Date:27/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/27/stories/2008022760222200.htm

Sport - Billiards & Snooker

Vidya felicitated

Chennai: National snooker champion Vidya Pillai was felicitated by the Tamil Nadu Billiards and Snooker Association at its premises on Tuesday.

Vidya, who won the title at the National Billiards and Snooker Championships in Hyderabad in December last year, was honoured in the presence of chief guest T. Radhakrishnan, IG, TNBSA president M.C. Manoj, former National billiards champion Kamala Chandrababu, coach Nadeem and a other association members, family and well-wishers.

“I hope this is an inspiration for the juniors, so we can have many more champions, and do the TNBSA and our country proud,” said Vidya.

Manoj praised Vidya for having achieved so much in her nine-year career so far. “It is a proud moment for the State to felicitate the National champion. She’s done a lot in nine years, which is a short time in snooker.”

The 30-year-old was selected by the BSFI to undergo a two-month training stint at the World Snooker Academy in the UK. Chief guest Radhakrishnan commended the TNBSA’s gesture to felicitate Vidya. “It is a rare gesture, and will help her go further. She will definitely go on to win the world championship,” he said.

Vidya was presented a cash award of Rs. 25,000 by the TNBSA, and was individually awarded by some association members. — Sports Reporter