NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways will soon set up the country’s biggest world-class academy, exclusively for wrestlers in railways, with all the best sports facilities at Kishanganj locality in Delhi.
An estimated cost of Rs 30.76 crore for its establishment has already been sanctioned by the railway.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav on Friday in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha announced that the proposed country’s biggest wrestling academy will be equipped with advanced training facilities providing ample opportunities to many budding wrestlers to become champions in the times to come.
“The Railways have played a paramount role in promoting wrestling in India and most of the acclaimed wrestlers are from railways. The most of the medals won by India in wrestling in Olympics were from Indian Railways like Sushil (2008 and 2012), Sakshi Malik (2016), Ravi Kumar and Bajranj (2020)”, the minister said.
Lauding the performances of railways wrestlers in Tokyo Olympics 2020, the railway minister said that the railway sportspersons had done marvelous and out of 7 medals won by India 3 individuals medals were won by the railway sportspersons.
The minister also said that the Indian Railways has been contributing to the promotion of sports through Railway Sports Promotion Board in the country.
“As of date, more than 9000 sportspersons are on roll in 29 game disciplines in Indian Railways. The Railways sportspersons have been honoured with 27 Padamshreee, 176 Arjuna, 12 Dhayanchanad, 14 Dronacharaya and 9 major Dhayanchand Khel Ratna awards for their outstanding sports achievements”, the minister said.