Vidya Pillai
Born (1977-11-26) 26 November 1977
Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Sport country India
NicknameQueen of the Green[1]

Vidya Viswanathan Pillai (born 26 November 1977)[2] is an Indian professional snooker player. Vidya Pillai grew up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. In recognition of her achievements, the Government of Karnataka bestowed her with the Ekalavya award in 2016 for outstanding performance in Sports.[3] She has won several International medals for India and in 2013 won the gold medal in the IBSF World Team Snooker Championship, Gold in the IBSF Australian Women's Ranking Snooker Championship in 2016 and was the first Indian woman to reach the finals of the WLBSA World Women's Snooker Championship in 2017.[4] She is also a 9-time winner of the National Championship Title.

National career

Vidya Pillai credits former Indian international cricketer Hemang Badani for introducing her to the sport when she was aged 22,[4] and the late national billiards champion, TG Kamala Devi, for inspiring her. Pillai is a ten-time Women's National Snooker Champion, her latest victory coming in 2020.[1][5] She has finished runner-up in three different editions of the tournament, in 2006, 2009 and 2015. She also won the Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship in 2013 & the Indian National 9-Ball Pool Championship in 2005.[1]

In 2017 she was a part of the Chennai Strikers in the Indian Cue Masters League, where she was teamed up with Pankaj Advani for mixed doubles.[6]

In 2018, Vidya started working with the acclaimed SightRight Accredited coach Pranit Ramchandani.

International career

Vidya Pillai made her first international appearance at the 2007 IBSF World Snooker Championship (Ladies) and lost in the quarter-finals.[7] Ever since, she has won a gold medal in the IBSF World Team Snooker Championship in 2013, Gold in the IBSF Australian Women's Ranking Snooker Championship in 2016, Gold in the IBSF Australian Open Women's Snooker Championship in 2010, Two Silver medals in the IBSF World 6 Reds Snooker Championship Women in 2015 and 2016, one Silver in the IBSF World Team Snooker Championship in 2016, two Bronze medals IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2010 and 2012, one Bronze in the IBSF World Team Snooker Championship in 2014 and reached the semi-finals at the WLBSA World Billiards Championship in 2008.[8] She has also won a silver medal at the Asian Billiard Sport Championship held at Doha in 2016. She was runner-up to Ng On-yee at the WLBSA World Women's Snooker Championship in 2017.[9]

Career honours

Ranking event finals
Outcome Year Championship Opponent(s) Score Ref.
Winner 2003Indian National Snooker Championship[10][11]
Winner 2005Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Winner 2005Indian National 9-Ball Pool Championship[1]
Winner 2005Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship[1]
Runner-up 2006Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Winner 2007Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Runner-up 2007Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship[1]
Winner 2008Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Runner-up 2008Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship[1]
Runner-up 2009Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Winner 2010Australian Open Women's Snooker Championship[1]
Winner 2010Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Runner-up 2010Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship[1]
Runner-up 2010Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship[1]
Winner 2012Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Winner 2013IBSF World Team Snooker Championship (with  Arantxa Sanchis (IND)) Ng On Yee (HKG)  and So Man Yan (HKG)3-2[12]
Winner 2013Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship[1]
Winner 2013Indian National Snooker Championship[1]
Winner 2014Indian National Snooker Championship[13]
Runner-up 2015IBSF 6 Reds snooker Snooker Championship[14]
Runner-up 2015Indian National Snooker Championship Amee Kamani (IND)2–4[15]
Winner 2016IBSF Australian Women's Ranking Snooker Championship[1]
Runner-up 2016IBSF 6 Reds snooker Snooker Championship Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan (THA)[16]
Runner-up 2016IBSF World Team Snooker Championship (with  Amee Kamani (IND) Ng On Yee (HKG) and  Ka Kai Wan (HKG)[16]
Runner-up 2016Asian Billiard Sports Championship[1]
Winner 2016Indian National Snooker Championship Amee Kamani (IND)4–2[17]
Runner-up 2016Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship Amee Kamani (IND)1–4[18]
Runner-up 2017World Women's Snooker Championship Ng On-yee (HKG)5–6[19]
Winner 2020Indian National Snooker Championship Amee Kamani (IND)3–2[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Gupta, Ravindra Kumar. "Indian Queen of the Green". RKG Snooker. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  2. ↑ "Athlete Profile: VISWANATHAN PILLAI Vidya". ashgabat2017.com. Ashgabat 2017. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  3. ↑ Desai, Dhwani (7 October 2016). "Waited for the Ekalavya Award for five years: Vidya Pillai". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Vidya Pillai still running for cover despite laurels galore in women's snooker". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  5. 1 2 Stead, Marcus. "Tournament Winners". Snooker Scene. No. March 2020. Snooker Scene Ltd. p. 20.
  6. ↑ "Chennai Strikers, Hyderabad Hustlers win in Indian Cue Masters League". hindustantimes. 20 August 2017. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  7. ↑ "2013 IBSF Team Snooker Women Finalists". Archived from the original on 15 January 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Evans wins fourth consecutive title". Snooker Scene. No. June 2008. Everton's News Agency. p. 37.
  9. ↑ Chan, Kin-wa (20 March 2019). "Hong Kong's Ng On-yee regains world title after titanic final against Vidya Pillai". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  10. ↑ Achal, Ashwin. "Snooker: Rossouw makes Vidya Pillai sweat it out". thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Advani, Vidya Pillai crowned champions". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Indian women win team title in World Snooker Championship – Times of India". indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  13. ↑ Sarangi, Y. B. "Advani, Vidya Pillai crowned champions". thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "Alok-Rafath wins bronze World Team Championships (Masters)". cuesportsindia.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Advani captures senior national title". The Asian Age. 26 January 2015. p. 35.
  16. 1 2 Pathak, Vivek (4 August 2015). "Successful completion of 2016 World 6Red and Team Snooker". IBSF. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  17. ↑ "Lucky is state's best". Deccan Chronicle. 2 February 2016. p. 39.
  18. ↑ "Chawla, Kamani emerge champs". The Free Press Journal. 7 January 2016. p. 17.
  19. ↑ "Vidya Pillai pots silver in Women World Snooker – Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
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