The precision strikers: Chennai’s long tryst with the sport of carrom

Maria Irudayam was 16 when he started playing carrom, back in the 1980s. From his first local match in the bylanes of North Madras to receiving the Arjuna Award in 1996, his rise is one of the prominent chapters in Chennai’s love story with the game.

Now, as his training academy opens, re-shuts and gingerly opens again in tandem with lockdowns, Maria continues to help script the success story of carrom in Chennai, through all its ups and downs, club matches and world championships.

Yes, world championships. North Chennai has produced numerous world champions in carrom through the years, from 65-year-old Maria who is the country’s only carrom player to receive the Arjuna Award, to 35-year-old S Ilavazhaki who has won two world cups and two world championships till date.

But international medals and a few minutes of media spotlight are not what draws talent to the table in this part of the city. They are drawn to the thrill of the game — and, to an extent, to a small promise of economic stability. “The Postal Services, and some other Government departments like Excise, are happy to hire serious carrom players every year. A district or State-level certificate is helpful in getting a job,” says B Ravi Kumar, president of the Chennai District Carrom Association, “But the main fact is that people here just love playing. We have been trying to reopen one or two places for a short while, so the children who miss their game can come back and play.”

By children, Kumar means the likes of 14-year-old M Khazima and 15-year-old N Mithun, both sub junior National-level winners and carriers of multiple accolades in the sport. Though high achievers, they are not a rarity in Chennai. “There are 800 to 900 carrom players in Madras today, belonging to one of 64 clubs,” says Arjuna awardee Irudayam, adding that before the pandemic hit, Chennai would see seven or eight club tournaments through the year, besides a district-level championship.

“From the district, we send 32 players to the State Championship, from where the winners go to the National Championship,” continues the man who has held the title of national champion nine times.

And then, there are the board room tournaments — a somewhat slick, more organised version of what once used to be a wobbly table, a streetside light, and a carrom board holding dozens of people in thrall till the wee hours of morning. “They used to play standing games in those days,” recalls Kumar, “The games did not follow proper rules; it was mainly to pass the time.”

Picking up pace

But now, says Kumar, even casual games are “serious”, thanks to Chennai’s many board rooms. “There are about 30 to 40 now, not only in North Chennai but also in Santhome and Vadapalani. They are the place to go to, for extra guidance to better your game,” he adds. These are not always formal set ups. “But they have good lighting, standard carrom boards, and allow people to play for hours. Some of the city’s best talent comes from here,” says Kumar.

So what kinds of players are Chennai’s board rooms meant for? Those who have honed their skill as much as they can on their own, and want help becoming seriously competitive, says Kumar. One advantage of the informal structure is that it’s never too late to start. “In Chennai, we have players who are still playing well into their 50s; we put them in the ‘veterans’ category,” says Irudyam, “But I would say that the best time to begin, is when you are eight years old.”

Eventually, when a player wants to raise their standing, they turn to former champions for guidance or mentorship. Operating in that spirit, the only place for carrom training recognised by the carrom association, is Maria’s International Carrom Academy on Naval Hospital Road, Periamet. Other coaching centres have also cropped up around town, Kumar adds, but the buck still stops with the player. “In carrom, there is no formal coaching, no certification for trainers. Everyone begins at home.”