Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai

Chennai, Apr 22: Indian cricketer and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Shivam Dube won hearts off the field on Tuesday as he donated Rs 7 lac to support young athletes at the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalists’ Association (TNSJA) Awards and Scholarships ceremony.

Dube, who was the chief guest, surprised everyone by contributing Rs 70,000 each to 10 promising sportspersons from diverse disciplines, including table tennis, archery, para-athletics, squash, cricket, surfing, athletics, and chess. The TNSJA had originally awarded Rs 30,000 scholarships to each athlete for their achievements and potential.

“This event is truly encouraging for young athletes. I’ve seen such efforts in Mumbai and will try to support them wherever possible,” said Dube. “Even a small amount at this stage means a lot. Every penny and every award matters.”

The recipients 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).

The gesture drew admiration from sports officials, athletes’ families, and fans alike, with many lauding Dube for actively promoting grassroots sports development.

Dube, who has played 4 ODIs and 35 T20Is for India, is currently representing CSK in IPL 2025. Recently, he scored a half-century against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede, though CSK lost the match after blistering innings from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav.