Sports in Puducherry

once said by the notable American Olympic wrestler Dan Gable aka Danny Mack Gable. Sports mean a world to many people, and it can well be considered as an essential element of human development, healthiness, and fellowship and to have a liveliness of friendly contention. Sports always have a favorable touch on the development of good personality. Furthermore, regular involvement in sports heightens human's sense of accomplishment, pridefulness and nationalism.

Sports in our country go back to the ancient times with acknowledgments discovered in the Vedic literatures and Indus Valley civilization. Archaeologic diggings of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro bring out that people luxuriated in a few kinds of sporting activities and played many games employing dice, balls and so on. Puducherry, the French Riviera of the East is always fond of a lot of sports. Sports in Puducherry include both indoor games and outdoor games which include Cricket, Football, Hockey, Tennis, Badminton, Snooker, Chess, Swimming, Boxing, Taekwondo, Boating and many other well known sports.

Cricket in Puducherry

The union territory of Puducherry is fond of a lot of sports, especially the cricket! As the fact goes, the whole country is in love with the game of cricket and so is the union territory. No wonder that the game of cricket has a strong influence in Puducherry too as cricket can unquestionably be the most popular sport in the urban centre. As a question of fact, the city has it own and exclusive cricket association, that is to say, Pondicherry Cricket Association.

The Pondicherry Cricket Association is the official administrative board for the game of cricket, Pondicherry cricket team and other cricket related activities in the union territory of Puducherry. The cricket association is associated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Nevertheless, the Pondicherry Cricket Association is attached to Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) as a zone association.

Important Contact Information

Name of the Association: Pondicherry Cricket Association
Address for Communication: Rajiv Gandhi School of Sports, Pondicherry - 605001
Facilities Available: Coaching classes, Technical Assistance, Playing Kit, Nets, Turf Wicket, Physical Training, Matting Wicket
Coaching Class Information:
Duration of Coaching: Throughout the year
Timings: 06:00 AM to 08:30 AM and 04:00 AM to 06:30 PM
Fees Structure: 350 INR for 45 days of cricket coaching (Summer Camp)

Taekwondo in Puducherry

Taekwondo, a celebrated Korean martial art which generally blends fighting and self-protection methods with athletics and physical exercise is an emerging sport in the union territory of Puducherry. Puducherry Taekwondo Association is the official Taekwondo sport administrative body serving the union territory. As a matter of fact, the union territory has won a lot of medallions and accolades in district, state and national level tournaments.

Important Contact Information

Puducherry Taekwondo Association
Pincode - 605004
Establishment: 1998
Inaugurated by: Master P. Staline (General Secretery of Puducherry Taekwondo Association)
Contact Number: 9894780595

Football in Puducherry

The game of Football has its own share of buffs and enthusiasts in the union territory of Puducherry. In point of fact, every celebrated football leagues in the world like A League Australian Football, Bundesliga, English Football League Championship, La Liga, Serie A, UEFA Champions League and many other leagues are widely watched in television across the union territory.

Also, the Pondicherry Football Association is the official organization and governing body of football and related activities in the union territory. It is important to note that the Pondicherry football team is the official football team which represents the union territory of Puducherry in the famous Santosh Trophy (yearly Indian football tourney, which is contended by states and government establishments).

Important Contact Information

Pondicherry Football Association
Address: Pondicherry Football Association,
Anna Salai Anna Thidal (Next to Jyothy Cassettes),
Pondicherry - 605 001

President - Pondicherry Football Association
Mr A John Kumar

Secretary
Mr. S Elumalai
Phone Number: +91-9843880512, 0413-2229022
Fax: 0413-2229022
E-mail: pondyfootball@gmail.com

Other Popular Sports and Official Sports Associations in Puducherry

Rugby

Puducherry Rugby Association
Norbu Tenzing (Vice President)54, Rue Labourdonnais, Pondicherry 60
5001
Phone Number: +91-9944537666
Email: pondy_sharkz@yahoo.com

Kabaddi

Pondicherry Kabaddi Association
Mr. G. Ariasamy (Secretary - Pondicherry Kabaddi Association)
No. 43 Murugan Koil Street, T.N. Palayam (post)
Puducherry - 605007
Phone Number: +91-9442068281, 9487520281   

Mr. Djearamame (President - Pondicherry Kabaddi Association)
No. 3 Sivan Kovil St. Sivalingapuram, Ariyankuppam
Pondicherry - 605007
Phone Number: +91-9787400133

Tennis

Pondicherry state Tennis Association
Sukela Tennis Centre, No.4, Mahavir Nagar, Karuvadikuppam, Pondichery- 605008
Phone Number: 0413-2237445

President:
M Ramalingam (Superintendent Of Police)
18, Zamindar Gardens, Pondicherry – 605012
Phone Number: 0413-2338384

Hon. Secretary
B Ramalingam
Suleka Tennis Centre, No.4, Mahavir Nagar, Karuvadikuppam, Pondichery- 605008
Phone Number: 0413-2237445

Basketball

Puducherry Basketball Association
M.S. John Bosco (President - Puducherry Basketball Association)
Principal, Petit Seminaire Hr. Sec. School, M.G. Road
Puducherry - 6000501   

Rogathaman (Secretary - Puducherry Basketball Association)
23, IST Cross Street, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Brindavanam, 8th Cross Extn.
Puducherry - 605013
Phone Number: 9443074955
Fax: 0413-2655101

Sports Facilities in Puducherry

The Indira Gandhi Sports Stadium, situated in Uppalam, is fundamentally a sports arena. The sports complex also serves as a multipurpose sports stadium featuring a wide range of sports and related facilities. The Indira Gandhi Sports Stadium comes under the direct administration of the Puducherry State Sports Council. The sports facility features a football and hockey playing field apart from the notable badminton court and volleyball game court. It is important to note that the Indira Gandhi Sports Stadium, Puducherry has hosted several state and national level sports events and tournaments.

Contact Information:
Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Puducherry
Dr. Ambedkar Road, Uppalam,
Puducherry - 605004