In a heartwarming example of community unity, the village of Chunangad in Ottappalam, located in Kerala’s Palakkad district, came together to reclaim a piece of land that had long been the heartbeat of their social life — their football ground. This one-acre plot, though privately owned by the Sangethathil family with over 50 heirs, had served as the village’s playground for more than 70 years. When it was sold in 2020 to a businessman, Poloth Padmanabhan Nair, and access was cut off, the villagers were devastated.
Determined to restore their cherished ground for children to play and the community to gather, they formed a public committee, later establishing the Shooters Charitable Trust. Despite initial setbacks, including a failed fundraising raffle and delays in formal registration, the villagers remained undeterred. Garnering support from well-known personalities like football legend I M Vijayan and filmmaker Lal Jose, along with sustained media attention, the momentum gradually built up.
Remarkably, the businessman’s family, even after his passing, showed compassion by donating two cents of land and waiting patiently for the villagers to raise funds. After five years of tireless effort, they successfully collected Rs 40 lakh and purchased 38 cents. The reclaimed playground was officially inaugurated on April 13 by Kerala’s Sports Minister V Abdurahiman.
Looking ahead, the Trust aims to purchase 12 more cents to build a regulation-sized sevens football ground, complete with a gallery and a shaded area for elderly residents. Beyond sports, the playground now serves as a central space for festivals, temple celebrations, and community bonding — a new-age version of the village tea shop where people once gathered. Plans are also in motion to launch scholarships and palliative care projects, showing that this ground is more than just a field — it’s a symbol of Chunangad’s enduring community spirit.
