D. Devarajan is no ordinary Indian boxer; this son of Chennai is a former Olympian and Bronze medal winner at the 1994 World Boxing Championship in Bangkok. He is both disappointed and happy these days. Happy, because the Tamil Nadu government has given a fillip to this popular combat sport by establishing a state-of-the-art boxing arena and academy in the very heart of the city at Gopalapuram, to enable young talent to grow in the sport. The massive establishment spans 52,000 square feet and was inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Sports Minister S. Udhayanidhi on February 25 as part of the Kalaignar Centenary Celebrations. However, he is disappointed because his longstanding request to the State Government is yet to be granted – Devarajan wishes for a piece of land to set up an academy where he can produce talented boxers. Nevertheless, Devarajan – presently the Sports Officer at the Southern Railway – attended the inauguration of the new facility and welcomed the arena as a big boost to boxing, especially for budding talent.
Speaking to Madras Musings, Devarajan said, “This facility and academy will be very useful for the basic promotion of Boxing at the school, district and state levels. Competitions should be held at the arena for these levels.” According to him, the present facility can trace its beginnings to 2022, in the Corporation playground at Gopalapuram. In those days, the locals as well as the boys studying at the Gopalapuram Higher Secondary School – located right opposite the ground – would use the space to play a variety of sports from tennis and red ball cricket to boxing; when a local boy bagged a medal in a school-level boxing competition, the need for a good facility to train was felt and the boy’s parents met the Sports Minister with the appeal for a stadium-like facility where boys could hone their boxing talent. That has now come true. “There is also a boxing stadium at Thiruvottiyur and an exclusive facility for girls and women boxers at the Nehru Indoor Stadium at Periamet, which have been serving as good, basic infrastructure for the development of boxing in the city,” adds Devarajan.
The new modern indoor facility will certainly provide a boost to Boxing in the city, as boys and girls from the districts typically come to Chennai to pursue their interest in the sport. “What’s more, the girls who come from the districts stay alone in sports hostels to train,” says Devarajan. Perceived as the State’s main boxing centre, the new arena has all the modern amenities, says SDAT Member Secretary Megnath Reddy. This includes heavy bags, specialised strength and agility machines and locker rooms. The arena offers two spacious main rings and tiered spectator seating in addition to a dedicated training hall. Megnath says that as many as 53 boys and girls – already with SDATN – are expected to undergo coaching this year at the new Gopalapuram facility. “We have four SDAT coaches to train them and two more will be appointed,” he confirms, adding that the winners of the Boxing competition in the annual Chief Minister’s Cup competition will also be given access to train at the new facility.
Echoing the views of other boxers in the city, Devarajan points out that the new Gopalapuram facility must be utilised only for the purpose it has been created. “The stadium should not be rented out for any other purpose,” he says.