SRINAGAR: 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 MoU on behalf of J&K Sports Council was signed by Secretary, Nuzhat Gull while Nadeem Dar, Deputy Director, incharge J&K and Ladakh represented Sports Authority of India.
Pertinently the KI centers were allotted to J&K in a phased manner and in the first phase around forty Khelo India centers were awarded to J&K in 2020-21. Recently sixty 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.
Terming the signing of the MoU as a landmark development, Secretary Sports Council Nuzhat Gull 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. Nuzhat Gull said, “both the sports bodies have collaborated for a great cause to take J&K sports forward”
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. The Khelo India centers have reached all the districts of J&K and its number has swelled above hundred now. The centers hone the abilities of the young talent of 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.
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.
As per the copy of the MoU with the desk, the infrastructure for all the centers will be provided by the Sports Council and the funding for all these centers will be borne by SAI.
Thanks to the Khelo India initiative, several talented athletes across Jammu and Kashmir have been given a platform to showcase their skills and get the necessary exposure and training to excel in their respective sports. The Khelo India centers have been instrumental in tapping the sporting potential of the region and nurturing it from a grassroots level.
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 recent years, the demand for more Khelo India centers has significantly increased as sports enthusiasts and parents are realizing the immense potential that these centers have in shaping young talent. With the increasing demand, it is hoped that more Khelo India centers will be set up across J&K is expected to produce top-class athletes and contribute to the country’s sporting legacy.