Sports in Tamil Nadu

Last updated

Many sports are originated from Tamil Nadu played people from Tamil Nadu including both traditional sports and sports from other countries. Also Tamil Nadu is emerging as the Sports Capital State of Indian Subcontinent.

Contents

Traditional sports

Silambattam

Silambam is a weapon-based Indian martial art originating in South India in the Indian subcontinent which is being played as a traditional sport even in this modern days. This style is mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature [1] The World Silambam Association is the official international body of Silambam. It is the most important traditional sport of Tamil nadu which is involved with the lives of people since sangam age. It is a sport as well as self defending and attacking techniques. It is the most oldest form of martial art originated from South India

Kabaddi

Women playing Kabaddi in Tamil Nadu Sadugudu sadugude.jpg
Women playing Kabaddi in Tamil Nadu

Kabaddi is the state sport of Tamil Nadu. The word "kabadi" is derived from the Tamil word "kai-pudi"(கைபிடி) meaning "to hold hands". [1] [2] It is also known as sadu-gudu.

Kabaddi – the State Sport of Tamil Nadu Of the many sports played in the .. Indian state of Tamil Nadu, both traditional as well as foreign sports, kabaddi takes the honor for being the state sport. It’s derived from the Tamil word ‘kai-pudi’, meaning ‘to hold hands’. Kabaddi is an ancient contact sport which’s origins can be traced back to about 4000 years ago in India during the Mahabharata period. Buddhist literatures also have citing of Lord Buddha playing kabaddi as a recreational sport. Kabadi is played as a mock up practise prior to the traditional sport Jallikattu later it is spread over as a commercial sport.

It’s known by different names in different places such as ‘bhavatik’ in Maldives, ‘kauddi’ in Punjab and ‘hadudu’ in Bengal. At this point it’s important to note that some other states like Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also recognize kabaddi as their state sport.

The essence of this game is for the defending team to hold onto the raiding team in their pitch. Though there are slight variations in the game played in different places, the basic rules are the same. India introduced this sport on a world platform during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. It was popularized in Japan in 1979, Bangladesh in 1973 and Iran in 1996. It is the National Sport of Bangladesh and one of the national sports of Nepal.

This game is often called the ‘game of the masses’ as it holds a lot of public appeal due to its simplicity and games are watched with a great deal of gusto and raucous cheering. So far, India has been indomitable at all the international kabaddi tournaments and with seven World Cup titles and numerous Asian Games gold medals, the Indian men’s team is at the pinnacle of success.

In Tamil Nadu, kabaddi is more than just a game; it’s a sport that’s ingrained into the minds right from childhood when all that’s required is an open ground, a few friends and the enthusiasm for the game, muttering ‘kabaddi, kabaddi’ as they maneuver through the opponents team. Stamina and agility are two key strengths that are needed for this game and Tamil Nadu has done the country proud by producing many players who have been part of the winning national team.

Seval Sandai

Seval sandai, traditional cock fight in Tamil Nadu COCK FIGHT.JPG
Seval sandai, traditional cock fight in Tamil Nadu

Seval Sandai or Seval Porr (cockfighting) is a popular rural sport in Tamil Nadu. Three or four-inch blades are attached to the cocks' feet and the winner is decided after three or four rounds of no holds barred fighting. The sport involves major gambling in recent times. Cockfighting in Tamil Nadu is mentioned in ancient literature like Manu Needhi Sastiram, Kattu Seval Sastiram and other Sangam literature. It is referred to as the favorite pastime for the warriors of Tamil country and is acknowledged as one amongst the 64 great arts.

It involves basically fighting skills for your chicken.
Now it is widely played in the places of North America and Asia

Jallikattu

Jallikattu, taming the bull A bull being tamed in Jallikattu held in palamedu.jpg
Jallikattu, taming the bull
Rekla, bullock cart race Rekla Race, Avaniyapuram, Madurai.jpg
Rekla, bullock cart race

Jallikattu is a popular bull taming sport practiced particularly during Pongal festival. Jallikattu was a popular sport since the Sangam period and Tamil classical period. Jallikattu (or sallikkattu), also known as eru thazhuvuthal and manju virattu, is a traditional spectacle in which a bull, such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull's horns]. [3] [4]

Rekla

Rekla Racer in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu Rekla Racer in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu.jpg
Rekla Racer in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu

Rekla is a sport which is a form of bullock cart racing. [5]

Sathurangam

Chess is believed to have originated in India, c. 280 – 550 CE, [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] where its early form in Tamil Nadu was known as Sathurangam literally four divisions [of the military] infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariotry, represented by the pieces that would evolve into the modern pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively. During the Sangam period chess was called Vallattam. Many chess pieces have been found during excavations in Tamil Nadu. [11] Modern day chess is a widely popular game in the state and Tamil Nadu State Chess Association is the apex body for the game of chess in Tamil Nadu. The state has produced many grandmasters including Viswanathan Anand, one of the greatest and most versatile players of the modern era having won the World Chess Championship five times from 2002 to 2013.

Other notable players include R Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh D, S. Vijayalakshmi, P. V. Nandhidhaa, Aravindh Chithambaram, R Vaishali and Krishnan Sasikiran. [12]

Malyutham

Malyutham is a traditional Indian art of full contact Grappling that originated in Tamil Nadu. It was widely practiced in Tamil Nadu since ancient times as a sport. Malyutham is one of the 64 Arts mentioned in Ancient Literature. Malyutham is one of the Traditional Sports practiced in Tamil Nadu. There is another Art named Malla - Yuddha coming from North India. Although the names are similar, Malla-Yuddha and Malyutham are two different and very distinct Arts. They are different in the nature of the techniques studied and on their external aspects as well.

Gusthi

Gusthi is a Traditional Sports Activity, which is practiced in punjab since time immemorial. Gusthi is also known as Kai Kuthu Sandai. Gusthi is a form of Traditional Boxing, which is slightly deviated from Wrestling. Gusthi of Tamil Nadu is a derivative of Malyutham of Tamil Nadu. Gusthi also includes Grapplings as well. There is another art coming from North India named Kushti. Although the names are almost same, Gusthi and Kushti are two different and two distinct arts. Gusthi is an art of Boxing, while Kusthi is an art of Wrestling. They are different in the nature of the techniques studied and on their external aspects as well.

Killithattu

A game that requires quick reflexes, tactical thinking and tremendous team effort. This sport is a part of Tamil heritage and preserves Tamil identity. The ‘kili’ or last player must stand on the centre of the first lane when the game starts. The ‘kili’ player can move anywhere around the court or through the middle of the court but not horizontally. The team that is guarding the base and capturing it is chosen by a coin toss. The game is started by a whistle sound by the overseeing referee. When the game starts, each of the other members can only move sideways/horizontally. This accounts for the rest of the 5 members of the team for a total of 6 including ‘kili’.

Kho-kho

Kho kho is a tag sport played by teams of twelve players who try to avoid being touched by members of the opposing team, only 9 players of the team enter the field. [13] It is one of the two most popular traditional tag games played in schools, the other being kabbadi. [14]

Uriyadi

Uriyadi involves smashing a small earthen pot with a long stick usually with a cloth wrapped around the eyes to prevent the participants from seeing the pot. [15]

Seven-Stones

Seven stones It is a traditional game in India as well as in Tamilnadu. It is an ancient game which is also called as Lagori. It has things similar to dodge ball but it has extra features than the dodge ball. They use seven stones that can be piled on top of each other and has a minimum of 2-6 player in a team.

Other traditional sports

Other minor sports include Ilavatta kal where participants lift huge spherical rocks, [16] Gilli-danda played with two pieces of sticks, Nondi played by folding one leg and hopping squares. Some of the indoor games include Pallanguzhi involving beads, Bambaram involving spinning of top, Dhayakattai which is a modified dice game, Aadu puli attam, Nungu vandi and Seechangal. [17]

Modern sports

Cricket

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium during an ODI match between India and Pakistan. Panorama View During India VS Pakistan ODI Match.jpg
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium during an ODI match between India and Pakistan.

Cricket is the most popular sport. [18] It is played by many people in open spaces throughout the state. [19] Tamil Nadu Cricket Association is the governing body of cricket activities in the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Tamil Nadu cricket team, which has won the Ranji Trophy twice and have finished Runners-up 9 times. Chennai Super Kings, a franchise based out of Chennai is the most successful team in the Indian Premier League. Notable international cricketers from Tamil Nadu include Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Kris Srikkanth, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Robin Singh, Murali Vijay, Ravichandran Ashwin, Dinesh Karthik, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Vijay Shankar, Washington Sundar, T. Natarajan, Murali Karthik, Subramaniam Badrinath and Lakshmipathy Balaji. Cricket administrators from the state include current International Cricket Council president N. Srinivasan, former BCCI presidents A. C. Muthiah and his father M. A. Chidambaram.

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is one of the oldest cricketing venues and was the host of India's first test cricket victory. MRF Pace Foundation, a coaching clinic for training fast bowlers from all over the world is based in Chennai. It was created by MRF Limited with the help of former Australian pace spearhead Dennis Lillee.

Hockey

Hockey is one of the popular sports played in schools and colleges. Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium is a field hockey stadium at Chennai named after M. Radhakrishna Pillai and was the venue to the 1996 Men's Champions Trophy and tournament tournaments. It is also the venue for all division matches of the Chennai Hockey Association and the home ground of the World Series Hockey team Chennai Cheetahs. [20] Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu is planning to set up a hockey academy [21] Notable international players include Vasudevan Baskaran, Krishnamurthy Perumal, M. J. Gopalan, Dhanraj Pillay, Adam Sinclair and Mohammed Riaz.

Tennis

Chennai Open was an ATP World Tour 250 series tournament previously held annually in January at SDAT Tennis Stadium in Chennai. It was the only ATP tournament held in the country until 2017, after which the tournament moved to Pune. Notable players are Ramesh Krishnan, Ramanathan Krishnan, Vijay Amritraj, Mahesh Bhupathi, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, Vijay Sundar Prashanth, N.Sriram Balaji and Nirupama Vaidyanathan.

Chess

Tamil Nadu becomes the factory of manufacturing the chess grandmasters like, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Dommaraju Gukesh , Vishwanathan Anand, and so on.

Motor racing

Kari Motor Speedway Racing action in Coimbatore.jpg
Kari Motor Speedway

Coimbatore is often referred to as the "Motor sports Capital of India" and the "Backyard of Indian Motorsports". [22] S.Karivardhan, spearheaded motor racing, making Coimbatore the country's motor racing hub when he designed and built entry level race cars. Before Buddh International Circuit was constructed, the country's only two permanent race ways were the Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore and Madras Motor Racing Track, Chennai. [23] MRF built is first Formula 3 car in 1997. [24] MRF in collaboration with Maruti established the Formula Maruti racing, a single-seater, open wheel class motorsport racing event for race cars made in India. [25] MRF Challenge is a Formula 2000 open-wheel motorsport formula based series organized by Madras Motor Sports Club in association with MRF. Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, the only drivers from to represent India in Formula 1 hail from the state. Other prominent racers include Parthiva Sureshwaren, Ashwin Sundar, N. Leelakrishnan, Raj Bharath and Ajith Kumar represented India. [26]

Others

Other popular games include athletics, soccer, basketball, volleyball, softball and badminton. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai and Nehru Stadium, Coimbatore are popular multipurpose football and athletics stadiums in the state. Notable volleyball players include A. Palaniswamy, G. E. Sridharan and Tamil Nadu men's team won the Gold in National level competition held in 2011. [27] Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal are the notable squash players who won gold at the Commonwealth games. Kutraleeswaran is a notable swimmer, who was the first Indian to cross six channels in a single calendar year. [28] Archery, boxing, carrom, shooting, weightlifting, martial arts, snooker, golf, bowling, and squash also feature among sports played. Srither won gold at Asian Archery Championship held at Indonesia in November 2009. [29] A. Maria Irudayam and Ilavzhagi won world carrom championships. [30] Santhi Soundarajan is the first Tamil woman to win a medal at Asian Games. Sathish Sivalingam is a commonwealth gold medalist in weightlifting. Mariyappan Thangavelu has won the gold medal in the finals of 2016 Summer Paralympic games held in Rio de Janeiro. [31] [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kabaddi</span> Contact team rural sport popular in South Asia

Kabaddi is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players, originating in ancient India. The objective of the game is for a single player on offense, referred to as a "raider", to run into the opposing team's half of the court, touch out as many of their players as possible, and return to their own half of the court, all without being tackled by the defenders in 30 seconds. Points are scored for each player tagged by the raider, while the opposing team earns a point for stopping the raider. Players are taken out of the game if they are touched or tackled, but return to the game after each point scored by their team from a tag or tackle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil Nadu</span> State in southern India

Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India. The tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population, Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, who speak the Tamil language—the state's official language and one of the longest surviving classical languages of the world. The capital and largest city is Chennai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salem, Tamil Nadu</span> City in Tamil Nadu, India

Salem, natively spelt as Selam, is a major city in Salem district, located on the banks of the Thirumanimutharu river in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu surrounded by mountains. Salem is the fifth largest urban agglomeration in the state, exceeded by Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, and Third largest metropolitan region in the state only after to Chennai and Coimbatore metropolitan regions. The city is 124 km2 (48 sq mi) large. Major products of Salem include silver anklets, sago, mangoes, steel, and textiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South India</span> Region in India

South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area and 20% of India's population. It is bound by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse, with two mountain ranges, the Western and Eastern Ghats, bordering the plateau heartland. The Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Penna, Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non-perennial sources of water. Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jallikattu</span> A traditional bull fighting sport in Tamil Nadu

Jallikattu, also known as Eru Taḻuvuṭal and Manju-virattu, is a traditional event in which a zebu bull, such as the Pulikulam or Kangayam breeds, is released into a crowd of people, and many human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull's horns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kho kho</span> Traditional Indian tag game played in teams

Kho kho is a traditional South Asian sport that dates to ancient India. It is the second-most popular traditional tag game in the Indian subcontinent after kabaddi. Kho kho is played on a rectangular court with a central lane connecting two poles which are at either end of the court. During the game, nine players from the chasing team are on the field, with eight of them sitting (crouched) in the central lane, while three runners from the defending team run around the court and try to avoid being touched. Each sitting player on the chasing team faces the opposite half of the field that their adjacent teammates are facing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Chennai)</span> Multipurpose stadium in Chennai, India

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Chennai, India. The stadium is located at Sydenhams Road in Park Town besides the Chennai Central suburban railway station. It has a capacity of 40,000.

MRF, or MRF Tyres, is an Indian multinational tyre manufacturing company and the largest manufacturer of tyres in India. It is headquartered in Chennai. The acronym MRF comes from the company's initial days when it was called as Madras Rubber Factory. The company manufactures rubber products including tyres, treads, tubes and conveyor belts, paints and toys. MRF was named the world's second-strongest tyre brand by Brand Finance, with a AAA− brand grade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Karnataka</span>

Cricket is by far the most popular sport in Karnataka with International cricket matches attracting a sizeable number of spectators who are willing to pay more than the standard ticket price to get a chance to watch the match. The sports related infrastructure is mainly concentrated in Bangalore which also played host to the 4th National Games of India in the year 1997. Bangalore is also the location of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) which is the premier sports institute in the country. Karnataka is sometimes referred to as the cradle of Indian swimming because of high standards in swimming compared to other states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Chennai</span>

Cricket is the most popular sport in Chennai. The M. A. Chidambaram Stadium is one of the oldest cricket stadiums in India and has been the venue for many notable milestones in the history of Indian cricket. Tennis, field hockey, football and formula racing and squash are the other popular sports. The city hosts an ATP tennis event, the Chennai Open. Chennai has a rich legacy in chess and has produced many well-known chess players, the most notable of them being Viswanathan Anand, the former multiple World Chess Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in India</span>

India has a history of sports dating back to the Vedic period, with Western sports having been imported during British rule. Cricket is the most popular spectator sport; it generates the highest television viewership, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) being the most-followed league in the country. Football has also gained popularity, with the Indian Super League (ISL) being the highest level of domestic football, and the national team winning multiple gold medals at the Asian and South Asian Games. Additional football accomplishments include India having reached the Groupstage of the 1960 Olympics, qualified for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, and won the SAFF Championship. Other sports include kabaddi, badminton, tennis, and athletics, with kho-kho becoming the fourth-most viewed sport. India has also had success in field hockey, winning the World Cup and multiple medals in the Olympic Games. Sports such as golf, rugby, boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, motorsport, wrestling, and basketball are featured throughout the country.

Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India located on south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula. The state is straddled by Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats to the west and north and the waters of Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea on the other two sides. It is the home of the Tamil people, who speak Tamil language, one of the oldest surviving languages. The capital and largest city is Chennai which is known as the "Gateway to South India". As of 2021, the state is the most visited and has received the most number of tourists amongst all states of India.

Traditional games of Andhra Pradesh, like many other traditional games played in India, involve games which are played mostly by children. These games may also be enjoyed by other people of any age, as it reminds them of their childhood. Despite the advent of computers and technology, with children preferring to spend their times indoors, these games are still very popular in the Andhra Pradesh. They are also played in great and small towns all over India and Pakistan, especially in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, as well as Cambodia and Italy..

Kabaddi, is a contact sport, native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most popular sports in India, played mainly among village people. India has taken part in four Asian Games in kabaddi, and won gold in all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Tamil Nadu</span> Overview of and topical guide to Tamil Nadu

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tamil Nadu:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 pro-jallikattu protests</span> Indian youth protests

The 2017 pro-jallikattu protests, also known as the pro-jallikattu movement, were leaderless apolitical youth protests which took place in January 2017 in large groups in several locations across the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Some sporadic smaller protests also took place across India as well as overseas. The chief motivation of the protest was against the Supreme Court's order to ban jallikattu, a traditional Tamil bull taming sport, which is held during Pongal, a harvest festival in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sport is conducted annually on the second day of the Tamil month Thai. The sport was banned by the Supreme Court in a decision citing cruelty to animals based on a lawsuit filed by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which asserted that it violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA).

Tamil Thalaivas is an Indian professional kabaddi franchise based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The team competes in the Pro Kabaddi League and was added as one of the four additional franchises when the league was expanded in 2017. The team plays its home matches at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai and is owned by Magnum Sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional games of India</span> Pre-colonial sports heritage of India

India has several traditional games and sports, some of which have been played for thousands of years. Their popularity has greatly declined in the modern era, with Western sports having overtaken them during the British Raj, and the Indian government now making some efforts to revive them. Many of these games do not require much equipment or playing space. Some of them are only played in certain regions of India, or may be known by different names and played under different rules and regulations in different regions of the country. Many Indian games are also similar to other traditional South Asian games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional games of Pakistan</span> Pakistani pre-colonial sports heritage

Pakistan has many traditional games played in the rural and urban areas of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in South Asia</span>

Many sports are played in South Asia, with cricket being the most popular of them; 90% of the sport's worldwide fans live in South Asia. Football is followed passionately in some parts of South Asia, such as Kerala and Bengal. Field hockey was popular for several decades, with some of South Asia's greatest sporting accomplishments having taken place in this sport. Some native South Asian games are played professionally in the region, such as kabaddi and kho-kho, and also feature in regional competitions such as the South Asian Games and Asian Games.

References

  1. "kabaddi, etymology".
  2. "Kabaddi, definition".
  3. Gautier, François (2001). Google books version of the book A Western Journalist on India: The Ferengi's Columns by François Gautier. ISBN   9788124107959 . Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  4. Grushkin, Daniel (22 March 2007). "NY Times: The ritual dates back as far as 2,000 years...". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  5. "Madurai man wins 'rekla' race". The Hindu . Dindigul, India. 16 February 2009. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009.
  6. "Hindi and the origins of chess". 5 March 2014.
  7. Leibs (2004), p. 92
  8. Robinson & Estes (1996), p. 34
  9. Murray (1913)
  10. Bird (1893), p. 63
  11. "Keeladi excavations prove that ancient Tamil people played chess-like game, Stalin says". The Times of India. 28 September 2019. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  12. Lal (JARVIS_SL), Sahil (3 November 2023). "Tamil Nadu's Chess Legacy: The Grandmaster Factory of India". Chess.com. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  13. "Tripura KHO KHO Association @ Tripura4u". Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  14. Peter A. Hastie (1 July 2010). Student-Designed Games: Strategies for Promoting Creativity, Cooperation, and Skill Development. Human Kinetics. pp. 52–. ISBN   978-0-7360-8590-8 . Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  15. "Traditional sports and games mark Pongal festivities". The Hindu. Erode, India. 17 January 2011.
  16. "Locked horns and a flurry of feathers". The Hindu. Madurai, India. 12 January 2013.
  17. "Bringing back to life the vanishing games of Tamil Nadu". The Hindu. Coimbatore, India. 18 October 2012.
  18. "Top 10 Most Popular Sports in India". Sporteology.com. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  19. "Ipsos – Nobody's unpredictable". Synovate.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  20. "World Series Hockey". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013.
  21. "Veteran hockey players delighted with synthetic turf in Tiruchi". The Hindu . Tiruchi, India. 25 January 2011. Archived from the original on 30 January 2011.
  22. "City of speed". The Hindu . 24 April 2006. Archived from the original on 21 January 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
  23. "Memories of Madras: From Sholavaram to Irungattukottai". The Hindu. India. 11 October 2011.
  24. "MRF Sports".
  25. "MRF Limited". NDTV. 14 February 2015.
  26. "Ajith Kumar to drive in F2 European season 2010". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 25 March 2010.
  27. "Tamil Nadu bags volleyball gold". The Hindu. Ranchi, India. 18 February 2011.
  28. Shobha Warrier (6 October 2005). "Why Kutraleeswaran stopped swimming". Rediff India - Sports. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  29. "Champion archer Srither felicitated". The Hindu . Chennai, India. 31 December 2009. Archived from the original on 4 January 2010.
  30. "Carrom champion". The Hindu. 14 March 2013.
  31. "Paralympics 2016 | Mariyappan Thangavelu wins India's first gold in Rio". 10 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  32. Stalin, J. Sam Daniel (10 September 2016). "Paralympian Mariyappan Thangavelu's Golden Leap From Poverty". NDTV Sports. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.