Rajesh Dhar
JAMMU, Mar 19: Ranjeet Kalra is a familiar name in the sports fraternity of Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from being an ace Sports Administrator, he has the honour of being the Vice Chairman Sports Council Jammu, Member Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the first person from Jammu and Kashmir to be appointed as the Advisor of Sports and Youth Affairs of any State/UT.
In an exclusive interview with EXCELSIOR, he talked about the initiatives being taken by the State Sports Council with regard to promotion of sports & games and development of sports infrastructure.
Click here to watch video
Excerpts:
Q: You have recently been appointed as the Advisor for Sports and Youth Affairs, Lakshadweep Government. Tell us about the initiatives you have taken there?
A: It is a great honour for me to be appointed as the Advisor for Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Lakshadweep. We are focusing on catching the players young in Football, Volleyball and Water Sports. In this regard, team of Water Sports Federation of India led by J&K’s ace coach Bilquis Mir and Asian Games Medallist Vaga Ra M Bishnoi from Port Blair, visited Lakshadweep and surveyed and oriented number of budding sportspersons. A Football Camp was also held under the supervision of International footballer of the State, Arun Malhotra. Cricket is our priority number two and in this connection we have talked to Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) through its Joint Secretary Abhishek Dalmiya. The Administrator of Lakshadweep Farooq Khan is very keen to promote sports in the Union Territory. Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centres have also been sanctionrd there, but it is still early days.
Q: Jammu and Kashmir is creating a niche in the field of sports from a few years now. What is your ‘mantra’ of further patting and promoting sportspersons?
A: Yes, there is no doubt in it that the State of Jammu and Kashmir is carving a space on the Country’s Sports Map. We possess some outstanding sportspersons in medal winning disciplines including Wushu, Fencing, Gymnastics, Judo, Football and Basketball etc, who keep State’s Flag high at the National and International scene. In my humble opinion, the State is on the right track with regard to enhancing standard of sports and games in the State. From last three to four years, with the initiative of J&K State Sports Council, under Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, around 150 sportspersons had diplomas from NIS Patiala. Players were sent to Uzbakistan for training and courses and the focus is on next National Games to be held at Goa. The office of the Chief Minister, who is also the president of the Sports Council is very supportive of the submitted proposals and projects. J&K, under the dynamic leadership of Moulvi Imran Raza Ansari, organized Khelo India Games, wherein 1, 60,000 sportspersons participated and the State has kept record of all the data entries. Lot many sports events for specially-abled children are also being organized in the State to help them showcase their skill at the higher levels. Apart from the Department of Youth Services and Sports, J&K State Sports Council, J&K Police under the patronage of DGP Dr SP Vaid, J&K Olympic Association, Indian Army and SSB are also doing fabulous job by organizing sporting events to improve the standard of sports in the State.
Providing better infrastructural facilities to outstanding sportspersons is the only ‘mantra’ to help them blossom at the International scene.
Q: You also have the good fortune to serve on the Governing Council of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) Sports Complex. What are the initiatives being taken there?
A: SMVDSB Sports Complex is a visionary initiative of Governor NN Vohra, who has himself been a cricketer of great repute. The Governing Council led by Dr Ashok Bhan is doing a fabulous job in catering to the needs of a big number of sportspersons. The Complex is primarily identifying talent in four sports disciplines including Archery, Shooting, Athletics and Basketball.
Q: Sports in J&K is on the path of progression. Is the time ripe to provide international facilities to the ace sportspersons?
A: There is no doubt that from a few years now, the sports in Jammu and Kashmir is on the path of progression and the reasons for that are the collective efforts by the elite sports agencies of the State in raising the infrastructural facilities. For example, on the request of Spoors Minister Imran Raza Ansari, CM has sanctioned Rs 10 crore project of lighting the Stadia at Kashmir and Jammu, which will help the budding sportspersons to have practice sessions in the evenings and fine-tune their skills to be ready for the mega events at the higher levels. The time is ripe to provide quality sportspersons international standard facilities in the State and efforts are afloat for augmentation of the same.
Q: J&K has a galaxy of rising sports stars. Would you like to name a few and comment on them?
A: Of course, we have the stars in Manzoor Pandav, Palak Kour, Parvez Rasool, Shubham Pundir, Surya Bhanu Partap, Rajinder, Abhishek, Saqlain, Tajamul and Meenal etc. They, time and again, have brought laurels for the State at the higher levels.
Q: At the time of inaugural ceremony of CM’s Women T20 Championship in Jammu earlier, the Sports Minister had said that it is an initiative to translate gender equality into reality. Do you think that women sportspersons are at par with men in J&K?
A: There is no doubt in it that Jammu and Kashmir has the honour of producing a good number of women sports stars in various disciplines. Palak Kour, Krupali Patel, Bavleen Kour, Bilquis Mir, Roopali Slathia, Shweta Thakur and Tajamul are a few to name. CM herself is taking initiatives with regard to women empowerment and a focus is being given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padao and Beti Khilao’ campaign.
Q: J&K is striving hard to carve a space on the Country’s Sports Map? What should the State Govt do to make ace sportspersons blossom at the National scene?
A: There is immediate need to raise more and more sports infrastructure in the State. The Govt has already taken major initiatives with regard to development and renovation of sports infra. To make the facilities standard and fantastic at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar and MA Stadium in Jammu, the refurbishing process has started. Moreover, new Indoor Stadium in Jammu is nearly to its completion.
Q: You are Sports Administrator, Man Manager and Sports Advisor. Any message for budding sportspersons?
A: There is no dearth of talent in our State. The budding sportspersons should make full use of the available sports facilities in the State and should marry the sport they play. The Sports Council has established State Cricket Academy and State Football Academy to nurture the talent at the bud and have done a commendable job in organizing series of events throughout the year. The players have the District Sports Councils available in almost all the districts and they need to take full advantage of these Councils. Moreover, the Sports Council, DYSS, the Associations, the Federations, the Schools and the parents need to work collectively and the young sportspersons can play a pivotal role in making these agencies to work as cohesive unit.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
