PERAVOOR/KANNUR: In Italy's Montichiari in the province of Brescia, stands tall PalaGeorge, an indoor arena named after Jimmy George. Opened in 1993, just six years after his death, it remains an apt memorial for the legendary player who passed away there in 1987.
Back home, however, even 39 years after his death, a stadium named after him at his birthplace remains a distant dream. Come every election, a volley of promises revisit the hilly terrains of Peravoor, only to be ignored once the results are out.
Close to four decades after his death, the memories of volleyball icon Jimmy George continue to reverberate in the hills of Peravoor, which is now witness to a clash of titans. Little wonder that CPM's star candidate KK Shailaja promised a National Sports Academy here, while KPCC president and UDF candidate Sunny Joseph chose to blame ten years of Pinarayi rule for the delay in completion of the stadium.
In each election, an unfinished dream that was abandoned halfway occupies the centre stage of all poll debates here i.e. a stadium named after the legendary player in his home turf of Peravoor. Though there has been no dearth of promises by different governments and local bodies, a full-fledged Jimmy George stadium continues to prove elusive.
Two decades ago, the state government did initiate steps to remodel the ground at St Joseph's HSS Peravoor—Jimmy's alma mater—into a full-fledged stadium. During the 2015 National Games, the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had taken the initiative, and work to the tune of around Rs 1.5 crore too was carried out, but was later abandoned due to several reasons.
"This has been a long-pending dream for everyone," sighs Stanley George, Jimmy's younger brother, sitting at their ancestral house at Thondiyil near Peravoor. An array of trophies and medals, along with some rare photos and a painting of Jimmy, greet you from inside a showcase.
"Everyone wants this to materialise, but when remains the question," he says.
Recently, the Peravoor Sports Foundation, consisting of Jimmy's dear and near ones, took the initiative to revive the decades-old dream.
"We have been organising a village festival—the Pervaoor marathon, and last time close to 10,000 people had taken part—to finish construction of the stadium. The stadium should have an entire gallery as well as a synthetic track. We were able to make a little progress. Both Sunny Joseph and KK Shailaja have been proactive in taking up the matter, but the project can be finished only with adequate government support," Stanley points out.
Though unfinished, the Jimmy George stadium at St Joseph's HSS Peravoor attracts athletes and sports lovers alike. In the mornings, the ground becomes a beehive of activities as youngsters reach here early in the morning for physical training, while numerous others come for a morning walk or jog.
Walk past the yet-to-be-completed stadium, and you see a hundred-odd youngsters engaged in a taxing drill.
"We have been keen to see this stadium completed. It would be of great help to many youngsters and students who want to make it big in life," says MC Kuttichan, a retired police officer and coach, who provides free training to upcoming athletes and students via his Morning Fighters Academy.
This town, which has contributed many sports personalities like Tintu Luca, too eagerly awaits a full-fledged and fully functional stadium. Sensing this, the candidates too never tire, harping on the same.
"Peravoor has great potential for sports, and a national sports academy can be set up here. If the masses give me an opportunity to support sports lovers here, we will take forward all pending work," says Shailaja.
But Sunny Joseph, sitting MLA for the past 15 years, insists that the project got delayed, solely due to Pinarayi's rule.
"Oommen Chandy had initiated the project way back in 2015. But the Left government failed to take it forward. This time, however, around, we will definitely finish the stadium," he insists.
With only a couple of days remaining for elections, an apt memorial for a much-revered sports icon in Peravoor continues to be in limbo for not just the voters here, but for sports lovers across the state.
