A. Maria Irudayam facts for kids
Personal information | |
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Nationality | Indian |
Born | 1956 Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
Sport | |
Country | ![]() |
Sport | Carrom |
Anthony Maria Irudayam (born in 1956 in Chennai, India) is a super talented carrom player. He has won the World Carrom Championship twice and has been India's national champion nine times! He received the special Arjuna Award in 1996. This award is a big honor for sports stars in India, given by the Government of India. 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
A Champion's Journey
Starting Young
Anthony Maria Irudayam left school when he was 14. He started playing carrom at 17, joining local clubs. He won his very first local carrom tournament in 1977. His family and friends really encouraged him to play against experienced players.
Team India Success
Irudayam was often part of the Indian team that won big tournaments. Here are some of their team victories:
- International Carrom Federation Cup: 1989 and 1997
- World Carrom Championships: 1991, 1995, and 2000
- SAARC Carrom Championship: 1997, 1998, and 1999
- US Open International Carrom Tournament: 1996
- French Open International Carrom Tournament: 1998
Winning Singles Titles
Besides team wins, Irudayam also became a champion on his own in many events:
- World Carrom Championship: 1991 and 1995 (He also won doubles in 1991 with R. Arokiaraj)
- Champions Championship: 1998
- French Open International Carrom Tournament: 1998
- SAARC Carrom Championship: 1998 (He also won doubles in 1999 with Jagan Bengle)
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 often in the top three at many championships in the 1990s. In the 2000 Carrom World Cup, he finished fourth in men's singles. He later worked for the Railways. Now, he runs his own carrom coaching club in Chennai, teaching new players.
In 2020, the All-India Carrom Federation chose him to be one of the judges for the Online World Carrom Challenge.
Awards and Recognition
Anthony Maria Irudayam has received many awards for his amazing carrom skills:
- Best Student Sportsman Award from the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalist Association.
- Outstanding Sports Person of Tamil Nadu Award.
- Best International Sports Person of his Community (1996).
- Arjuna Award from the Government of India (1997).
- Best International Player Award from the German Carrom Federation (1998).
Legacy
Inspiration for a Movie
Indian actor Dhanush played a carrom player in the 2018 Tamil film Vada Chennai. His character was partly inspired by Anthony Maria Irudayam's life as a carrom champion.