CM urged to create sports award in honour of Sivanthi Aditanar

Members from the Dakshina Mara Nadar Sangam met Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami with a host of demands. After meeting Palaniswami they spoke to the reporters and said that the Nadar community comprised one sixth of the population in the state and was involved in active service to the society by setting up schools, colleges and hospitals.

During the tennure of former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran, people from the Nadar community were given importance in government postings and allotted positions on welfare boards, TNPSC, AIADMK party and judiciary and it should be extended in the current government too, demanded the members.

They also said that the present government had legalised the toddy tapped from coconut tree by naming it as ‘Neera’ and in the same way Palm juice not mixed with calcium should be legalised.

Sivanthi Aditanar served as the president of Indian Olympic Association and during his tenure the Kabaddi team secured gold medal at the Asiad. Also, kabaddi is one of the favourite games in the rural areas, but the police do not permit kabaddi tournaments in the villages. The state government should encourage the game by permitting it in the villages, demanded the members.

They further said that the state government had honoured Sivanthi Aditanar by announcing a memorial for him at Tiruchendur and the Dakshina Mara Nadar Sangam welcomed the announcement.

Similarly, the state government should initiate an award for the sportspersons in the name of Sivanthi Aditanar, who had played a pivotal role in the development of sports in the country, demanded the members.