KOLKATA, Oct 20: Sports platforms provide the ideal launch pad of escape for young people, be it in a strife-torn region or country or in times of normalcy, bringing about social changes and giving refuge from a life of misery.
There are a plethora of examples around the globe, including India. The militancy-affected states like Jharkhand and Manipur saw a sea-change with women taking particular interests and excelling in hockey and weightlifting, making India proud in international meets.
The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), in its bid to bring about a social order in society, especially among the young generation, will be taking the sport to the terrorism-affected district of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir. TTFI’s Committee of Administrators (CoA), consisting of Chetan Mittal, S.D. Mudgil and Chairperson Justice (Retd) Gita Mittal, will be launching on Thursday.
A centre that will provide a complete solution to the sports ecosystem to the children of Shopian through sports education, the TTFI said on Wednesday.
Called Edutainment and Sportainment by TENVIC, in collaboration with Jadooz Cinema, Justice Gita Mittal will inaugurate the centre at the Shopian Municipal Council on October 20 on behalf of TTFI. The Shopian initiative is a prelude to 10 such centres by 2023.
“This will be the first such effort by any National Sports Federation, and Justice Gita Mittal at the helm of TTFI has made it possible,” said Vasant Bharadwaj, CEO of TENVIC.
The CoA chairperson, on her part, said, “Kashmir is close to my heart and, I am sure, given an opportunity to excel in sport, the youth of J&K will contribute greatly to sports in the nation.”
Citing the example of how sports have changed the lives of many even in war-torn countries, Justice Gita Mittal hoped that with the advent of sports centres, the wounds of J&K people would heal and alter the narratives soon.
Thanking Justice Mittal for taking up the challenge, Bharadwaj said TENVIC was honoured to participate in nation-building and roping in Jadooz as a partner to execute their processes.
Kanika Singal of Jadooz, too, felt happy to be associated with the initiative and said, “We are excited about making our zones the nerve centre of the sport and hope to achieve the target of setting up 10 centres in J&K by March 2023 to get young champions from J&K inspiring local and international diaspora.”
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