Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 13: J&K Sports Council and Sports Authority of India have come together to flourish sports in the Union Territory of J&K. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the premier sports body of J&K will collaborate with SAI for the expansion of the footprints of Khelo India centers in J&K.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of J&K Sports Council was signed by Secretary, Nuzhat Gul while Nadeem Dar, Deputy Director, incharge J&K and Ladakh represented Sports Authority of India.
Pertinently the Khelo India centers were allotted to J&K in a phased manner and in the first phase around 40 Khelo India centers were awarded to J&K in 2020-21. Recently 60 more centers were added to the existing number making it hundred Khelo India centers, the highest for any State or Union Territory of the country.
Sarmad Hafeez Secretary, Department of Youth Services and Sports said two autonomous bodies coming together will help the sports to grow in all corners of the UT and the best facilities for players will mean more and more people taking up the game.
Secretary Sports Council Nuzhat Gul said with the signing of the MoU, J&K sports will usher into a new era where the talent will meet its due recognition and equal opportunity when it comes to honing the skills and making a name in the field of sports.
Sports pundits consider this to be one of the remarkable interventions for making the Union Territory of J&K a sports hub as Khelo India centers specifically allotted to J&K will further the impetus of sporting culture in J&K.
As a joint venture of Sports Council and SAI, a low-cost effective training mechanism has been worked out wherein past champion athletes would become coaches and mentors to train the future stars of the region and, run the training autonomously and earn their livelihood.
Most of the Khelo India centers are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, highly qualified coaches, and a range of training programs that cater to the needs of athletes from various age groups and disciplines. This has not only helped in the overall development of sports in the region but has also encouraged more and more children to take up sports as a viable career option.
In addition to scouting the best talent in the district, each of these centers lays special emphasis on taking sports to the grassroots level and acting as an alternative arrangement for the places where no sports activities existed earlier.
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