VISAKHAPATNAM: “Andhra Pradesh will soon get a table tennis academy,” announced chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu after inaugurating the National ranking table-tennis championship 2016 at Port Kalavani stadium here on Thursday.
The CM played table-tennis with National No 1 player Manika Batra to mark the opening of the tournament.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister lauded he 700 table tennis players and their 70 coaches who have come from 29 States to participate in the championship for their interest in sports.
Promising many more grand events in the city, the chief minister said, “Vizag has witnessed IFR, BRICS summit, Partnership summit and other major events. Similarly it ty will also host more national and international events every year”.
Addressing the players, Chandrababu Naidu said that students can excel in sports only if they maintain good physical fitness and high energy levels and urged every school and college in the district to make efforts to include sports in their daily activities.
Recalling the laurels brought by badminton champion PV Sindhu in Rio Olympics 2016, the CM told the table tennis players to draw inspiration from such champions and make India proud. Later he gave a cheque for `10,00,000 to the State Table Tennis Association .
Sports minister for State Achannaidu, saying that the ranking tournament encourages young talent in the district, added that the Sports ministry has thus far allocated `200 crore for the development of sports in the district.