If gratitude is attitude, loads of it was in evidence during the L. Venkatram Reddy memorial floodlit volleyball tournament at the Lal Bahadur stadium recently.
Sportspersons, past and present, many of them national and international players, several of them Arjuna awardees and a substantial number from outside volleyball converged on the venue in fond remembrance of a much loved man and mentor. The four-day tournament was the outcome of an initiative by the A.P. Sports Hostellers Welfare Association (APSHWA).
The said body is a group of past residents of sports hostels across the unified state before bifurcation, aiming to give back something to sports. Its list of office-bearers is a who’s who of varied sports such as general secretary N. Rami Reddy, at one time the fastest man in the country.
During a meeting last year, a proposal was made to host a tournament in memory of the late LVR, a nationally acclaimed administrator and former Secretary of the A.P. Olympic Association. An estimate was made of the expenses, which was expected to be about Rs. 2 lakhs. With nothing fancy planned, the amount was aimed at prize money, fees for referees and some basic hospitality.
At that point of time, the APSHWA had Rs. 11,000 in its account. G. Kiran Reddy, a former volleyball national player, offered Rs. 20,000 towards the cause. Before long, Rs. 80,000 was raised in that very same meeting.
“Many of us are in secure jobs and well placed thanks to Bhai saab (as LVR was fondly referred to in his time),” said Kiran, a Senior Public Relations Officer with TSRTC/APSRTC. “His guidance and encouragement not only shaped our sports skills but boosted our confidence to aim high in our professional careers too,” he added.
Money began to arrive from various quarters. Former volleyball international C. Manoj Reddy offered Rs. 20,000 towards the first prize while Ganta Venu Madhav, also an ex-international and now with the Customs department, offered Rs. 15,000 for the second prize.
Honoured with a shawl and memento were Dronacharya awardee Syam Sundar Rao as were G. Mulini Reddy, P.V. Ramana, Neeta Dadwe and Dennis Swamy among other Arjuna awardees. Former coaches Vijay Lakshmi, Indra, Anil Reddy, Pramod Reddy, Narsingam Reddy and current Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS) coach Basheer were also felicitated.
Not just players and officials, even the spectators were treated to snacks on all match days. An exhibition match between former women players and the present ones, mostly from Osmania University, was also staged. So touched was LVR’s son Manjith Reddy that he donated Rs. 50,000 on the final day to the APSHWA.
