Karnataka - Mangalore   

It proved to be right choice

Mamatha Poojary

MANGALORE: The success of Mamatha Poojary, India's star “kabaddi” player from Karkala, who was considered the best raider in the gold medal-winning team in Asian Games in Guangzhou, was made possible with the support of many persons associated with the game.

Purushottham Poojary, who coached her in kabaddi for three years while she was a student at Gokarnanatheshwara College, Mangalore, spotted Mamatha's talent for the game in 2001 when she led the Udupi team to finals in the State-level kabaddi tournament although it was a weak team.

Mr. Poojary said: “Mamatha was good at kabaddi, volleyball, athletics and handball. But I told her to concentrate on one game. Initially, she was upset with that advice. She opted for kabaddi and concentrated on the game. Now, of course, everything has turned out well and she has no regrets about that decision.”

Mr. Poojary was speaking on the sidelines of the kabaddi games that were held here recently for schools and PU colleges by the Billava Sangha and the Dakshina Kannada District Kabaddi Association.

Mr. Poojary, while giving credit to other people who helped her with the game, said he had helped her personally with finances.

He said the Karnataka State Kabaddi Association and the Dakshina Kannada District Kabaddi Association also had helped her with the game when she was in college.

Mamatha said that Mr. Poojary had helped in connecting her to Sadanand Shetty, chief patron of the Dakshina Kannada District Kabaddi Association. She said that her family had got funds for her to play the game without letting her know the difficulties involved in mobilising money.

I. Monappa, convenor, Dakshina Kannada District Kabaddi Referees Board, said Mamatha's success was a result of help, guidance and support extended by several persons. He said Mr. Poojary had helped her to some extent financially by getting her education at a concession.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

On track for a glorious career
It proved to be right choice
Every fabric has a story
Philatelic fair
We need engineers who can solve problems, says Aatre
KSRTC city service plan still alive
‘Experiment' baffles students

Copyright © 2010, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu