Background
Jimmy George was born to the famous Kudakkachira family, at Thondiyil near Peravoor and learned to play volleyball from his father, a former university-level player.
Jimmy George was born to the famous Kudakkachira family, at Thondiyil near Peravoor and learned to play volleyball from his father, a former university-level player.
He was the first Indian volleyball player to become a professional and played club volleyball in Italy. He played for Saint Joseph"s High School in Peravoor. In 1973, he joined Saint Thomas College, Pala.
Jimmy represented the Kerala University four times from 1973 to 1976.
He was the captain of the team in 1973. He secured a berth in the Kerala State Team at the age of 16, in 1971, and thereafter he represented the state nine times.
He took leave from the Kerala Police in 1979 and went to the Persian Gulf to play for Abu Dhabi Sports Club. In 1982 he left Abu Dhabi to join Coletto Club at Treviso in Italy and played for them for a season.
He then switched to System Impiani and played for them in 1983-1984.
Returning to India he rejoined Kerala Police, played his last Nationals at Kanpur in 1985 and went back to Italy to play for Arrital team In 1987-1988 he signed a contract with Eurostyle-Euroslba team at Montchiari in Brescia and it was during that period that he died in a car crash. He was captain of the Indian team that played at Saudi Arabia in 1985, and led the Indian team to victory in India Gold Cup International Volleyball Tournament at Hyderabad in 1986.
Jimmy died in a car accident in Italy on November 30, 1987, at the age of 32.
His funeral ceremony was an unforgettable day for the natives of Peravoor. Thousands of people from different parts of Kannur District and Kerala State reached Peravoor to attend the function.His Body now rests at the Cemetery of Saint Joseph"s Church Peravoor, Thondiyil.
Following his death, the Jimmy George Foundation was established, which in 1989 instituted the Jimmy George Award for best sportsperson of Kerala. The government of Kerala dedicated its indoor stadium at Trivandrum as the Jimmy George Indoor Stadium.
At Saint Thomas College, Pala, a volleyball stadium is named for him, as were a stadium of Street.Joseph"s Higher Secondary School and a road at Peravoor.
At Kannur, the District Headquarters, Police Department named its conference hall in the name of Jimmy George. An indoor stadium in Italy was dedicated in his memory at Montichiari, Brescia, and an annual junior tournament is organized in his memory. Since 1989, the Kerala Volleyball League of North America organizes the Jimmy George Super Trophy Volleyball Tournament.
In 1970, Jimmy became a member of the University of Calicut volleyball team In 1976, Jimmy quit medical college to join Kerala Police where he remained a member of the police team until his death.