Now, dart is in demand in Chennai

Dart, a sport that evolved from military training, looks more than just a recreational activity in pubs in Chennai, considering Chennaiite’s exposure and genuine interest in the game.
The city has now turned into a hub of many national and international darters as Chennai holds several dart championships. TOI gets talking to a few of them to find out why the game is in much demand in the city.
According to Saegaran Kanalanadan, secretary of Malaysian Dart Association, the grass root work done here is excellent and it is evident with the participation of many city youngsters in dart tourneys. He mentions that they have tremendous exposure in the game as they get to play against senior players and better their performance each time. “Having a high concentration level is very important in this game,” says Saegaran, who has been playing for around 20 years now.
A darter from Pune, Ayesha Sayed adds, “Every individual has a unique throwing pattern and a trainer can only teach the basics to an amateur. The rest is developed over the years. So, it is earlier the better to get the right exposure in the game.”
The game is generally associated with night clubs and taverns. But darters assert that it is completely a non-alcoholic scene in Chennai and the game is approached with all seriousness. Nitin Kumar, a darter from Abu Dhabi, says, “Chennai is quite new to the game but the prospect of the game here looks exceptional. The international code of standard is followed here.”
S Saravanaraj, one of the trainers in the city and president of the Tamil Nadu Darts Association, states that there has been a spurt in number of young darters. “The association has taken an initiative to promote the game more in the city and as part of it, we organize orientation programmes in schools and colleges. Those interested join us to get trained professionally.” The game, which also improves the analytical skills, has a huge demand as it is likely to be introduced in the next Olympics. “Who doesn’t want to represent the country in such a big event?” asks Saravanaraj.
Twenty-year-old Adhitya Venupillai is one such city youngster who has been playing for the last one-and-ahalf years. He is also part of the Tamil Nadu dart team. “Though it can be practiced even in a small room at home, playing against better players increases the scope for improvement and also keeps one addicted to the game. So, there’s definitely a need for more public platforms to practice,” says Adhitya.