Before leaving, Pillay, along with coach MK Kaushik, manager, MS Balakrishnan and Indian Hockey Federation secretary K Jyothikumaran, worshipped Lord Venkateswara at the Parthasarathi Temple at Triplicane in the city.

Sixteen players, Kaushik and his deputy, Ramesh Parameswaran and Balakrishnan formed the contingent.

As the team members could not get direct flight to Malaysia, they left by the Air-India flight to Singapore from where they would proceed to Kuala Lumpur.

Jothikumaran said trainer Dr Sebastian of the Sports Authority of India, Bangalore, who was not cleared by his headquarters in New Delhi, could not make the trip.

Meanwhile, the badminton contingent (17 including 7 women players, coaches SM Arif (men) and Uday Pawar (women), Prakash Padukone (manager), arrived here from Bangalore. They will leave for Kuala Lumpur in the earlyhours tomorrow.