CHENNAI: Gone are the days when many Districts in Tamil Nadu found a permanent place in the hockey map of India. To top the list was the G Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hockey tournament in Kovilpatti, conducted by the Lakshmi Mills for it was the only Grade A tournament down south. It did bring in the cream of the country’s talent and went on without a break for more than five decades. Financial constraints on the part of the organisers cried halt. The same was the fate of the Madura Coats tournament in Ambassamudrum.
Against all odds there are a few who still keep the game going in the districts. The Reserve Line Sports Club in Madurai are hosting the 19th edition of the Rajamani-Kanagamani Ammal Memorial tournament that began in Madurai on Monday.
This club started by a few wards of the Police personnel of Madurai in 1969, has grown from strength to strength. This club could well be termed as the nursery of hockey, going by the number of players they have produced that went on to represent junior India, Combined Universities and the State. Many are now employed with the Central Government departments, banking institutions, Police Departments, Army and the state governments. To name a few, Muthuselvam and Kathiravan have been in the junior India camp and Sivabalan had represented the country at the junior India Asia Cup held in Dhaka.
As a token of gratitude for the club that has given them the best in life, these players contribute substantially and this tournament has been a success all these years. R Vijayakumar and Kennedy (Reserve Bank of India), both former players, have donated the trophies in memory of their parents. With the efforts of Late V Karuppiah, a Head Constable, Late Pitchai Ambalam, Deputy Supt of Police and V Kannan, a retired Chief Travelling Ticket Examiner, Southern Railway, this club came into existence. Reserve Line Sports Club have been a force to reckon with in the 80’s and 90’s. They have won many major tournaments in and around the state and been the Madurai District Hockey Association first Division champions for 10 consecutive years.
If one is to say that Hockey is still active in this part of the state producing fresh talent it is certainly due to the intiatives taken by the former players of this club.
Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank (both Chennai), SDAT (Chennai) and hosts Reserve Line Sports Club Madurai (last year’s semifinalists) are seeded straight into the quarterfinals. The final is slated for July 30.