BENGALURU: Here is some good news for sports enthusiasts of Karnataka. The state has won 88 medals, including 27 gold, in the 36th National Games that concluded in Gujarat on Wednesday, and stood fourth in the medal tally. This is Karnataka’s best performance at the games. And the Karnataka men’s hockey team bagging gold after 21 years is the icing on the cake.
The state also bagged 23 silver and 38 bronze medals, and the first time that the state is in Top 5. According to the data shared by the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, the state’s previous best performance was in 2007 when it won 71 medals, including 21 gold.
Speaking to TNIE, HN Gopalakrishna, commissioner, Directorate of Youth Empowerment and Sports, said, “We could achieve this because the state is stressing more on improving sports infrastructure and also other facilities given to sportspersons. The State Government had recently launched the Amrutha Kreeda scheme where Rs 10 lakh aid was given to 75 sportspersons each to avail coaching from abroad.”
The government is now focussing on nurturing sporting talent from rural areas. “Rs 504 crore has been set aside to develop more than 6,700 playgrounds, tracks, volleyball grounds and other infrastructure in rural areas, and works have already commenced under the MNREGA schemes in association with Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department,” he added. On appointment of coaches, he said that for the first time the department was recruiting 176 coaches to train sportspersons from rural areas.
“Of the 176, 50% reservation will be for candidates under sports quota and those who have taken part in national and international sporting events,” he added. All these years, the department was depending on the Education Department to train PT teachers, he said. “But now, if we have our own experts, it will be of great help,” the official said.