photo courtesy : https://teetimetales.com/

photos : instagram.com/rheapurvi

You have made all of us proud Rhea

Badaga Girl from Ooty, The Nilgiris Wins The Prestigious Women’s Pro Golf Tour – First Woman From The State of Tamilnadu To Win This Tournament

Rhea Purvi is the daughter of Mrs Suguna (Adigaratty) and Group Captain N Saravanan (retd) from Melur Village.

Rhea got introduced to Golf when she was barely 5 and a half years old, during the time when her parents were in fact trying to pick up the sport. She picked it up faster though and played her first ever Golf Tournament in Lucknow and walked away with her first medal when she was 6 years and 1 month old.

One thing led to another and through the many transfers and changes in Schools and environments, she still managed to keep playing golf to the extent possible. Although she managed to win a few events here and there or finish runner up at the junior level, it wasn’t always a bed of roses. She has had her share of ups and downs, tears and smiles, plenty of near misses and lost opportunities as it is in the world of sport.

Through all those trials, tears and slippery paths, Rhea Purvi managed to stay the course and turned Professional under Women’s Golf Association of India, in 2021 . Since then, she has been participating in about 15 to 16 tournaments every year, all over India and maintains a creditable merit in golf while also topping in academics through and through.

After a few Top 10, Top 5 finishes as a Professional Golfer, on 10 January 2025, Rhea Purvi showed her mettle to win her Maiden Professional title on the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour, thereby becoming not only the first woman from The Nilgiris but the first woman from the State of Tamil Nadu to win this prestigious title.

Hoping this is just the start of many more prestigious moments for her, as she now sets her eyes on a few International tournaments too this year.

Rhea, All the best for your success in all your future endeavours

(Samantha Iyanna – Coonoorian in Facebook)

Late HA Bhojraj, son of Rao Bahadur HB Ari Gowder, Hubbathalai was the first Badaga to have won many Golf Tournaments, in the Nilgiris including South India Golf Championships in 1950s/1960s, His name figures in the honour boards of Wellington Gymkhana and Ooty Gymkhana Clubs.

Rhea Purvi is the First Badaga Woman Golfer to have made a mark in the Golf Professional Circuit. We are very proud of you Rhea Purvi. Doubly happy that you belong to Air Force Family being the daughter of Gp.Capt Saravanan of Melur Hatti – Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash