Jimmy George

Jimmy George

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Category: Sports & Games

Jimmy George Profile

  • Name:
  • Jimmy George
  • Born:
  • March 8, 1955
  • Died:
  • November 30, 1987

Jimmy George Biography

Jimmy George was one of the most celebrated sportsmen of Kerala in the post-independent period. He was a legendary volleyball player. Regarded as one of the finest Indian sportsman in the 1970s and 1980s, he met with an unexpected death in 1987, aged only 32. He lost his life in a car accident in Italy on November 30, 1987, when he was regarded as one of the top attackers of the world. One of the best volleyball players India has ever produced he is one of the youngest winners of the prestigious Arjuna Award too. He received Arjuna Award at the age of 21, becoming the youngest volleyball player to win this award. In 2000, Malayala manorama newspaper honored him as the best sportsman of Kerala of the 20th century.

 

He was born in Peravoor of Kannur district in the year 1955. His full name is Jimmy George Kudakkachira. He got initial training of volley ball from his father. Since school days he played volleyball.  Jimmy became a member of the University of Calicut volleyball team in the year 1970 and since then he was fully active in the sports event till his death. Jimmy represented the Kerala University four times from 1973 to 1976, where Kerala team won All India Inter-University Championship consecutively for four years. He joined Kerala Basketball team in 1971 at a very young age of 16 and represented Kerala for the next 9 years.

 

Since 1976 till his death he remained as a member of Kerala police. He also played with Abu Dhabi Sports Club in the late 1970s. In memory of Jimmy George, a display was held at Kuwait the volleyball match which Indian Team won the bronze medal in Seoul Asian Games in 1986 just before his death. He also played with many international sports clubs. He represented India in the Asian games three times since 1974 and as a captain he led India to a glorious win at Gold Cup International Volleyball Tournament at Hyderabad in 1986. He played as a professional in Italy from 1982-1984 and 1985-1987.

 

It was a great shock to the sports world when Jimmy met with an unexpected death at a young age, when he was at his career peak. He had a huge fan following crowd in India and abroad, and he gave significant contributions to volleyball for his country in the international level. Jimmy George Foundation was established in 1989 which gives Jimmy George Award for best sportsperson of Kerala. The indoor stadium in the state capital came to be known by the name Jimmy George Indoor Stadium after that.

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Updated: April 16, 2016

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