Synopsis Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin launched the Kalaignar Sports Kit scheme, providing sports kits for cricket, football, SILAMBAM, and chess to youth in 12,620 village panchayats. The scheme aims to promote sports, especially in rural parts of the state. Udhayanidhi also inaugurated an Integrated Sports Science Centre here, built at a cost of about Rs 5 crore. Set up by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), it will aid in rehabilitation of sportspersons who suffer sports related injuries, the release said. Madurai: Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday launched a scheme here to provide sports kits to youth in over 12,000 village panchayats in the state. The KALAINGAR SPORTS KIT scheme is named after former chief minister the late M Karunanidhi, Udhayanidhis grandfather, to commemorate his birth centenary. Sports kits containing 33 equipment for various games, including cricket, football, silambam and chess, will be given to youth in the villages, as per the scheme. At the event here, the minister said the aim of the scheme is to popularise sports in every nook and corner of the state, adding that the ruling DMK is according high priority to it. It would also promote sporting talent from rural parts of Tamil Nadu, he added. While there are many schemes named after KALAINGAR (Karunanidhi) it is a matter of pride that such a scheme is being implemented in his name in the Sports department for the first time, Udhayanidhi said He pointed out that Karunanidhi was an avid sports fan and always took out time to watch sporting action such as cricket, football and others on television. Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi also inaugurated an Integrated Sports Science Centre here, built at a cost of about Rs 5 crore. Set up by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), it will aid in rehabilitation of sportspersons who suffer sports related injuries, the release said.

Chennais Abinayaa Suresh achieves a world record, displaying silambam skills and playing three keyboards simultaneously for eight songs in just 41 minutes and 26 seconds. Abinayaa Suresh, a 11 year old from Chennai, captivates the crowd with her keyboard rendition of Vetri Kodi Kattu, a popular song from the Tamil film Padayappa (1999). The applause is not just for the iconic Rajinikanth song but for Abinayaas extraordinary talent. Blindfolded and gracefully swirling a silambam stick in one hand while flawlessly playing the keyboard with the other, Abinayaa emerges as the hero of her own story. The song becomes a fitting tribute to her impressive journey. World record Abinayaas exceptional skill and feat have earned her a coveted place in the Winners World Records. She achieved this extraordinary feat by performing a (Blindfolded Biathlon) showcasing Silambam skills and simultaneously playing three strategically placed music keyboards for the background score of eight songs, for an impressive duration of 41 minutes and 26 seconds. The programme took place on Monday, 29 January, in Mogappair, Chennai. The event was organised by Agathiyas Chennai Silamba Koodam and CSK Dhrona Third Eye Yoga.

Discipline helps people succeed in life, said Madras High Court Judge Justice V. Sivagnanam. Speaking at the anniversary celebrations of Heritage Welfare Foundation in Madurai on Sunday, he said, ( Being a disciplined person is more important than being educated and revered) Besides, being dignified and speaking kind words, according to Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar were some of the other important qualities needed for people to be successful. Speaking about the sport (silambam) he said, it was intrinsically connected to the culture of Tamil people. Rather than being called a martial art, (silambam) could be more appropriately called a cultural art, he added. Additional Chief Secretary of Labour Welfare and Skill Development Kumar Jayant and media personality C. Gopinath also spoke. Earlier, students who were trained by the foundation performed (silambam) and other related martial art forms, showcasing their skills. Rukmini Thiagarajan of the Heritage Welfare Association welcomed.

Former Chief Patron Dr David Manuel Raj (Tamilnadu Silambattam Association) to propagate and popularize the Silambam as game with well defined Rules and Regulations as designed by it all over World by conducting tournaments...

Silambam teacher Rathinam has trained over 10,000 students in a bid to save a dying martial art form. Pulithevan Silamba Training School in Chinnamanur has been providing free Silambam training to students above the age of 5 for the past 34 years. The school’s teacher, Rathinam, has trained over ten thousand students so far. Silambam is the traditional martial art of Tamil Nadu and is believed to have originated 12,500 years ago. It is considered the mother of all martial arts practised by the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas.

Six Tamil performing artistes in Australia paid homage to their roots by performing ancient Tamil folk arts, folk instruments and Bharatanatyam to a global diaspora.

Kalugumanayar (Indian: born Chandrasekaran ;19th October 1953), founder of Chola Martial Arts, Kalugumanayar is widely referred by media, commentators, critics and other martial artists to be one of the most influential martial artists of all time, and a Martial Art icon of 20th century. He is often credited with helping to change the lives of Indians from rural and urban zones of Tamil Nadu-India. The direction and tone of his skill and techniques changed and influenced martial arts in India and the rest of the world. RajaMahaGuru Kalugumanayar was born in Kalugumanai on 19 October 1953 and was raised in Pudukottai District ,TamilNadu-India with his family until his late teens. A Graduate in Science and Law, served Govt.of Tamilnadu-India as Deputy Legal Advisor (Vigilance & Anti-Corruption), Retd., Kalugumanayar’s new Techniques and Styles in Kuthu Varisai , Karate, Silambam, Nun-Chuck and Sword got recognized and awarded him with following titles: Grand Master Raja MahaGuru Karate Vengai Silamba Imayam Grand Master , Raja Maha Guru Kalugumanayar was renowned for his physical fitness and vigorous, dedicated fitness regimen to become as strong as he possibly could. In 1974 , He founded Chola Martial Arts and trained youth and practitioners across India and introduced many to the world as trained Instructors, Champions and Masters of Kuttu Varisai , Karate, Silambam, Nun-Chuck and Sword. Trained Masters and Instructors from Kalugumanayar’s CHOLA MARTIAL ARTS contributed training as sport and events to thousands of thousands youth and students across Tamilnadu , India , Asia and Middle-East. Kalugumanayar C.Chandrasekaran Contributed his Art & Techniques to the development of Silambam as Sport by serving as Secretary of TamilNadu Silamabattam Association. Later he was elected to continue his contribution to the development of Silambam,Traditional Martial Art of India as Technical Director of Indian Silambam Federation and Tamilnadu Silambattam Association. Website :https://www.cholamartialarts.com/ Email Id :reachus@cholamartialarts.com

UNIVERSAL ACHIEVERS BOOK OF RECORDS APPRECIATE AND CONGRATULATE ALL THE SILAMBAM STUDENTS, SILAMBAM ACADEMIES AND SILAMBAM ASSOCIATIONS FOR PARTICIPATING AND SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHING THE WORLD RECORD OF WORLD’S LARGEST SILAMBAM HUMAN LOGO FORMATION AND WORLD’S LARGEST SILAMBAM TRAINING WORKSHOP ON 14TH APRIL, 2023 ON THE OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL SILAMBAM DAY. A TOTAL OF 5650 SILAMBAM STUDENTS FROM 153 SILAMBAM ACADEMIES FROM ALL ACROSS INDIA PARTICIPATED IN THIS WORLD RECORD. WE THANK OUR CHIEF GUEST HONOURABLE CHENNAI MAYOR MRS. PRIYA AND HONOURABLE MLA THIRU. THAYAGAM KAVI FOR ACCEPTING OUR INVITATION AND GRACING THE OCCASION AND BLESSING OUR CHENNAI TEAM ACHIEVERS FOR SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHING THIS WORLD RECORD.

J. Kairav Krish (born on May 30, 2013) of Tamil Nadu, India, set a record for performing the maximum number of Silambam Martial art forms. He performed sixteen Silambam art forms including single stick rotation, double stick rotation, Pichuva Kathi, Sword and shield, Kodari and shield, Deer horn, Vel Kambu and Kandan kodari and many more in 15 minutes at the age of 9 years, 2 months and 23 days, as confirmed on September 15, 2022.

Ganesan Sandhirakasan, who hails from Tamil Nadu, took home the SG 4 Migrant Workers top prize of SGD 1,000 for garnering the maximum number of likes and views on his video showcasing traditional Indian martial art form Silambam. An Indian man in Singapore has won the top prize in a government-initiated competition for migrant workers for choreographing and performing a sequence of Silambam - a traditional martial art form practised in India since the 4th century BC. Ganesan Sandhirakasan, 33, who hails from Tamil Nadu, secured the first place with the most number of likes and views for his video on the @sg4mw (SG 4 Migrant Workers) TikTok account, beating 19 other shortlisted individuals. He took home the prize money of SGD 1,000 (USD 743). The series was made for migrant workers in Singapore and the final episode was aired on Monday night. The competition is part of the Tamil variety series Chill Pannu Maappi!, commissioned by the Ministry of Communication and Information and produced by Cosmic Ultima Pictures for migrant workers.

When a group of transgenders from Coimbatore wanted to venture into sports, the first thing that came to their mind was Silambam – an ancient form of martial art from Tamil Nadu that has earned global recognition. Around 25 transgenders from Kavundampalayam area ensure that they are present on a ground at Thoppampatti, near Coimbatore, in the evening hours, where their coach B. Prabhu trains them in Silambam .

Vijayawada: Five students of NTR district, who are receiving training at Funtime Club in Vijayawada, bagged six medals in the 1st AP State Silambam... Vijayawada: Five students of NTR district, who are receiving training at Funtime Club in Vijayawada, bagged six medals in the 1st AP State Silambam (Karrasamu) Championship conducted at Guntur Hindu College. The sport event has been organised for two days on June 23 and 24. Five students participated in this Indian traditional martial art. N Kashyap got two silver medals in under-11 category (Single stick and double stick), and P Sai Karuyya bagged gold medal in under-11 category in the double stick event. N Yashaswini won silver medal (double stick), Lakshmi Prasanna won gold medal (above 25 years category- double stick), and Swogandikha won gold medal in under-17 category (double stick). All the medalists were trained at Funtime Club by coach B Karthika.

Adah Sharma talks to us about her love for gymnastics, doing a mixed bag of workouts, being part of action series Commando and more Adah Sharma, the girl-next-door exudes boundless zest for life. Whether it’s gracing the silver screen, captivating audiences with her performing arts, or engaging in the rigorous fitness regimen, the 31-year-old gives her all! In her latest project Commando series, she plays a determined commando Bhavna Reddy and shows an awe-inspiring display of her fit-as-a-fiddle physique in action-packed fighting sequences. The secret behind her toned, flexible, and sculpted body is her wide range of workouts. From showing her gymnastic prowess with Mallakhamb, doing Tamil Nadu’s martial arts Silambam in a sari on a beach to blowing minds with her mastery in Surya Namaskara pose, she loves to break a sweat in new and fun ways. We speak to the 1920 film star about her active lifestyle that shape her svelte figure and positive mind.

Malavika Mohanan shares a video of her practicing Silambam on terrace. The actress previously shared a video of her training for martial arts for her role in Thangalaan. Actress Malavika Mohanan is currently shooting for her Tamil film “Thangalaan”. Directed by Pa Ranjith, the film stars Vikram, Parvathi Thiruvothu, Pasupathi, and Malavika Mohanan in the lead roles. Earlier, it was reported that, to play her role in the movie, Malavika Mohanan underwent training in martial arts. Now, the actress took to Instagram to share a video of her practising the art of silambam.

However, Kiran’s love for Silambam, the passion to pass on the skills to others and take forward his guru’s legacy motivated him to continue as an instructor all these years. GUNTUR: When one thinks of martial arts, the first few forms that come to mind are Taekwondo, Karate and Kung Fu. Parents forming a beeline to enrol their children to these classes are often a common sight in major cities. However, 42-year-old Bandla Kiran Kumar has been striving to ensure that India’s oldest forms of martial arts, Silambam and Kathi Samu, get their due recognition. Silambam, a martial art that originated from Tamil Nadu, uses a bamboo staff as a primary weapon, while Kathi Samu, an ancient marital art from Andhra Pradesh, uses different kinds of swords. A native of Guntur city, Kiran has been teaching Silambam for the past 10 years. For a long time, people were unaware about stick and sword fighting, and hence opted for other marital arts like Taekwondo, he observed. “However, now awareness on these Indian combat forms has increased, resulting in a rise in the number of children and even older people signing up for classes over the past couple of years,” Kiran said. It was not an easy task to educate people about Indian martial arts, he recalled and explained, “I used to conduct several camps at various schools across the city to introduce children and their parents to the combat form and instill interest in them. With the rising need for self-defence, especially for girls and women, this art is coming back to life.” Sharing her experience, 15-year-old K Rani said, “I was so fascinated with the rural sport when the instructor showed me some moves to ward off any attacks by mischief-mongers. That was when I decided to switch from Karate to Silambam. Practising Silambam can be exhausting. It not only helps with physical fitness, but also inculcates discipline. It helps students remain alert and aware of their surroundings, and channel their energy in a positive manner,” Kiran noted. When the popularity of the martial art began to fade, many trainers started taking up different jobs. However, Kiran’s love for Silambam, the passion to pass on the skills to others and take forward his guru’s legacy motivated him to continue as an instructor all these years. “I had taken up a part-time job at a printing press to support my family, but continued to teach Silambam to students. Over the past two years, awareness on the martial art increased, and as a result now as many as 50 students attend my class regularly. On the insistence of parents, various schools in the city have introduced stick-fighting as a part of sports. This, too, has helped in many students learning it. So, I quit my job and completely dedicated my life to teaching Silambam, he said with a sparkle in his eyes. Several of Kiran’s students, B Aksaa Keerthana, B Sandhya Rani, V Susmitha, V Sai Koti Dheeraj, B Chetan Sai, O Sandhya Sri, A Venkata Durga Rao, A Tejaswini and A Vamsi Krishna, have won gold medals at the State and national level competitions. They now have set their sights on international competitions being held in Bengaluru. Further, the instructor suggested that competitions should be held frequently to make Silambam famous and encourage youth to learn the indigenous martial art.

India has been famous for its own martial arts and fighting techniques. In South India, there are many such forms of martial arts that have been a part of their culture and have now gained international recognition as well. One such martial arts form that is quite popular in the southern state of Tamil Nadu is Silambam. Silambam has been practised in the state since earlier times. Now, even the younger generation has taken an interest in the sport, which has gained nationwide recognition. According to reports, a group of young students participated in the Silambam competition in Goa and won around 12 gold medals. Reportedly, they were welcomed with a grand celebration after they came back from the competition. On September 11, a national-level competition of Silambam was held in Goa, where more than 500 students from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab participated. The competition was held in the men’s, women’s, junior and senior categories. Around 12 people participated on behalf of Tamil Nadu and went on to win 12 gold medals and the overall championship trophy in the Silambam-Velkambu and Shield rounds.

Pune : Rajvardhan Borkar, a talented young athlete, emerged victorious in the recently concluded YSAA National Championship 2023. His remarkable feat took place in the game of Silambam, specifically the Stick event, competing in the distinguished under 14 category. The championship, organized by the esteemed Youth Sports & Activities Association of India, unfolded on the expansive Thoda Ground in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Athletes from across the nation gathered to showcase their skills and vie for the prestigious title. Amidst intense competition, Rajvardhan Borkar showcased extraordinary talent, resilience, and determination, ultimately clinching the coveted gold medal. Silambam, a traditional Indian martial art form that utilizes a long bamboo stick as a weapon, demands exceptional skill, agility, and precision. Rajvardhan’s triumph stands as a testament to his unwavering dedication and countless hours of rigorous training. Not only does his success highlight his individual brilliance, but it also brings immense pride to our local community and the entire nation. The story of Rajvardhan Borkar’s triumph in the YSAA National Championship 2023 deserves wider recognition. It serves as an inspiration for aspiring athletes across the country, showcasing the immense potential of our youth in the realm of sports.

JAMMU, Sept 22: Silambam (Indian Martial Art) Association of Jammu organized a two day long Silambam Championship at Sacred Heart College, Roopnagar, Jammu. Nearly 300 students from different schools, colleges and clubs participated. Chairperson of the College, Rajni Bala was the chief guest and Bhanu Pratap Singh of the Silambam Association of Jammu district was the guest of honour. Rajni Bala said that a lot of enthusiasm was witnessed among the children belonging to different private as well as Government schools and colleges who have come to participate in the two-day championship. She said that there is dire need to promote sports activities not only for a healthy citizenry but more than that to divert the youth from the path of indulging in drug related activities.

The record for performing the maximum number of Silambam rotations around the head in one minute was set by R. R. Tanshiga (born on June 14, 2014) of Villupuram, Tamil Nadu. She performed 120 Silambam rotations around her head in one minute using a single stick at the age of 9 years and 7 days, as confirmed on June 21, 2023.

R Venkatesh -- the master of Silambam arena Venkatesh lost his left arm when he came in contact with a live wire dangling near his house During his recovery from the amputation, Venkatesh wished that someone sponsored an artificial hand for him. NAGAPATTINAM: It felt like he was forbidden from playing the role of himself in his own life. When others lived his dream, R Venkatesh, however, continued to attend the silambam training sessions, but this time as a spectator. On one such day several years ago, he spared a glance at his left shoulder from where a hand once swayed and wielded the mighty silambam. The silambam would dissolve into his hands and weave a web of defiance for the opponent. But those were the days Venkatesh possessed both hands. While wallowing in this misery, the practice session unfolding before him slowly began to borrow his attention. Something was amiss. The whole action was mistimed. Venkatesh jumped up from his seat, clasped the weapon and redressed the martial art movement. Scores of practitioners on the floor stilled. From that moment began the illustrious journey of reclaiming his prowess and inspiring hundreds of silambam artistes.Weapons such as deer horns and silambam staff at his house in Sirkazhi in Mayiladuthurai district had engrossed Venkatesh since his childhood. These weapons were remnants of his grandfather’s and great-grandfather’s mastery of silambam. He began practising the martial art at the age of 11 under the tutorship of instructor Subramani. He later secured a diploma degree in mechanical engineering. “I was never that bright in academics. It would be more right to say athletics and silambam received my undivided attention. Then the world came crashing down that day,” Venkatesh’s mind leaves for a woebegone place. He was 22 years old in January 2016, when he came in contact with a live wire dangling from a transformer near his house. He was rushed to a nearby hospital. When doctors the next day told his family that Venkatesh’s left hand needed to be amputated to save his life, the youngster lost something he valued more than his life. “I thought I would no more be able to swing my silambam staff and take forward my ancestors’ legacy attached to the centuries-old martial art,” he added. But that day at the training ground brought back his confidence and he began to practice like never before. “I won some tournaments and also began to practice with deer horns and blade swords. I contested in the ‘non-contact’ and ‘semi-contact’ categories of silambam at state-level and national-level events. I also contested in four categories at an international championship held in Malaysia and won gold in all of them,” Venkatesh said. Upon his return from Malaysia, two young boys Aswanth and Adhavan approached him to train them. Thus began the instructor (aasaan) chapter in Venkatesh’s life. The number of students snowballed from two to 200 in just two years. He is a great inspiration for persons with disabilities, said Sirkazhi Municipality Chairman R Durga Parameshwari, who has been attending Venkatesh’s training sessions at ‘Ilaiya Veera Thamizha Silambatta Palli’ even amid her busy work schedule. He also trains children from underprivileged families free of cost. He also wishes to become a silambam instructor at a government school. “The government should make more efforts to promote the martial art. At the very least, it should be introduced in the school curriculum,” he said. Venkatesh’s father S Raja is a barber and R Mahalakshmi is a homemaker. His students have also begun to win big in state-level and international competitions. M Shanmugam (43), a silambam trainer from Chennai, said, “Venkatesh’s students’ performance is testimony to the fire in his belly. Even a lot of senior trainers are in awe of his skill set.” During his recovery from the amputation, Venkatesh wished that someone sponsored an artificial hand for him. But since he was able to turn that loss into an inspiring story of fighting against odds, he now tells everyone, “Kai illena enna, nambikai irruku (what if I don’t have a hand, I have faith in myself).”

CHENNAI: A national level Silambam player, D Sandhoshini had to juggle her time between training in martial arts and her textbooks to ensure she aced the SSLC examination. She scored 471/500 in the Class X board exams. A student of Presidency Girls Model Hr. Sec School, Egmore, she has been a Silambam artist since Class IV and has won many accolades at the national level. “I didn’t go to a private tuition, I used to study by myself. I wish to take Silambam classes for students from humble backgrounds.” She plans to study accountancy and aspires to work in a bank.