Hockey Stadium at KVP yells.....

KOVILPATTI HOCKEY GROUND
G. KUPPUSAMY NAIDU HOCKEY STADIUM,
PASUVANTHANAI ROAD, BHARATHI NAGAR, KOVILPATTI

Dear well-wishers and sports loving Gentlemen,

I am Kovilpatti HOCKEY GROUND, wants to share my feelings with you. Please hear my history and present day sufferings.

Do not think me like an ordinary Land situated in Kovilpatti. I am proud to say I am a national monument representing our national game of Hockey. I am a seat to various hockey matches for the last 50 years in this town. My heritage is similar to Sabarmathi Ashram and Saranath Tower, etc. What Amritsar to Sikhs and Varanasi to Hindus I am to Hockey in Tamilnadu.

Hockey was introduced in India by British Army regiments and the game soon found favour among the native Indians. The first hockey club in India came up in Calcutta in 1885-86. The game became popular in Bombay, The Punjab, Madras State. Gradually this game gained its importance amongst the masses and more and more people started playing it.

Making its Olympic debut at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, Indian hockey team cruised home to its first Olympic gold without conceding a single goal. The hallmark of this ruthless domination was the wizardry of Indian hockey legend Dhyan Chand who mesmerized the Amsterdam crowd with his dazzling skills. Olympian Dhyan Chand visited Kovilpatti in 1962 and played on me.

After the victory of Berlin Olympic Gold in 1936, the small village of Kovilpatti knew about hockey. In his fond love on hockey, Dr.Durairaj, himself a hockey player encouraged students and the youngsters of Kovilpatti to play hockey. He along with his friends and philanthropists founded Kovilpatti Sports Club in 1944 and organised state level Hockey Tournaments.

His pioneering enthusiasm and effective efforts of his friends paved way for my rebirth as hockey ground in the year 1960. I was purchased by Dr.Durairaj and his friends like Sri. Durairaj Naidu and Sri. N.Ponnusamy Nadar for a public purpose. It was my earlier prestigious status.The next 30 years precisely golden era for my field as it is one of the well maintained Gravel Hockey ground in India. Thanks to the generous courtesy of Lakshmi Mills, the game of Hockey flourished in a highest scale . Whenever Hockey matches held at my venue the town of Kovilpatti wore a festival look . Definitely Lakshmi Mills Group donated so much of money , manpower and their inputs for the growth of the game. Kovilpatti public ever cherish the L.M.group’s contribution to hockey.

In order to develop the game, Dr.Durairaj coordinated with Lakshmi Mills, Kovilpatti founded G.Kuppusamy Naidu Memorial Trust and All India Hockey Tournament, which is ceased to exist till 9 years back. However, players and athletes are regularly practicing in my soil and Nethaji Hockey Club, Rajiv Gandhi Club, etc are conducting yearly tournaments here.
Mr.K.Selvaraj, Regional Manager, Kovilpatti Branch occupied as secretary of the trust in the latter years. Mr.Selvarj who was expelled as manager of Lakshmi Mills three or four years back is playing havoc with me in the year 2008. He is trying to sell me to a land broker and a rice smuggler.His motive is bad.It is against the fundamental principles of TRUST. records for his cause and got a Court Order is very bad. It is against the fundamental principles of the trust.
One should remember while Dr.Durairaj handed over me to the above trust as GIFT clearly specified that land should be maintained ever as a ground for the welfare of the game. As a secretary instead of safeguarding the hockey monument trying to convert me for housing purposes.

It is a plain fact that Mr. K. Selvaraj or his trust never purchased me but I was a gift to them. So he has no right to dispose a public property like me . Till now my property title deed is under the banner Kovilpatti Sports Club in all Govt. documents. Mr.Selvaraj , patron of KRA Vidhyasram Matriculation School had chosen this kind of unethical activity a shock to everybody . He is one of the ancestors of Jameen Family of nearby Ilayarasanendal.

As my issue became a public dispute, right thinking people of Kovilpatti jumped into fray.They approached Revenue authorities for justice.It was informed in the public meeting convened by Ground Retrieval Committee and CPI(M) on 7/1/09 at Kovilpatti - RDO Mr. Sudharsan rather than dealing this issue in a justifiable manner chose a wrong path. He misused all his powers and acting like an Agent to Land MAFIA. Mr. Sudharsan and high officials had not taken any care about me and trying to support land mafia. Kovilpatti RDO had no any sincerity for the public cause. He is looking me just like an ordinary land ignoring my heritage.Adjacent and allied with me there is PURAMPOKE GOVT.LANDS. So far nobody from the Revenue side protected that valuable land.

Speakers in the above meeting highlighted that RDO enforced 144 Act two or three times to help land dacoits . Police DSP Mr. Kannan , a man of fewer knowledge on sensitive matters collaborated with land brokers it was informed.. He was keeping mum when myself and my spouses ie. Trees , compound wall, rest shed and G.K.Naidu Statue were demolished by brokers.

RDO & DSP purely relying and taking decisions on the records submitted by Mr. Selvaraj. That records are not authentic. Even a subordinate staff in a Taluk Office well knew the landed properties of most of the Jameens are all subject to various disputes due to controversial measurements figures . Also they have no fear to encroach on other’s land . Same is the case of Selvaraj that DSP & RDO did not know . An ideal RDO and DSP would have taken both criminal actions and civil suits on Selvaraj and land mafias but both have no such courage at all . Both of them remaining idle in this issue . These are all narrated by speakers from Retrieval Committee.

In his attempt to sell me, it is learned, records submitted by K. Selvaraj is all framed and tampered. It require resurvey to be conducted by State Survey Dept. Further, no Trust member have right to sell for his own ends the trust's properties. "Trust properties should be safeguarded and promoted" it is the duty of the trust. A trust which did not purchase a property / land have no right to sell the same. These are all my contentions.

Ground demolition & seizure matter was sympathetically heard & photographed by news reporters.But no any news flash or analysis in their papers. It is high time Government of Tamil Nadu and Sports Ministry should intervene to adopt and keep me for playing purposes for ever.

Thank you for listening my story which is somewhat pathetic . I will not remain pathetic ever. May it be a small hardship. I remain with a firm hope that I will survive as a ground in 2012.
Extract from kovilpattihockeyground.blogspot.com

Is that all for Hockey in Kovilpatti??

To,

Mr. Mukul Chatterjee,

Director - Administration,

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports,

New Delhi.

Once a wellknown Hockey ground now

face pathetic problem in Kovilpatti

Sports loving people would know very well and definitelly accept Kovilpatti and Palayamkottai are the booster to the game of Hockey in Tamil Nadu State as like as Patiala and Jalandhar of Punjab State.

G.Kuppusamy Naidu Hockey Stadium in Kovilpatti was started and developed in earlier part of 1960's by Lakshmi Mills and Kovilpatti Sports Club. By this two organisations the Hockey Team was participated numerable events and became famouus in Tamil Nadu as well as in other parts of the country. Most of the sports loving persons in this region knew well about the rules of the Hockey game and have very much interested in participating or witnessing the All India G.K.Naidu Tournament.

The Hindu, a leading newspaper, in the edition dated 3rd June 1995 highlighted and give much importance about this G.K.Naidu Hocky Tournament and the Ground under the heading "Something to shout about ". Till now Hockey players and Athelitics are regularly practising in this Ground . All India Rajiv Gandhi Annual Hockey Tournament is conducted in this ground.

Now all this becoming sweet memories only. It is came to known that Mr. K. Selvaraj, former Regional Manager, Lakshmi Mills, who is the only present member of the G. Kuppusamy Naidu Trust has decided to sale this famous ground. This makes very disapppoinment of everyone in Kovilpatti. Some Anti - Social elements belonging in the Real Estate and Rice Mill field are very much interested to take over this ground and with the help of Mr. K.Selvaraj they smashed the outer wall and uprooted the trees and put a digital board to display that the association has arranged to provide alternate ground in som other far away place from the present location. All this people joined together to cheating the people.

Political parties specially CPI (M) stuggling hard and fight against to this evil force and try to recapture the ground with the support of Hockey lovers. Revenue Authorities of Kovilpatti handling this issue. The Hockey game players and lovers were very much interest to know about ithis matter.

This is the hightime that Govt. of Tamil Nadu and the Ministry of Youth Affairs to take immediate action in this matter and give new life to Hockey game. This is main wishes of Kovilpatti Hockey game lovers.

Please do the needful and take immediate action to save the Hockey Ground.

Thanking you,

With warm regards,

     Photo copy of The Hindu paper issue dt. 03.06.1995.

HUMBLED HOCKEY - Money music will make FIH sing again

HUMBLED HOCKEY - Money music will make FIH sing again
While the International Hockey Federation has been making a lot of noise about propriety and making all the threatening noises, a display of dollars that the FIH needs desperately could well make it change its tune about the Champions Trophy.
M.S. Unnikrishnan
International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre must really be missing the incarcerated Suresh Kalmadi in this time of crises for Indian hockey. When Kalmadi was around, particularly during the turbulent days leading to the formation of Hockey India and the run up to the hosting of the World Cup in Delhi in March 2010, he played his cards well and pulled the right strings to get things moving and cracking at a fast pace.
The thumping success of the World Cup held at the renovated, world-class Dhyan Chand Stadium impressed the FIH top brass. They also realised the enormous potential of generating much-needed funds by selling hockey in India. Kalmadi and his team got many sponsors for the World Cup and filled the FIH coffers as never before.
In fact, whenever Negre made one of his many visits to Delhi to inspect the progress of the preparations for the World Cup, he was given a royal treatment and left a happy man. After the World Cup, the FIH saw a lot of merit in awarding the Champions Trophy and the Olympic Qualifying tournament to Delhi, as India was perceived as a cash cow. The FIH also promised to award many other important events to India for the revival of the game here.
But with Kalmadi’s arrest in connection with the Commonwealth Games scams, things took a tumble overnight, as it were, as Hockey India was left without a charismatic head -- it is still without a president after Vidya Stokes resigned to fall in line with the Government fiat on tenure and age-limit - forcing secretary-general Narinder Batra to hold the fort.
Managing day-to-day administration and getting a challenging event like the Champions Trophy going by roping in the right kind of sponsors, are two different ball games and the present management was not rising to the FIH’s expectations. Though Kalmadi held no formal post in HI, it was common knowledge that he wielded ‘the’ power and played the lead role in the successful conduct of the World Cup.
Moreover, HI’s monopoly over the game took a beating when the Government was forced to recognise the existence of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) following a Delhi High Court ruling. When Ajay Maken was appointed Sports Minister, he took active interest in getting the two hockey bodies either merged, or form a working relationship, which raised the hackles of the FIH.
FIH suddenly became aggressive, as it contended that it would only deal with HI, as the Champions Trophy and the Olympic Qualifiers were awarded to HI. FIH threatened to pull out these events if the “joint board” arrangement mentioned in the “settlement minutes” of IHF and HI was not rescinded, as the FIH Executive Board felt that the settlement “breaches not only the FIH Statutes, but also the Olympic Charter”.
Maken was willing to talk to Negre and hoped to settle the matter when the FIH chief visited Delhi on September 13. But Negre pre-empted that decision and in a two-page letter to Maken, in reply to the Government’s response to the initial IHF posers, he stunned everyone connected with Indian hockey by announcing that the Champions Trophy would be moved out of India.
But Negre conveniently left out the name of the alternate venue, leaving space for bargaining -- to extract his pound of monetary flesh. The FIH threat was intended to blackmail the Government and HI to give in to its demands, which was evident in the small print of the last paragraph of the letter, which read: “The other point upon which I am being pressed by my Executive Board is in relation to the amount of approximately US$500,000, which is owed to FIH, pursuant to contract for the men’s World Cup held in Delhi in March, 2010.The release of this money is apparently being refused by the Reserve Bank of India. It would help if a written explanation is provided as to the reasons why this money is being withheld together with the steps that the FIH is required to take in order that payment can be made. The money is clearly the property of the FIH”.
So that’s it. It all boils down to money and money alone. If Maken manages to make the RBI release the blocked dollars, Negre will once again sing the Indian tune, like a canary! Perhaps the FIH also fears that the World Series Hockey league, to be held under the aegis of the IHF, without sanction from the FIH, will take the thunder away from the Champions Trophy and might eat into the sponsorship business of hockey.

NOTE:The Tribune 9/9/2011

Is it time for Hockey?

3 Million $ prize, 178 Players, 40 foreign players from around 10 countries, a club structure. What does it sound like? Football, wait I am talking about India, then it must be Cricket. No its not Football neither it is cricket, it is the national game of India, one in which it has won a record 8 Olympic Gold Medals, yes it is Hockey.

The WSH-World Series Hockey after a long silence after its initial announcement in December last year is set to played in Dec and Jan this year. The Nimbus had a launch program in Mumbai recently and where it also declared to have reached an understanding with FIH and the participating players would be safe as opposed to threat of bans earlier. The sport minister is also trying hard to have an HI-IHF merger and if it goes through then things will start to go in hockey’s favor after a long time.

The WSH is set to have 8 Franchise based on IPL model. 6 teams location have been declared as metros-Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai and the 6^th one is the Hockey powerhouse of India- Punjab (With Chandigarh, Jullundur & Amritsar as 3 locations). The rest 2 locations have to be decided from a shortlisted location of the left out metro-Kolkata, hockey’s second power location- Rourkela & cities and towns like Pune, Kanpur etc)

In the initial year the 8 franchise will play on Home and Away model playing 56 league matched followed by 2 semi finals and a best of 3 finals. This would mean a total of 61 matches

But for the real question will WSH help hockey make a comeback in India. What does WSH offer as advantages to Hockey in India? According to me the few advantages are

1.       Raises the profile of the game- Local players, foreign players, big money, big prizes, Investment at stake for Nimbus who would want a return. More high profile means more attention and more attention definitely helps to drive more accountability. That is the thing missing in Indian hockey. It will not happen in 1 year and we see a turn around, but if WSH continues for 10 years this definitely will happen

2.       High Salaries to Players- Hockey though the national game had very poor salaries. In recent times the salaries came to respectable level but it was nowhere near to cricket or international standards of Hockey salaries in Europe.  The WSH has good level of salaries in lakhs and it is not limited to just 15 players of national team, rather it has a depth. Each team will have a squad of 21 players with 5 foreigners. This means 16 players per team and 8 teams, a total of 138 Indians being paid a handsome salary. This will give depth of money for the first time.

3.       Large talent pool- As written in previous point a total of 138 Indians will be in the squad. This would give the selectors a large talent to select from. Since these players will be under public knowledge due to high profile tournament, hence it will reduce the incidents like bribing to be in team  since earlier the knowledge of local tournament was virtually 0

4.       Valuable experience of Foreign players- Presently Indian hockey is like a frog in well. Loads of tournaments with local players and same style of hockey being played all over. This has brought stagnation and hence over time India lost its edge.  Like in PHL, WSH brings in even more foreign players. Professional coaches, foreign players will definitely give Indian youth a lot of valuable experience. This would enable them to be aware of the styles used at other places and good things they can pick and counter them when they play in International games.

5.       Professional coaching and set-up- Unlike the local tournaments of hockey, in WSH the players will be playing for franchise where results would matter. The franchise will bring in best of coaching staff and performances and not approaches in HI or IHF will matter. This would bring the best out of players and we will see a great tournaments

There can be many other advantages too. I have my fingers crossed that the murky areas of Hockey should start to become clear in India now. Over time I would like to see this tournament even more expanded. As former Indian captain Pargat Singh had said, India would require somewhere around 600 Turf grounds for game to real have a mass appeal as well as sufficient supply of talent.

Over time Hockey in India should aim for 800 grounds by 2020. The path should be well defined. The private investment should be a way to pave for this number including the infrastructure. The Government alone cannot take us to this number. Initial 4 years should be building the base- Increase awareness and popularity of game, setting the basic infrastructure, then the next 3 years should be used for explosion. Rope in investors, have a massive increase in infrastructure and then finally last 2 years should be used for consolidation

Over time Grade B league should also start. These would be more limited to the specific regions and owned in franchise form but at a much lower costs and players paid on much lower contracts. For example if Delhi is a Franchise of WSH with Delhi, NCR as its target base, the Grade B league for Delhi can be 10 teams from vicinity like – Najafgarh, South Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida etc. These franchises would create their local infrastructure and play tournament amongst themselves. The best players will have a chance to make it into the WSH. Local channels can be used to broadcast and local crowds can attend the matches. It is similar to the many Division 2 football leagues around the world.

2011- Start of WSH, 8 Franchises, around 60 Astro Turf Grounds

2013- 10 Franchises, 100 Astro Turf Grounds

2015- 12 Franchises, 160 Astro Turf Grounds

From 2011-15 the period of setting the base was formed. 14 Franchises and 160 grounds should help to raise the awareness of the game. After this the 3 years should be used for explosion

2016- 16 Franchises, 250 Astro Turf Grounds and 8 Grade B leagues with 10 teams each

2017- 18 Franchises, 400 Astro Turf Grounds and 18 Grade B league with 10 teams each

2018- 20 Franchises, 600 Astro Turf Grounds and 20 Grade B leagues with 10 teams each

After the explosion in teams, infra  the next 2 years will be for consolidation of game.

2019- 20 Franchises, 700 Astro Turf Grounds and 20 Grade B teams with 12 teams each

2020- 20 Franchises, 800 Astro Turf Grounds and 20 Grade B teams with 15 teams each

In the end we have 800 Astro Turf grounds, the required Infra for the game. With 20 Grade A franchise and 300 Grade B franchise and 800 grounds would mean that there would be enough opportunity for the youth to exploit the area of Hockey as a profession rather than using it as a entry point into the government jobs. This would do hockey a sea of good.

I know I take things too far, but if we do not dream how can we chase our dreams. Looking for some exciting times for Hockey and then I will update hockey on this blog too. Waiting for December for WSH.

Note: This article is republished from http://jashan-celebrating-life.blogspot.com, 

Kovilpatti Out of SDAT League

                                   The heads have gone down as the Kovilpatti team which headed to Trichy on Tuesday has failed to qualify into the league of the SDAT Champions Challenge.Their first match on Wednesday(10/8) with Dindukal was a good one and KVP managed to score four goals and conceded only one when the whistle was blown.The second match with Chennai was not one sided ed.Team chennai which defeated Dindukal earlier scoring 5-1 gave KVP a tough fight,but the shaky defense  of KVP ended the match with 3-3 draw,and failed to qualify into the league round.
Kovilpatti hope of winning the title is shattered this year, but still lets keep our hopes high and let them never die.

SDAT Champions Challenge

The event up for this week is the SDAT League at Trichy....Our Kovilpatti horses are ready to gallop in the new  turf...

This tournament is a matter of prestige issue.Yet the team is finding very difficult to manage  the funds.A sincere thanks to the duo Shekar and Mr.Pasupathi  who has given a helping hand to manage with the funds, even when the other internationals of the native land have never come up to spend a penny out of their pockets .A big "VANAKKAM" to them.
The Young Challengers of Kovilpatti will meet Dindukal district in their first league match on 10/08/2011.
                              ALL THE BEST YC KVP

It's The Hockey Fever

                                                

The braveyard of hockey....the Dawn of hockeying... and what not..Koviklpatti a smalll town of Thuthukudi district ,known  for its match sticks ,also ver well known for hockey sticks.Every native of Kovilpatti is wild spirited for the game;the game of hockey runs in their veins.

The birth place of bravery,has made numerous tigers of their land to play for the nation.

As in Punjab in the north  its only in Kovilpatti every second family nurtures a tiger,a tiger which plays hockey.hockey is fun for some,its fitness for some others,its even occupation for more,but for every native of Kovilpatti its a matter of bravery,and every other person running into the 90 yard ,is a hero.

The highest spirit of the natives for the game is showcased by the crowd overflowing in the stands in the annual All India Tournament.It's only  in this town you find children , youth and even the adults playing hockey in the street corners.This small town is full of hockey talents,the the fire of the game burns in each and every eye.the  human resouse,talent and the skill of the natives in hockey is abundant.But the question is,"why are most of the talents of the land getting nipped after a point of time(may be till  they finish their high school or graduation )....Hope this Question finds an answer soon