T. Thiruvengadam
As it is said by all that Attack is the best form of defence, there was a time when T. Thiruvengadam, proved it to be contrary, he used the tactics which even K. Nagraj followed and made the theory of playing safe evident by making opponent create an error successful. Yesterday only the memories of the Chennai lad, who was a coach at National Stadium, New Delhi. struck me as we used to be in the playing arena defending against the offensive players.
Sh. T. Thiruvengadam was in Southern Railways and I was in Northern Railways and we brushed shoulders regularly in Senior Nationals and All India Inter-Railways. Then we met in National Institute of Sports, Patiala. All I would say is that he was a very down to earth gentleman.
T. Thiruvengadam used the service with a little better purpose than to put the ball in play but surely not as it is used presently to gain a definite advantage over one's opponent. As a result of which we saw players such as T. Thiruvengadam recovering from 16-19 to win 21-19 against players having a high rank with reputation
The duo of T. Thiruvengadam and K. Nagraj highlighted India for owning WORLD CLASS DEFENDERS......
The main strategy used by the defenders then was to make the opponent play on their strongest point and in doing so the defender used to return the ball each time . This made the opponent very pessimistic of winning a point and majority of the matches went into the expedite system (followed those days) which gave the defender an advantage of using different tactics with multiple variations. He used to comply with the major support by avoiding any mistake himself and provoking opponents into making mistakes.
Meeting him, interacting with him, paying attention to the world class strategies rolled out of his mind exclusively and finally defending along the arena where he used to defend was actually an honour for me as it was a very prized occasion and the time seemed to have stopped. One of the strategies of his, I would like to share with you which I consider to be an awesome world class tactic
• He took the match into the Expedite System.
As you all would be well aware of it in the earlier era. T. Thiruvengadam's defensive play impressed many immensely and players began to rely more on the ‘PUSH-PUSH-PUSH-ATTACK' Strategy than all-out aggression. In those days — when playing with rubber racket was the norm — a player could have a grossly-defensive approach and still show stunning results. A classic example is T.Thiruvengadam, who ascended to the top position in 1951, beating V. Sivaraman, an attacking player and a two-time national champion in the 1940s.
I had known Sh. T. Thiruvengadam and we were in a very affectionate terms. We kept our adorable relation intact, may however apart we would be such that we kept our relation intact and we used to keep in touch by writing each other letters even when I was posted to Mauritius. Finally I would share with you all is Sh. T. Thiruvengadam, Sh. Ranbir Bhandar, were the coach of the Indian Table Tennis team in the Delhi Asiad in 1982. One night during the Asian Games Sh. T. Thiruvengadam met with a massive cardiac arrest and left us all for his heavenly abode. The Spirits of the Indian contingent dashed.
May His Soul REST IN PEACE
As it is said by all that Attack is the best form of defence, there was a time when T. Thiruvengadam, proved it to be contrary, he used the tactics which even K. Nagraj followed and made the theory of playing safe evident by making opponent create an error successful. Yesterday only the memories of the Chennai lad, who was a coach at National Stadium, New Delhi. struck me as we used to be in the playing arena defending against the offensive players.
Sh. T. Thiruvengadam was in Southern Railways and I was in Northern Railways and we brushed shoulders regularly in Senior Nationals and All India Inter-Railways. Then we met in National Institute of Sports, Patiala. All I would say is that he was a very down to earth gentleman.
T. Thiruvengadam used the service with a little better purpose than to put the ball in play but surely not as it is used presently to gain a definite advantage over one's opponent. As a result of which we saw players such as T. Thiruvengadam recovering from 16-19 to win 21-19 against players having a high rank with reputation
The duo of T. Thiruvengadam and K. Nagraj highlighted India for owning WORLD CLASS DEFENDERS......
The main strategy used by the defenders then was to make the opponent play on their strongest point and in doing so the defender used to return the ball each time . This made the opponent very pessimistic of winning a point and majority of the matches went into the expedite system (followed those days) which gave the defender an advantage of using different tactics with multiple variations. He used to comply with the major support by avoiding any mistake himself and provoking opponents into making mistakes.
Meeting him, interacting with him, paying attention to the world class strategies rolled out of his mind exclusively and finally defending along the arena where he used to defend was actually an honour for me as it was a very prized occasion and the time seemed to have stopped. One of the strategies of his, I would like to share with you which I consider to be an awesome world class tactic
• He took the match into the Expedite System.
As you all would be well aware of it in the earlier era. T. Thiruvengadam's defensive play impressed many immensely and players began to rely more on the ‘PUSH-PUSH-PUSH-ATTACK' Strategy than all-out aggression. In those days — when playing with rubber racket was the norm — a player could have a grossly-defensive approach and still show stunning results. A classic example is T.Thiruvengadam, who ascended to the top position in 1951, beating V. Sivaraman, an attacking player and a two-time national champion in the 1940s.
I had known Sh. T. Thiruvengadam and we were in a very affectionate terms. We kept our adorable relation intact, may however apart we would be such that we kept our relation intact and we used to keep in touch by writing each other letters even when I was posted to Mauritius. Finally I would share with you all is Sh. T. Thiruvengadam, Sh. Ranbir Bhandar, were the coach of the Indian Table Tennis team in the Delhi Asiad in 1982. One night during the Asian Games Sh. T. Thiruvengadam met with a massive cardiac arrest and left us all for his heavenly abode. The Spirits of the Indian contingent dashed.
May His Soul REST IN PEACE
