QUEEN’S ROAD: If there is one institution that believes in balancing sports and academics, it is Jain University. For more than two decades, it has been producing champions in various disciplines as if by habit with all or most of them excelling in their studies as well.
Right from Rehan Poncha, Shikha Tandon, Pankaj Advani, Robin Uthappa, Anup Sridhar, Poorvisha Ram, Gagan Ullalmath, Aaron D’Souza to the present day students and sporting personalities, Jain University has not only carved out a niche for itself in sports but has also contributed immensely to the growth of sports in the state and the country.
They are not content with only enrolling sports persons but also organise sporting events at all levels to provide a platform for them and for others to display their talent and catch the eye of people who matter.
As they honoured their sports persons for various achievements in the last two years, Jain Group of Institutions chairman Chenraj Roychand said, “It is our desire to enable sports persons to balance sporting and academic excellence to enable them to become good citizens of the country.”
“Sports also inculcates discipline and provides a healthy life to its practitioners. With that in mind, we have provided all possible incentives for our students to grow healthier and brighter. On the way they have brought laurels to our institution, the state and country,” said Chenraj.
“We aim to provide sports infrastructure worth more than `200 crore over the years to support the country’s dream of winning medals in the Olympic Games. We also aim to establish a Sports Entrepreneurship Academy in future at our campus on Kanakapura Road,” added Chenraj.
“When we began we had about 30-odd students who were doing well in sports. Now we have more than 500. We want that number to grow. Our staff members don’t hesitate to take extra classes in college and even at home for our sports stars,” said sports director Shankar. Among the winners were Poorvisha Kiran Shetty, Meenakshi V R, Rakshith Shetty (all swimming), Rupa S (taekwondo) and Nishreyas (fencing).
Players excelling in basketball, badminton, tennis, fencing, cricket and yatchting also received cash awards for their splendid achievements during 2013-14 and 2014-15.