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ABOUT THE CLUB /
HISTORY |
 Tennis was not a popular game in the erstwhile Travancore State during the beginning of the 20th Century. In
1937 the idea of starting a tennis club in Trivandrum dawned upon Col. Goda Varma Raja
(popularly known as 'Thirumeni'), Prince Consort of Her Highness Karthika Thirunal Thampuratty, sister of His Highness Sri Chitra Tirunal, then Maharaja of Travancore. Henry Crochet (France), Burke and Ramillon, to India, arranged by the All India Lawn Tennis Association. Col Goda Varma Raja negotiated with the All India Lawn Tennis Association and was able to get Bill Tilden and his team visit Trivandrum to play an Exhibition Match. the exhibition match was conducted on 30 th January 1938 at the specially constructed Travancore University Stadium. The distinguished patronage and August and gracious presence of HH Sri Chitra Thirunal and other members of the Royal Family of Travancore made the event all the more memorable.
The proposed Tennis Club was formally inaugurated on 1st February 1938 at Sasthamangalam, Trivandrum, with Col Goda Varma Raja as President. the office of the Club was located in Radhapurakkunnu, at Sasthamangalam Junction. The Club premise with a small three room building was taken on lease from Captain VP Thampi on a lease rent of Rs.5/- per month. Two tennis courts were laid out and provision for wall practice was made by providing a cemenwall at one end of the Club premises. On 1st February 1938, the opening day, there were eleven members. During 1938-39, nine more members joined the Club. In the same year, the Yuvaraja of Pithapuram, President of the All India Lawn Tennis Association, was inducted as a Honorary Member of the Club.
His Highness, late Sri Chitra Thirunal, Maharaja of Travancore, graciously consented to be the patron-in chief of the Club. HH the Elayaraja and HH the first Princess of Travancore agreed to be Patrons. Later Princess Gouri Parvathy Bayi and Princess Gouri Laxmi Bayi also gave their consent to be patrons.
 Coaching Scheme began in right earnest. Mr. Ranbir Singh, All India Lawn Twnnis Association official coach, stayed at Trivandrum and conducted coaching in 1940. After Mr. Singh's departure Mr. T.K. Neelakanta Iyer was appointed as Coach. Later during 1955-56 All India Lawn Tennis Association Coach Mr. Noor Mohammed stayed at Trivandrum for a few months to give intensive coaching to the boys and girls at TTC tennis courts. A regional coaching center sanctioned by the Kerala Sports Council started functioning at the Club during 1977. Sri. N. Krishnaswamy (NIS coach) and Gopakumar were sent to Delhi for advanced coaching under Doug Maccurdy of USA
1947-48
Johansson (Sweeden), Berglin (Sweden)
1948-49
R.Krishnan, India's No.1 played in the Junior Singles tournament for Ramakrishna Pillai's Cup in 1949.
 1949-50
Abdussalam (France), Peter (Belgium), Washer (Belgium), Remy (France), Mrs Todd, Miss.Moran.
1955-56
Arkinstall, Francis and Marshall, from Australia.
1956-57
Dilip.K. Bose and Vasanth
1958 - 59
Budge Patty (USA), Wimbledon Champion 1951.
G.Moris (Italy), Legeustein (Germany) Panjotoire and Govanavie of Yugoslavia, Ulrich (Denmark), Aguirre (Chile), Argon (Uruguay), R. Krishnan and Premjitlal.
1959-60
R. Krishnan, Barry Mackay, Wood Cock, U. Schemidt, Miss. Hellyar, Miss Mini Arnold and Beg.
1960-61
R. Krishnan, Fernandez No.1. of Brazil, Premjitlal and Mukkergee and Miss. Appiah.
1961-62
Exhibition match between Roy Emerson and R. Krishnan was conducted.
1963-64
Likachev and Shivochir or USSR, Nicola Spear of Yugoslavia.
During 1947-48 Capt: V.P. Thampi passed away. However, even after his sudden and sad demise, the Club continued to function at Radhapurakkunnu, Sasthamangalam as Mrs. V.P. Thampy allowed us to continue. the Travancore-Cochin Government made available to the Club 4 acres 27.2 cents of land at Kaudiar Avenue on free leave and also sanctioned a generous grant of Rs.25, 000/- during the year 1949-50. Late K G Menon was the Chief Secretary when the Government ordered the grant of the lease.
 The year 1950 -51 was a year of signal importance to our Club. The construction of the Club building was begun that year. The entire construction was carried out with the funds raised from prominent personalities in Quilon, Kottayam, Kanjirappally, Kayamkulam and Trivandrum, numbering thirty who joined the Club as Life Members. Subscription for Life Membership then was Rs.10, 000/- By 31-08-1953 the construction was completed for a total cost of Rs.1, 07,457/-. The entire construction cost was completed for a total cost of Rs.1, 07,457/- The entire construction cost of building was borne by Life Member subscription and donations. Col Goda Varma Raja assisted by the then existing members was the main force behind the building construction. The building covered a surface area of 7000 square feet when completed in 1953. Since 1953 alterations and extensions to the building were carried out on various occasions with the result that at present a modern multi storied edifice with 13 air conditioned retiring rooms covering a total surface area of 10000 sq.ft. fashionable as well as convenient, provides ample space for the Club's multifarious activities.
30th April 1971
Col G.V. Raja, our Life President, died on 3oth April 1971 in a Plane accident at Kulu Valley. the club had, after the Colonel's time, a devoted line of office bearers and officials who, by their earnest efforts, have kept the light lit by Thirumeni burning with splendour and grace. Let us pay our respects to our benevolent founder and promise ourselves that we will faithfully maintain the ideals cherished by him. he was the very embodiment of love, truth, simplicity and devotion to duty. Let us follow his footsteps and try to reach new heights by hard work, sincerity and selfless service. Let us moulds, by all available means, young men and women as ideal citizens and devoted human beings who help to unfold by their deeds and words a model society which blends in it all human values, diverse religious ideals and unique national and racial traits.
This Club of ours is, indeed, the most resplendent memorial to our beloved Col Goda Varma Raja. He loved Trivandrum, which blends in itself most symbolically all the noble and cherished values of Keralites in general. He loved Tennis passionately. It was he who conceived the noble concept of a sports club of the type we today admire as well as cherish beyond measure.
With the First Princess, Karthika Thirunal of the Travancore Royal Family, Goda Varma Raja assimilated also the noble and incomparable cultural ethos of the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family. After that he became specially the symbol as well as spokes person of the unique Trivandrum Culture. He got enormous help and encouragement from the inimitable Sri Chitra Thirunal Balarama Varma Maharaja, the last Royal Head of the unique Kingdom of Travancore.
 With the Royal Patrons blessings and support, Col Goda Varma Raja placed Tennis in a Golden Bowl and installed it in the magnificent abode in Kowdiar Gardens, built especially for that purpose, with the help, encouragement and continued patronage of the Royal Family. The Trivandrum Tennis Club continues to basket under the glitter and flory of this Royal Patronage. It behaves on the members as well as those associated with the various activities of the Club, to remember, cherish and imbibe the grandeur as well as glamour the institution continues to enjoy owing to the Royal Patronage which gave impetus more than six decades ago to its establishment as well as continuing growth and fulfillment.
(By.C. Narayana Menon.)
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