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Small wonder
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A miniature soccer ball and another with the images of Nobel Peace Prize winners and other personalities. Rayan Rozario meets the creators, Sakthivel and Babu Charles
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We have done this to tell people how much we love the game Sakthivel
PHOTO: M. PERIASAMY
PLAYING BALL They are loving it Photo: M. Periasamy
Soccer balls come in various sizes. The biggest, in terms of weight and circumference, is a size five ball and the smallest, a size three ball (24 inches & 12 ounces), generally used by children in the under-eight age group.
But, do you know that there is a ball even smaller than that. It is only five millimetres in diameter and has been designed specially to coincide with the World Cup.
The brain behind this tiny creation is Sakthivel of Coimbatore. This ball is the talk of the town today. What is so special about it?
Sakthivel says it is made of mica and designed to actual specifications — it has 32 panels in hexagon and pentagon shape. Black and white enamel paint has been used to lend it the look of a real football.
Sakthivel, who works with a private firm, says he did this out of sheer love for the game. "I wanted to pursue football as a career, but due to various problems I could not realise my dreams. I am happy that I am now part of it in some way."
He says he wanted to make the world's largest football. "That was my initial idea, but I was told that somebody had already tried it."
Sakthivel, along with his artist-friend Babu Charles, has also worked on another football on which they have painted the images of some of the Nobel Peace Prize winners and famous personalities. The duo has also carefully written down their biographies.
"The size and pattern of this ball is similar to the one used in this World Cup, but the only difference is that it is coated with plaster of Paris to make painting easy." He says it took them 72 hours to get both balls ready. "But, the planning took at least two months. We surfed the Net for information and finally decided to go ahead with it."
Babu points out that the reason behind painting the images of personalities was to let people know about their life and times. The balls were kept for public display at their residence and attracted a good crowd.
The duo plans to take their efforts to the Chief Minister's notice and send it to Germany in time for the closing ceremony. "We have not done this for any record but just to tell people how much we love the game," says Sakthivel.
Sakthivel and Babu had earlier sent a 2.5-km-long congratulatory letter to Kargil heroes and compiled a miniature Thirukkural booklet (2 cms x 1 cm) in 82 hours.
Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, had applauded their efforts and urged them to come out with more such ideas.
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