Karu Selvaratnam

Karu Selvaratnam is a multi-sports talent. He started with playing badminton in school then picked up track, hockey, cricket and boxing along the way. As a natural athlete, Karu has mastered all these sports he played in. Three years after making his international debut at SEAP Games in Rangoon, he went on to represent the country at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His national record of 52.7s in the hurdles run stood for almost 25 years. Even when he was a Navy Officer, Karu continued to represent the country in many other tournaments.
Although he is now over 80 years old, he is still active with sports. Besides the occasional run with friends, Karu started an organisation called Young Talent Track and Field (YTTF) as an initiative to nurture the upcoming talents where he continues to support budding young athletes.

[@nagarajarao8358]

Dearest Karu, I played in 1971 December Cricket with you at Ceylon Sports Club. I was a schoolboy with immense respect for you. You were quiet, unassuming and a towering example. Thank You for the example you have set in Sports, Life and your Inspiration to the rest of us.

[@donboscopereira5080]

oh man you touch my heart

[@sukorcheembi1349]

You lives a very colourful life, thank you for your contributions for the nation

[@2scheng]

We must make it into a film on Netflix. such a good and beautiful story👏

[@Philatherapist]

Woodlands is in the North of Singapore just across JB via the Causeway. The British Naval Base is stretched for several kilometres from Woodlands to Sembawang and the houses which they built still stands to this days. The Malaya/Malaysia Naval Base is also known as KD Malaya among locals.The Navy built several blocks of flats for their staff at Woodlands and they also rented a few blocks of flats in Central Singapore known as Queenstown/ Jalan Rumah Tinggi. As a Navy officer, Mr Karu must be very familiar with these places. God Bless you, Sir.

[@karengoh9559]

Since, looking and watching the Living History Project about all these athletic ppl....i can imagine how well that we were taught with good English from Kirby trained teachers in England.We do speak excellent English during those days. Listening to Karu , narrative stories..he speaks very good English from our days , learned in school
What happened thru years, when Dr Maharhir ending the English system..???? Now, our grandchildren are below par with other countries???

[@hishamhashim5208]

My former boss before TLDM SPORT COMPLEX.

[@nandamenon3518]

I wonder if Karu had ever met or heard of Balwant Singh Sidhu, who was from Kuala Lipis then moved on to Seremban. After schooling, Balwant Singh joined the Army (in the Fifties)and retired as a Major, then emigrated to Perth, Australia. Balwant was a well known and exceptional school and national athlete and held records in the long distance events. He died just over a year ago.

[@krishnasamy8187]

A.very.good.sportsmen.since.schoodays.Keep.it.up

[@kindface]

First of all, some typo correction: the blue house that Kari refers to should be spelt as "Tagore", not "Tagoh".
It's either named after an alumnus, an illuminary, of ACS Ipoh or the famous Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore.