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Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 13 templates: hyphenate params (5×);

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{{short description|Indian snooker player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox snooker player
| name = Vidya V Pillai
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1977|11|26}}
| birth_place = [[Tiruchirapalli]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| Sport country = {{IND}}
| Nickname = Queen of the Green
| Professional =
| High ranking = World No. 2
| Prize money =
| High break = 94 (Snooker), 136 in practice
| Century break =
| Best finish = Champion, IBSF World Team Snooker Championship at Carlow, Ireland
| medals-expand =
| medals =
}}

'''Vidya Viswanathan Pillai''' (born 26 November 1977)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ashgabat2017.com/atos/ashgabat17/eng/zb/engzb_billiard-sports-athlete-profile-n144325-viswanathan-pillai-vidya.htm |title=Athlete Profile: VISWANATHAN PILLAI Vidya |publisher=Ashgabat 2017 |website=ashgabat2017.com |access-date=17 October 2019 |archive-date=17 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017221322/http://ashgabat2017.com/atos/ashgabat17/eng/zb/engzb_billiard-sports-athlete-profile-n144325-viswanathan-pillai-vidya.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> is an Indian professional player of [[snooker]]. Vidya Pillai grew up in [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]]. In recognition of her achievements, the [[Government of Karnataka]] has bestowed her with the prestigious [[Ekalavya Award|Ekalavya award]] in 2016 for outstanding performance in Sports. 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 [[2017 World Women's Snooker Championship|WLBSA World Women's Snooker Championship in 2017]] and won the Silver medal as well.<ref name=NIE>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/other/2017/aug/25/vidya-pillai-still-running-for-cover-despite-laurels-galore-in-womens-snooker-1647955.html|title=Vidya Pillai still running for cover despite laurels galore in women's snooker|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2017-08-26|archive-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826155041/http://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/other/2017/aug/25/vidya-pillai-still-running-for-cover-despite-laurels-galore-in-womens-snooker-1647955.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 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,<ref name=NIE /> and the late national billiards champion, TG Kamala Devi, for inspiring her. Pillai is a ten-time Women's National Snooker Champion,{{cn|date=September 2020}} her latest victory coming in 2020.<ref name="SCENEMAR20" /> 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.

In 2017 she was a part of the Chennai Strikers team in the Indian Cue Masters League, where she was teamed up with [[Pankaj Advani (billiards player)|Pankaj Advani]] for mixed doubles.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/chennai-strikers-hyderabad-hustlers-win-in-indian-cue-masters-league/story-PWkkQ1ZPZOkRO6zlFzByqJ.html|title=Chennai Strikers, Hyderabad Hustlers win in Indian Cue Masters League|date=2017-08-20|work=hindustantimes|access-date=2017-08-26|language=en|archive-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826155810/http://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/chennai-strikers-hyderabad-hustlers-win-in-indian-cue-masters-league/story-PWkkQ1ZPZOkRO6zlFzByqJ.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==International career==

Vidya Pillai made her first international appearance at the 2007 [[IBSF World Snooker Championship]] (Ladies) and lost in the quarter-finals.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.live-stream-news.com/forum/main-forum/330 |title=Archived copy |access-date=14 January 2015 |archive-date=15 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115105053/http://www.live-stream-news.com/forum/main-forum/330 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 one Bronze at the WLBSA World Billiards Championship in 2008. 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 [[2017 World Women's Snooker Championship|WLBSA World Women's Snooker Championship in 2017]].<ref name="SCMP">{{cite news |last=Chan |first=Kin-wa |date=20 March 2019 |title=Hong Kong's Ng On-yee regains world title after titanic final against Vidya Pillai |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2080351/hong-kongs-ng-yee-regains-world-title-after-titanic-final-against |work=South China Morning Post |access-date=29 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830085548/https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2080351/hong-kongs-ng-yee-regains-world-title-after-titanic-final-against |archive-date=30 August 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Career honours==


===2020===
*2020 Indian Women's Snooker Champion<ref name="SCENEMAR20">{{cite magazine |last=Stead |first=Marcus|title=Tournament Winners|magazine=Snooker Scene |page=20 |publisher=Snooker Scene Ltd |issue=March 2020 }}</ref>

===2017===
* Silver - [[2017 World Women's Snooker Championship|WLBSA World Women's Snooker Championship]] at Singapore<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/snooker/billiards/vidya-pillai-pots-silver-in-women-world-snooker/articleshow/57729109.cms|title=Vidya Pillai pots silver in Women World Snooker - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-03-22|archive-date=30 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830230111/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/snooker/billiards/vidya-pillai-pots-silver-in-women-world-snooker/articleshow/57729109.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2016===
* Gold - IBSF Australian Women's Ranking Snooker Championship at Sydney, Australia
* Silver - IBSF World 6 Reds Snooker Championship Women at Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
* Silver - IBSF World Team Snooker Championship at Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
* Silver - Asian Billiard Sports Championship at Al Fujairah, UAE
* Gold - Indian National Snooker Championship at Indore
* Silver - Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship at Kolkata

===2015===
* Silver - IBSF 6 Reds snooker Snooker Championship Women at Karachi, Pakistan<ref name="cuesportsindia">{{cite web|url=http://www.cuesportsindia.com/myweb/news/2015/n13.htm|title=Alok-Rafath wins bronze World Team Championships (Masters)|work=cuesportsindia.com|access-date=31 March 2017|archive-date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322203643/http://www.cuesportsindia.com/myweb/news/2015/n13.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Bronze - IBSF Australian Open Women's Snooker Championship

===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<ref name="thehindu.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/advani-vidya-pillai-crowned-champions/article5762133.ece|title=Advani, Vidya Pillai crowned champions|first=Y. B.|last=Sarangi|work=thehindu.com|access-date=31 March 2017|archive-date=11 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311175638/http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/advani-vidya-pillai-crowned-champions/article5762133.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2013===
* IBSF World Team Snooker Championship at Carlow, Ireland- Gold<ref name=NIE />
* Indian National 6-Red Snooker Championship at Lucknow- Gold
* Indian National Snooker Championship at Gwalior- Gold<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/snooker/billiards/Indian-women-win-team-title-in-World-Snooker-Championship/articleshow/23611499.cms|title=Indian women win team title in World Snooker Championship - Times of India|work=indiatimes.com|access-date=31 March 2017|archive-date=3 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303211114/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/snooker/billiards/Indian-women-win-team-title-in-World-Snooker-Championship/articleshow/23611499.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

===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- semi-finalist<ref>{{cite magazine |author= |title=Evans wins fourth consecutive title |magazine=Snooker Scene |page=37 |publisher=Everton's News Agency |issue=June 2008 }}</ref>
* 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<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/snooker-rossouw-makes-vidya-pillai-sweat-it-out/article6625367.ece|title=Snooker: Rossouw makes Vidya Pillai sweat it out|first=Ashwin|last=Achal|work=thehindu.com|access-date=31 March 2017|archive-date=1 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101003521/http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/snooker-rossouw-makes-vidya-pillai-sweat-it-out/article6625367.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Vidya Pillai" group=Sports>{{cite web|title=Advani, Vidya Pillai crowned champions|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/advani-vidya-pillai-crowned-champions/article5762133.ece|website=The Hindu|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-date=11 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311175638/http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/advani-vidya-pillai-crowned-champions/article5762133.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|group=Sports}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Vidya}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian snooker players]]
[[Category:Loyola College, Chennai alumni]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Chennai]]
[[Category:Female snooker players]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Cue sports players at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Cue sports players at the 2010 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Cue sports players from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Asian Games competitors for India]]

Vidya Pillai - Revision history

imported>Monkbot: Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 13 templates: hyphenate params (5×);