings, the place hums with energy. Boys dash across the sandy field barefoot while a few crouch in anticipation of the next kho-kho move.
A whistle cuts sharply through the air, and instantly the chatter dies down. All eyes turn to a man at the centre of the ground, stopwatch dangling from one hand and a bamboo stick tapping the earth in rhythm. One quick clap, and the children spring into motion again. For three decades, this was the scene that defined the mornings of countless school students in Coimbatore. At the heart of it was S Subramaniam, known to every child simply as ‘Drill Anna’.
Subramaniam, now 78, spent 36 years shaping generations of students as a physical education teacher — first at TNGR Memorial High School near Hopes College and later at Venkata Lakshmi Higher Secondary School near Singanallur.
It is no surprise then that his influence has rippled far beyond the schools where he taught. Over the years, 28 of his students went on to become physical education teachers themselves.
One turning point in the story came in 1988 when the TNGR high school kho-kho team was defeated in a state-level tournament. “Soon after the defeat, former high school captain Amirtharaj and vice-captain Dhanabal demanded to appoint a kho-kho coach. Based on the instruction of former headmaster IC Govindasamy, we formed the TNGR memorial sports club after a three-year gap in 1992 to impart similar training to other players and make them ready for state-level tournaments,” Subramaniam recalled.
The club was founded with 16 members and Subramaniam as chief patron. From those modest beginnings, the club grew into one of the city’s most respected sporting associations. Today, it boasts 164 members, many of whom are alumni who continue to return year after year, bound by the values their coach instilled.
The hallmark of the club is its annual inter-school tournament, held every July. Between 2,300 and 2,500 students take part each year, representing more than 70 schools. What sets it apart is its open-door philosophy: no entry fee is ever charged.
“After getting funds from former students of the school, we conducted the first tournament in 1993. To benefit more players, we added volleyball and ball badminton along with kho-kho. We have not taken a single rupee as entrance fee from the schools that have taken part in our tournaments in the last 29 years,” Subramaniam said.
“The club conducts the TNGR Memorial Trophy event every July, ahead of the school zonal tournament, to train students for the competition. We have also organised the state-level women’s kho-kho championship in 2000 with an expenditure of Rs 6 lakh, a state-level kho-kho referee exam in 2004, and the state men’s championship in 2010 with a similar expenditure. To mark the 25th year of the club, we conducted a state-level road race and a district-level athletics meet,” said Subramaniam, who is now the advisor of the club, registered under the Societies Act in 2019.
The tournaments run on the steady support of alumni. Their contributions touch close to Rs 5 lakh annually, ensuring that every edition of the inter-school meet is conducted without compromise. Among the club’s alumni are V Subramani, who created history by becoming the first kho-kho player from TN to represent the Indian men’s team, and Manoj Kumar, now a kho-kho coach at the Sports Authority of India. Others have gone on to captain state sides or carve out careers as coaches and referees. Yet, when they speak of their journey, their stories circle back to the early mornings, the dust-filled grounds, and the unwavering figure of ‘Drill Anna’ guiding them. V Padmanabhan, secretary of TNGR sports club and physical education instructor at PSG College of Technology, noted that the club has been offering Rs 1 lakh as financial aid to 30 players annually, during prize distribution ceremony for the past five years.
For Subramaniam, who still keeps fit with daily walks and yoga, the mission remains simple. “Our aim is to promote sports among school students so that they become self-disciplined in society,” he said.
Much like in kho-kho, where every tag begins a new chase, Subramaniam’s work has sparked a cycle of inspiration.
(Edited by Adarsh TR)