Chennai, Apr 22: Indian cricketer and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Shivam Dube has extended a helping hand to budding athletes in Tamil Nadu by donating Rs 7 lakh at the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalists’ Association (TNSJA) Awards and Scholarships function held on Tuesday.

Dube, who was the chief guest at the event, gave ₹70,000 each to 10 promising athletes from various sports disciplines in a heartwarming surprise gesture. The TNSJA had initially provided Rs 30,000 scholarships to each of the 10 athletes, recognising their achievements and potential.

The athletes included PB Abhinandh (table tennis), K.S. Vhenisa Sree (archery), Muthumeena Vellasami (para athletics), Shameena Riaz (squash), S. Nandhana and Jayant R.K. (cricket), Kamali P. (surfing), R. Abinaya and R.C. Jithin Arjunan (athletics), and A. Takkshanth (chess).

Moved by the initiative, Dube addressed the gathering and said, “This event is truly encouraging for young athletes. These early achievements give them the motivation to work harder and make the country proud. I have seen such efforts in Mumbai and will try to support similar programs elsewhere.”

He added that small amounts and recognition can make a big difference during the early stages of an athlete’s journey. "This ₹30,000 may seem like a small amount, but it serves as encouragement. When you are young, every penny and every award truly matters,” added Dube, who has played four One-day Internationals and 35 T20I matches for India so far.

The athletes, their families, and the audience were touched by Dube’s kind act. The 31-year-old Mumbai-born cricketer’s gesture was widely appreciated by sports officials and fans alike, who praised him for going beyond the role of a guest and becoming an active supporter of grassroots sports development.

Shivam Dube has played for Chennai Super Kings since 2022 and was representing CSK against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, where he struck a half-century. However, his Mumbai teammates Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav hammered impressive half-centuries to help the local side triumph over fellow five-time IPL winners.

--IANS

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