The Nilgiri Documentation Center (NDC) has called on the State government to host a snooker championship as part of the celebrations marking the bicentenary of the first colonial exploration of the district.
In a press release, honorary director of the NDC, Venugopal Dharmalingam said snooker was invented at Ooty at the initiative of Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain (1856 – 1944), an officer in the British Indian Army and his friends. The rules of the game were formed at the Ootacamund Club 140 years ago in 1882. Apart from hockey it is the only game India has exported to the world. Snooker is now played throughout the world. Tamil Nadu can host an invitation snooker tournament by inviting top cueists from Europe, Asia and India ,including the reigning world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, who is a clansman of John Sullivan, the founder of Ooty.”
The Chief Minister can also consider an invitation Ooty marathon open to national and international runners with prize money. The marathon would support the cause of conservation of mountain ecosystems in this UN year of Sustainable Mountain Development, a release from the NDC said.
