Cop turns swashbuckler for Silambam, trains kids for free

If you happen to walk inside Rajarathinam Stadium, Egmore, in the mornings on the weekends, you would have spotted young children twirling sticks and swords under the supervision of G Sridevi. A national Silambam referee, she is a police constable at Royapettah All Women Police Station. Currently, she teaches this traditional martial art to 80 students without charging any fee.

“Silambam is one of the ancient weapon-based martial art forms from Tamil Nadu. I learned Silambam when I was in Grade 9 under Jawahar Siruvar Mandram in my village in Pudukkottai. When I was in college, I used to take free classes for school students. But after joining the police force in 2006, I stopped practising Silambam. The main reason for a break was that I got busy with work and family life,” says Sridevi. Also a Karate champion, she has participated in many state and national level competitions in both Karate and Silambam.

A national Silambam referee, Sridevi trains students at Pudupet police quarters ground. Initially, she was teaching the martial art to her nine-year-old daughter. “My husband C Suresh, who works in the Kilpauk law and order station, insisted that I teach Silambam to our daughter. I started coaching her in the police quarters ground and many parents got fascinated watching us practising with sticks and swords. They came forward and asked if I could teach Silambam to their girls. 

I couldn’t deny their request and started coaching. But after a point, young boys also approached me with the same request. Now, around 80 children train under my supervision at Pudupet police quarters ground or at Rajarathinam Stadium. The venue varies depending on the availability of the ground,” she tells DT Next. Usually, she organises classes from 7.30 am to 10 am. But if she has duty in the mornings, she shifts the timings to evenings.

Interestingly, many women police officers also approached Sridevi asking her to tutor them. “It’s one art where the whole body is used to create power and it’s nice to watch a person perform Silambam. Since it is summer vacation, I have stopped classes until this month end. But from June onwards, I will start coaching again and am planning to teach kalaripayattu as well,” adds the 34-year-old police constable.

From being a warfare method to becoming a martial art, Silambam has come a long way. Today, the martial art is practised all over the world and is given a lot of importance. Silambam has a lot of health benefits and Sridevi assures that the martial art has helped her get fitter.

“It is a good form of cardio exercise and improves the flexibility of body and the reflex of the individual. It helps with muscle coordination and increases mental strength and agility. In today’s age, it’s very important to teach kids about fitness and parents should make sure that they lead a healthy lifestyle. I am not stressing that every child should learn Silambam, but they should practise some form of physical activity,” she says as a parting note.