Nine women workers of Coimbatore-based KPR Mill, an integrated textile unit, were selected to play at the national-level throwball matches. The women are among the 1,500 workers of KPR who are trained in different sports.
While three women played for Tamil Nadu, six others played for Puducherry. The Tamil Nadu team won the final match against Chhattisgarh on December 29, 2023.
The mill employs 28,000 women in eight manufacturing facilities. It helps about 7,000 of them pursue higher education, apart from those giving them training in sports. Physical directors employed by the mill train the workers for four hours a day, and every three months, intra-mill matches are held in throwball, ko-ko, shuttle, and kabadi.
“It is a proud moment for us. The workers are recognised for their skills and are representing national-level teams. They can even get a government job later,” vice president of KPR Mill K. Somasundaram told The Hindu.
Karthick, a physical trainer in one of the units of the mill, said, “These young women have so much potential. I train them and the company provides facilities to take them out for events conducted by various clubs in Coimbatore. One of the members of the Tamil Nadu throwball association recognised their potential at a match and offered them the chance to play in the nationals.”
Vaishnavi from Vellore, who is working in the mill in the quality piece checking section, had completed a diploma in physical education and is pursuing her B.Com through the in-house education system. Since she has an interest in sports, she joined the throwball team seven years ago and now she represents the Tamil Nadu team as its vice captain. “We have an eight-hour shift. I get my training for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening,” she said.
Deepika from Tiruchi, who works as an operator, said, “If I had been at home, I would have never been recognised for my talents. But, here, I am representing a team for Puducherry.”