VIJAYAWADA: HRD Minister Nara Lokesh on Friday announced that JSW has come forward to establish a world-class Centre of Excellence for sports in the State as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen sports infrastructure and nurture international-level athletes.
The announcement was made during a dinner interaction with elite athletes selected to represent India at the upcoming Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Para Commonwealth Games at the HRD Minister’s residence in Undavalli.
Lokesh sought their suggestions on improving the State’s sports ecosystem and discussed the challenges they faced in pursuing professional careers. Several athletes highlighted the need for experienced coaches and better training facilities.
The Minister said government policies should remain consistent irrespective of changes in political leadership and assured the athletes that Andhra Pradesh would establish a world-class Centre of Excellence with internationally reputed coaches. He said JSW had agreed to partner with the State to develop modern sports infrastructure and said that the project framework was being prepared.
Lokesh said the government was focusing on integrating sports training with education and was committed to building a comprehensive sports ecosystem across AP. He said sports arenas were proposed in every district.
The Minister said the State had introduced a three per cent reservation for sportspersons in the latest DSC teacher recruitment and was implementing measures to promote sports at the grassroots level. He highlighted initiatives to encourage women athletes and said one of the stands at the Vizag Cricket Stadium had been named after former India women’s cricket captain Mithali Raj.
Referring to the role of technology in sports, Lokesh said artificial intelligence was increasingly being used in advanced coaching systems abroad and encouraged athletes to embrace technology to improve performance.
During the interaction, ace badminton player PV Sindhu cited the use of robotic training systems for archers in South Korea as an example of technological innovation in sports training.
The Minister congratulated Indian athletes for setting 26 national records this year and announced that the State government had released `2.23 crore to support the training of 18 athletes selected for the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Para Commonwealth Games. He assured them of additional help wherever required and urged them to win medals and bring laurels to the State and the country.