Praveen Chithravel's Silver Medal Sparks Joy in Tamil Nadu Village

Celebration in Settisathiram Village

The small home of an agricultural daily wage worker in Settisathiram village, Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, was filled with joy as Praveen Chithravel achieved a remarkable silver medal in the men's triple jump at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.

His father, Chithravel, expressed overwhelming pride in his son's accomplishment on the international stage, reflecting on their modest background. "I work as a daily wage laborer," he shared with a media outlet. "We have always supported our children's education and aspirations with the earnings from my daily work," he added.

Looking back on Praveen's early athletic journey, he recounted, "I took him everywhere on my bicycle, exposing him to the world gradually, and he improved step by step until he reached the international level." Praveen secured the silver medal with a leap of 16.58 meters, just shy of the gold, despite the challenging cold conditions.

His father acknowledged the narrow margin of defeat, expressing hope for gold in the future. "He was so close, but we are incredibly proud of him," he remarked, adding, "Next time, my son will definitely win gold and bring even more honor to India and Tamil Nadu." Chithravel, whose daughter is a teacher and whose two sons are also athletes, credited the entire community for supporting Praveen's journey.

"The youth in our village treated Praveen like their own," he noted. "Teachers, relatives, and the entire community guided us in ways I never imagined, helping my son advance his career," he continued.

As the family and villagers gathered around the television to witness the event, they celebrated Praveen's latest international success. Previously, he had also earned a bronze medal at the Asian Games. Looking forward, Chithravel expressed his desire for his son's achievements to motivate the younger generation.

"I hope my son wins gold next time," he said. "More importantly, I wish for his success to inspire at least ten more youngsters from our village to pursue sports and excel."