‘Water sports academy’ will be ready in Pirappan Valasai by January 2026: Udayanidhi

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin distributing accident insurance to a player at Kilakarai in Ramanathapuram district on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: L. BALACHANDAR

A water sports academy, which was announced in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly last year, would come up in international standards at a cost of ₹42.90 crore at Pirappan Valasai seashore in Ramanathapuram district by January 2026, said Deputy Chief Minister Udayanidhi Stalin on Sunday.

After inspecting the six acre sprawling site with Minister Raja Kannappan, Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, MP Nawaz Kani, MLAs Kadar Batcha alias Muthuramalingam and Murugesan and other officials from the Sports department, he told media persons that since the water sports academy was coming up close to the coastal zone, the government had to obtain the clearance certificate.

With the approval in hand, the construction works would commence from the ensuing week, he said and added that it would have a hostel, gym, water sports centre, sail boat parking, boat hangar, surfing, kayaking and stand up paddle and others.

Like in Chennai, surfing competitions would be held here in a big way and said that trainers and coaches for various sports activities would be posted soon.

Appreciating the youth from Ramanathapuram district for their keen interest in sports, Mr. Udayanidhi said that the government would extend all possible support for sports development.

State-of-the-art infrastructure would not be a problem and said that he was monitoring the progress all over Tamil Nadu.

The youth, he said, had been performing well in sports like kabaddi at national and international level. The government would provide insurance for 1000 players in Tamil Nadu soon and said that encouragement would always be there for those showing interest in sports.

He presented sports kits to the sports persons and assured them to give more and more infrastructural facilities.

The DMK functionaries accorded a rousing reception to the leader at several points in the district. He arrived here on Saturday and participated in a functionary’s wedding as well on Sunday.