Vidya Pillai

Vidya V Pillai

Born	26 November 1977 Tiruchirapally, Tamil Nadu, India
Nickname	Queen of the Green
Highest break	94 (Snooker), 136 in practice
Best ranking finish	Champion, IBSF World Team Snooker Championship at Carlow, Ireland

Vidya Pillai was born on 26 November 1977 in the southern Indian city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This is where she grew up and completed her education. She obtained her B.Sc. degree in Visual Communication from Loyola College, Chennai, and later went on to complete a Post-Graduate Diploma in Communication and Management at the National Institute of Sales. In 2011, after her wedding, she moved to Bangalore, Karnataka. She credits former Indian international cricketer Hemang Badani for introducing her to the sport, and the late national billiards champion, TG Kamala Devi, for inspiring her.

National career

Vidya Pillai is an eight-time women’s national snooker champion, her latest victory coming at the Indian National Snooker Championship in Lucknow in 2014.^[1] She has finished runner-up in three different editions of the tournament. She also won gold in the Indian National 9-Ball Pool Championship in 2005.

International career

Vidya Pillai made her first international appearance at the 2007 IBSF World Snooker (Ladies) Championship and lost in the quarter-finals.^[2] She has won one gold medal in the tournament, and three gold medals. She has also won one gold medal in the Australian Open Women’s Snooker Championship, in Sydney, 2010.^[3][4]

Career honours

2015

• IBSF 6 Reds snooker Snooker Championship Women at Karachi, Pakistan - Silver^[5]

2014

• IBSF World Team Snooker Championship at Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt- Bronze
• Australian Open Women’s Snooker Championship at Sydney- Bronze
• Indian National Snooker Championship at Lucknow- Gold^[6]

2013

• IBSF World Team Snooker Championship at Carlow, Ireland- Gold
• Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship at Lucknow- Gold
• Indian National Snooker Championship at Gwalior- Gold^[7]

2012

• IBSF World Snooker Championship at Sofia, Bulgaria- Bronze
• Indian National Snooker Championship at Chennai- Gold

2010

• IBSF World Snooker Championship at Damascus, Syria- Bronze
• Australian Open Women’s Snooker Championship at Sydney- Gold
• Indian National Snooker Championship at Pune- Gold
• Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship at Bangalore- Silver
• Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship at Delhi- Silver

2009

• Indian National Snooker Championship at Agra- Silver

2008

• WLBSA World Billiards Championship at Cambridge, England- Bronze
• Indian National Snooker Championship at Indore- Gold
• Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship at Kolkata - Gold

2007

• Indian National Snooker Championship at Hyderabad- Gold
• Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship at Mumbai- Silver

2006

• Indian National Snooker Championship at Chennai- Silver

2005

• Indian National Snooker Championship at Mumbai- Gold
• Indian National 9-Ball Pool Championship at Mumbai- Gold
• Indian National 8-Ball Pool Championship at Jalandhar- Gold

2003

• Indian National Snooker Championship at Jammu- Gold ^{[3][Sports 1]}

References

1. http://www.sportstaronnet.com/tss3612/stories/20130323506604800.htm
2. http://www.live-stream-news.com/forum/main-forum/330
3. http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/snooker-rossouw-makes-vidya-pillai-sweat-it-out/article6625367.ece
4. "Different strokes". sportswoman (Mar. 23, 2013) (www.thehindu.com). the hindu. 23, 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2015. Check date values in: |date= (help)
5. http://www.cuesportsindia.com/myweb/news/2015/n13.htm
6. http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/advani-vidya-pillai-crowned-champions/article5762133.ece
7. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/snooker/billiards/Indian-women-win-team-title-in-World-Snooker-Championship/articleshow/23611499.cms

1. "Advani, Vidya Pillai crowned champions". www.thehindu.com. The Hindu. Retrieved 14 January 2015.