Sanitary worker to coach youth in carrom, his passion

Starting Saturday, 56-year-old R. Balakottaiah will have yet another role to play in the city.

He is among the few thousand workers who work through the day and night, sweeping its streets. Now, this champion Carrom player is all set to take up a new role of coaching students and shaping the skills of local youth aspiring to play professional carrom.

Chennai Corporation on Saturday permitted Balakottaiah to open a carrom coaching centre on its premises at 45, First Floor, M.C.Road, Royapuram. “There are six carrom boards and at least 20 youth have registered. They will also get an opportunity to get government jobs through sports quota,” says Balakottaiah.

“I was motivated by my son to achieve in professional carrom only after he grew up. This coaching centre will offer opportunity to young students who want to achieve early in life,” he adds.

Balakottaiah has been a sweeper with Corporation for 27 years in Tondiarpet market area. Determined to educate his son B. Srinivasulu, he had to give up his pursuit of excelling in professional carrom later.

Only after his son became the first in his family to complete postgraduate studies, did Balakottaiah resume playing, winning national veteran championships.

“Despite clearing garbage every day, I do not have any addiction to vices, all due to carrom,” he says. Pointing to the need for de-addiction among the sanitary workers, Balakottaiah said he is concerned about increasing vices and addiction among the youth in the city.

A number of students who have started gambling in the neighbourhood will be coached at the centre. “More youths will stop gambling after taking up professional carrom coaching. They may end up landing government jobs,” hopes his son B. Srinivasulu.

Balakottaiah says he is concerned about increasing vices and addiction among the city youth