Development woes for carrom - A sport of skill

Tatattattat…..! This recurring sound in many households on a boring afternoon may disturb grandma’s sleep and invite her curses. But to many young and older people, it used to relieve them of boredom – “time pass”, they would say. Perhaps, it is the most popular ‘amateur’ sport in many households and one would be amazed to see some pocketing the ‘whites’ and ‘blacks’, not to forget the the ‘most valuable’ red being pocketed with great skill. Carrom has been a competitive sport since quite some time too, with state and national level competitions being held regularly like other sports such as hockey, football, volleyball or badminton.

And starting from the 90s, a lone man, a ‘celebrated ‘ player answering to the name Bangaru Babu, who settled in Chennai, single handedly and with devotion worked for the flourishment of the sport at international level too, even in countries like Germany. He established the International Carrom Federation and the Commonwealth championships too. Anu Raju, Mariya Irudayam and later another Chennai girl Ilavazhagi -daughter of a cart puller – became world champions. States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, where the sport was a very popular leisuure activity, responded to the efforts made by Bangaru Babu, who while tirelessly working for the growth of Carrom as a popular sport at competitive level also, even became bed ridden for some time literally exhausted from his tours around the globe. There appeared to be a quick rise in the popularity of the sport, with many youngsters including college and school going girls, taking to it. Competitions at district, state and national level became a regular feature, throwing up quite a few talents who could don national colours.

But for a few years now, the growth of carrom has been dwindling. Many who were associated with the efforts made by Bangaru Babu in lifting the sport, attribute this to lack of employment opportunities for talented state and national level players. A senior woman player mentioned above also aired the opinion that it would do the sport a great deal of good if the government as well as private sponsors or corporates come forward to encourage the players, giving them employment opportunities. Arguably, ‘firing’ or scoring a slam – (clearing all the coins on the board – white or black at one strike, as it were, is as spectacular or a difficult task as scoring a six of all the six balls in an over in cricket, or a hat trick of goals in hockey or football!) But what chance does a sport like carrom -entertaining but not exactly a spectator sport – stand with potential sponsors in this era of IPL and other forms of cash rich cricket, wonder some organisers of carrom. No wonder the development of carrom has taken a back seat.