70-year-old mason teaches Silambam martial art to children free

A 70-year-old man from Rameswaram, who is a mason by profession, has been training over 200 children in the ancient martial art Silambam free of cost.

Ganapathy Murugesan said, "I earn Rs 800 daily as a mason and try to take classes in the morning and evening."

"I run this training class for free twice a day, with the intention that this art should be passed on to our future generations," he said.

Silambam is an ancient weapon-based martial art of Tamil Nadu, practised in several parts of the state.

Murugesan is training the children at a time when the state is reeling under coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 5,879 new COVID-19 cases and 99 deaths were reported in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, taking the state count of coronavirus cases to 2,51,738.

Out of the total cases, 1,90,966 people have been discharged while 4,034 have died due to the illness.

( With inputs from ANI )