Syed Akram Javeed, an International Tennis Federation Bronze badge Umpire from Chennai, was recently conferred with the Chief Minister’s State Sports Award for 2025–26 by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The award, presented by the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin was received on his behalf by Akram’s father Syed Karimullah.
Akram has been among the widely travelled umpires in India after having received the White badge in 2017 and Bronze badge in 2024.
The 32-year-old has officiated in Olympics (2024 – Paris), Asian Games (2023 – Hangzhou) and Grand Slams such as Australian Open (2024, 2025 and 2026), French Open (2023, 2025 and selected for 2026) and Wimbledon (2018, 2023 and 2024), and many Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women Tennis Association (WTA) Tour and ATP Challenger events. In fact, he made his Davis Cup debut in February this year by officiating the Indonesia versus Togo match.
“Receiving the Tamil Nadu Government State Award for Officiating is an incredibly humbling and emotional moment for me. To be recognised by the Government of Tamil Nadu, the state where I was born and brought up, makes this honour deeply personal and meaningful. Officiating is often a quiet profession—one that demands integrity, composure, and consistency behind the scenes. To have those years of dedication acknowledged at the state level is both gratifying and motivating. This award is not just a recognition of my journey, but also of the mentors, colleagues, and players who have shaped me along the way,” said Akram, a resident of Koyambedu.
Having begun his career in tennis officiating in 2014 following four years of experience in tournament operations at the Chennai Open, Akram has indeed come a long way.
Published – March 02, 2026 08:15 pm IST
