Hockey continues to be a big hit at Udumalpet

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Udumalpet has been a veritable hockey hub in western Tamil Nadu.

India’s national game enjoys great patronage at the small town in Tirupur district. Vidya Sagar College of Arts and Science at Udumalpet has been organising Bharathiyar University inter-college hockey tournament for boys and girls since 1998 with much fanfare.

This year’s edition got under way on Tuesday. The ogranisation of the tournament is so professional that the physical education director of Bharathiyar University has gone on record that Vidya Sagar will have the hosting rights as long as they wish.

The inter-university competition, organised jointly by the Tirupur District Hockey Association and Udumalpet Hockey Players’ Association, is conducted at Government Higher Secondary School’s Nethaji ground.

Vidya Sagar, the founder-secretary of Vidya Sagar College of Arts and Science, was a hockey player himself in his younger days and he played an instrumental role in bringing the tournament to Udumalpet. He is no more now and his son, V. Sathya Nathan, is carrying forward his family’s hockey torch.

The hockey tournament unites the people of Udumalpet like no other event. People from all walks of life join hands to make the event a grand success.

From ground marking to catering to the needs of the participants, volunteers take care of everything. The tournament is driven purely by the enthusiasm of Udumalpet hockey lovers.

According to observers, no other inter-college event is conducted with as much professionalism. All teams are put up in hotels, unlike other inter-university events where accommodtion is provided in schools and colleges.

Every player of the teams entering the semifinal league is awarded a prize worth Rs 300 and those in need of financial support to continue their education are also paid attention to.

Every year, a clinic for umpires is conducted to help them understand the ever-changing rules better.

Jegadeesan, former physical education teacher of a government school at Udumalpet, laid the foundation for the growth of hockey in the 60s.

With the help of textile mill owners, he ensured that the game flourished. Jagadeesan’s trainees went on to play for Tamil Nadu with distinction.

Many of them were given jobs at Sri Palani Andavar Mills at Udumalpet. Apart from Udumalpet Reds and Udumalpet Hockey Club, the two premier clubs in the days of Jegadeesan, Star HC and Rudhrappa Nagar HC also helped youngsters of the town to take up hockey seriously.

Now all the clubs are united under Udumalpet Hockey Club. One can add hockey to textile mills and wind power mills to the list of items that Udumalpet is famous for.

Some of the prominent players to have come out of Udumalpet: Mani Nathan, Ganesh Pandian, Ganesh Raja, Ganesan, Thiruvi-nothan, Mohan Kumar, Shanmuga Raja, Rathinam, Vincent Dharmaraj, Manoj Kumar, Gokula Krishnan.