CTYA’s Blog has started a new Feature, Thulirkal. Thulirkal meaning bud reflects the young Tamil youth we will be featuring. These youth are the buds of our community, and are growing into strong, achieving young men and women! Each week we will feature a Tamil youth of the week. For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org!
This week, we’ve brought you Menan Nagulendran!
Menan Nagulendran is known for scoring the historic first goal for Tamileelam, and the subsequent 2 goals in the debut of Tamileelam F.A. in Kurdistan last year! After his hat-trick, Menan dedicated his hat-trick to: First goal four our Maaveerar, second goal to victims of genocide & oppression and third to all the supporters!! Just after the match, Menon said, “I am really humbled by all the messages of support and congratulations. This is has always been not about us the players, or the team, but about our nation. I feel so proud to have been given the opportunity to play for my nation, and I dedicate my hat-trick to them. The first goal to the great Maaveerar of our nation, the second to all the Tamils who have been victims of genocide and are still oppressed today, the last goal to all the fans of the Tamil Eelam football team.”
This month, Menan also had the chance to participate in the Tynwald Hill International Football Tournament. Let’s hear from Menan!
CTYA Blog Team: Thank you Menan for sitting down with us today. So, let’s get warmed up. Ok,now don’t think, just say what first comes to mind. 1, 2, 3…
Early Riser or Night Hawk? Night Hawk
Favourite Sports Team? Barcelona
Most Goals in a Game? Loose yourself- Eminem4 goals
Favourite Song? I cant wait- Akon
Most important quality needed for success? The ability to dream big and the strength to fail
CTYA Blog Team: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Menan: There really isn’t much to say about me. I am a graduate of york University and I spend my time with family friends at work or on the pitch. Soccer is my passion, my hobby, and my dream.
CTYA Blog Team: You represented Team Tamileelam at the Viva World Cup in Kurdistan last year – really, a lifetime opportunity. How did it feel to represent Team Tamileelam and wear the Tamileelam F.A. jersey?
Menan: Breath taking to say the least. I’ve been lucky enough to get the same opportunity a second time and the feeling is just the same. The nervousness, excitement, all the emotions really. TEFA has given me an opportunity that has changed the direction of my life. Putting on the Tamileelam Jersey for the first time it weighed the same as any other. Taking that Jersey off after the last game, you could feel the weight of something larger, a nation. Wearing the Tamileelam jersey was a unique experience that I could never forget.
CTYA Blog Team: Menan, you’ve become a household name after your hat trick at the Viva World Cup in Kurdistan. You’ve achieved a historic milestone for Team Tamileelam by scoring the first goal and subsequent two goals. What was going through your mind after you scored?
Menan: After I scored for the first time I was befuzzled, if that is even a word. Thoughts just rushed into my mind and it was difficult to maintain any composure. I couldnt comprehend what happened for the first second, after that I came through and all I wanted to do was run to the fans.
CTYA Blog Team: How do you feel about participating in the Tynwald Hill International Football Tournament in the Isle of Man as part of Tamileelam F.A.?
Menan: Tynwald international tournament is an amazing experience for me as a player and a Tamilan. I can see what people can do when minds come together. This year’s experience and team is a different caliber! Even the fans and opposing teams were amazed!
CTYA Blog Team: Sports have always been a source of national pride. In the coming years, how do you think sports can be used to facilitate our nation Tamil identity and pride?
Menan: Tamileelam FA (TEFA) is an outlet. The amount of National pride that can be fostered and grown through sports is out of this world. TEFA is the bridge between our historic struggle and the youth that carry our future forwards in my opinion. This bridge should enable the growth of national pride.
CTYA Blog Team: A lot of youth now look up to you, and see you as their role model. What is something you would like to say to these youth?
Menan: Follow your dreams all the way. The harder you work the greater the reward, it isn’t meant to be easy, but destined to be worth it. Not a single person has the right to tell you who you are and what you should like. Follow your Tamil morals and make the most out of your lives!
CTYA Blog Team: Finish the sentence. “To me, Tamil youth are..”
Menan: Tamil youth are Tamileelam’s future!
CTYA Blog Team: Thank you Menan for sitting down with us today. We wish you well in your future games and endeavours!
For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org! Catch up with us next Friday where we’ll be bringing you another Talented Tamil youth story!
Tags: Menan, Soccer, Tamileelam FA, thulirkal
