CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Dr Sivanthi Aditanar Narpani Mandram (TNANM) on Saturday urged the state government to constitute a new award in the name of

Dr Sivanthi Aditanar at a general body meeting of the association.

Office bearers of the association appealed to name it as “Sivanthi Award” to encourage award-winning sportspersons from the state.

“We want it to be constituted along the lines of the Arjuna award given by the Centre. We request the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister to give the Sivanthi Award to sports persons winning multiple awards in the national and international sporting events to encourage them,” according to the resolution passed by the TNANM general body meeting convened at Egmore.

The meeting was presided over by the state executive committee member Kaayal RS Illavarasu and attended by State president SRS Sabesh Aditan, state general secretary Jagadish Sownder Murugan, State deputy secretary Ramachandran along with State executive committee members Edison Raja, Radhakrishnan, Ganapal and Aarumuga Nainaar.

In another resolution, the TNANM decided to observe the birth anniversary of B Sivanthi Aditanar, which falls on September 24, across the state by paying floral tributes to his portraits and distributing welfare assistance to the needy and poor.

The Mandram also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending health insurance to all senior citizens aged 70 and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) scheme without any income ceiling. It also thanked Chief Minister MK Stalin for announcing the Chief Minister Waterbody Conservator Award considering the waterbody protection was part of their new mission statement.