Padma award catches fleet-footed Silambam exponent in Puducherry off guard

“A total surprise”, said K. Pajanivel, Silambattam exponent and trainer who was chosen for the Padma Shri in the sports category of the awards announced on the eve of Republic Day (January 25, 2026).

The Silambattam master, who is a sought-after coach in the ancient martial art for young aspirants from far and near, including numerous foreigners, was busy organising the State-level “Nagam 16 Silambam” competition in his native Poornankuppam village when the news of being chosen for the Padma Shri reached him.

“It was from a couple of friends who saw my name on the list of awardees scrolling on television that I got to know of the honour. It was a total surprise”, he said.

Pajanivel founded the Mamallan Martial Art and Folk Art Development Club in Poornankuppam to impart the skills to youth, including girls.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Silambattam skills are being passed on from one generation to the next largely due to efforts of masters of the art like him. “There is a growing enthusiasm among the youth to learn Silambam. In fact, the Nagam 16 Silambam competition is hugely popular in our area. Over 500 enthusiasts participated in the event”, he said.

Having been initiated into Silambam in his early teens, Pajanivel devoted the next four decades to gaining mastery over every aspect of the martial art form. He also founded the Mamallan Martial Art and Folk Art Development Club in Poornankuppam to impart the skills to youth, including girls. He would have trained an estimated 5,000 students in the rigorous art.

“There are several levels to clear before one can have mastery over the art”, he said.

Learning Silambatttam can range from the basic six months to a year basic level with the bamboo staff, and from three to six years to be a skilled exponent with a range of weapons, such as the spear and sword. However, turning a master of the art, who can wield the full arsenal, can take as long as 12 to 13 years or so, he said.

Pajanivel represented Puducherry at the annual martial arts event in Marseille, France in 2024. “Introducing our martial art on a global stage for such forms was a high point in my life”, he said.