A. Maria Irudayam facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Born | 1956 Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Sport | |
| Country |  India |
| Sport | Carrom |
Anthony Maria Irudayam (born in 1956 in Chennai, India) is a very successful carrom player. He has won the World Carrom Championship two times and has been the national champion of India nine times! In 1996, he received the special Arjuna Award from the Government of India for his achievements in sports. As of 2007, he was the only carrom player to get this award. Today, he is the secretary of the Chennai District Carrom Association.
Contents
His Amazing Career
Starting Carrom
A. Maria Irudayam left school when he was 14 years old. He started playing carrom at the age of 17. He played for local clubs and quickly became good at the game. In 1977, he won his very first local carrom tournament. His family and friends encouraged him to play against experienced players.
Winning Big Tournaments
Irudayam was often part of the Indian team that won big team events. Here are some of the tournaments his team won:
- The International Carrom Federation Cup in 1989 and 1997.
- The World Carrom Championships in 1991, 1995, and 2000.
- The SAARC Carrom Championship between 1997 and 1999.
- The US Open International Carrom Tournament in 1996.
- The French Open International Carrom Tournament in 1998.
Singles and Doubles Success
Besides team wins, Irudayam also became a champion in singles (playing by himself) and doubles (playing with a partner).
- He won the singles title at the World Carrom Championship in 1991 and 1995.
- In 1991, he also won the doubles title with R. Arokiaraj.
- He was the champion at the Champions Championship in 1998.
- He won the French Open International Carrom Tournament in 1998.
- He won the SAARC Carrom Championship in 1998, and the doubles title with Jagan Bengle in 1999.
Later Career and Coaching
In the 1995 Carrom World Cup in Colombo, he won the men's singles title. He also came in second place in the men's doubles with R. Arokiaraj. Irudayam was one of the top three players in many championships during the 1990s. In the 2000 Carrom World Cup, he finished fourth in men's singles. Today, he runs his own carrom coaching club in Chennai, teaching new players.
Legacy
A famous Indian actor named Dhanush played a carrom player in the 2018 Tamil movie Vada Chennai. This character was partly inspired by A. Maria Irudayam's life as a carrom player.
Awards
- Best Student Sportsman Award by the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalist Association.
- Outstanding Sports Person of Tamil Nadu Award.
- Best International Sports and of his Community (1996).
- Arjuna Award by the government of India (1997).
- Best International Player Award by the German Carrom Federation (1998).
