Athletics coach S.S. Kaimal passes away at 83

Coach Siva Sankara Kaimal, who gave Calicut University some of its best years in National varsities athletics championships, passed away here on Monday. He was 83.

After serving the Navy, where he was the high jump champion and later a coach, S.S. Kaimal joined the Calicut University in 1971 and went on to be come of its most successful athletics coaches. And with Guruvayur’s Sree Krishna College, Thrissur’s St. Thomas College in the men’s section and Palakkad’s Mercy College and Thrissur’s Vimala College in women’s producing outstanding athletes, Calicut University won overall championship in National varsities athletics a few times.

“He was always hungry to learn about coaching and a few years ago, he took a PhD in his old age. He was proficient in multiple languages and his motivational speeches were outstanding,” said prominent athletics coach T.P. Ouseph who guided stars like Anju Bobby George, Bobby Aloysius and Lekha Thomas at Thrissur’s Vimala College a few decades ago.

“He was a role model for other coaches.”