Chennai, 26 October (H.S.) : For the girls of the Kannagi Nagar Kabaddi Club, the sport is much more than a game; it is a dedicated mission to dismantle the negative stereotypes associated with their neighbourhood and earn respect for their community.

The team has seen remarkable success, with six players representing Tamil Nadu in national competitions in 2024, two selected for the national camp, and the team winning gold at the Chief Minister's Trophy. They have achieved all this while practicing in the corner of a public park, often without necessary infrastructure like foam mats.

The team, whose players hail from families of auto drivers, casual labourers, and domestic helps, consciously chooses to wear jerseys bearing only the name 'Kannagi Nagar,' a decision championed by their 27-year-old coach, K Raji. Raji, who grew up in the area after his family was relocated there, states that his goal is to change the general negative perception of Kannagi Nagar.

When the general perception about Kannagi Nagar is negative, I wanted to do something that will make people see its residents in a positive light, he said. This sentiment is fully shared by the players, including star player R Karthika, who emphasized, Our ultimate goal is to make Kannagi Nagar a brand.

The players' determination is driven by the desire to counteract the stereotyping of their neighbourhood as a crime ghetto, a portrayal they find deeply unfair to the community’s vast majority of hard-working residents. Coach Raji worked tirelessly for five years to build the team, personally covering all travel and tournament expenses to gain the trust of parents, who were initially hesitant about their daughters pursuing a physically demanding sport.

The club's success is now making a tangible difference. Councillor Ashwini Karuna (Ward 196) confirmed that authorities are taking steps to provide the team with essential facilities like kabaddi mats.

Raji, who was once an active member of the Police Boys and Girls Club—an initiative aimed at engaging youth from underprivileged areas—dreams of setting up a world-class sports academy in Kannagi Nagar.

He believes this will make the neighbourhood famous for all the right reasons, attracting people from across the state and changing the narrative that has long plagued the resettlement colony.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary