BENGALURU: After hockey, the Odisha government has turned its attention to swimming as well. On Saturday, the state government via the Sports and Youth Services Department (DSYS) and the Swimming Federation of India (SFI), has entered into an agreement to expand and promote the swimming ecosystem in Odisha and India.
Aiming to develop the sport at the grassroots level, around 20 centres will be established in various districts of Odisha. The existing swimming centers will also be upgraded too. As of now, the partnership is valid for one year, extendable up to five years under the agreed terms. The SFI secretary-general Monal Chokshi threw more light on the partnership, stating how it is going to help the Indian swimmers, overall. If things go well, Odisha could host international competitions.
"Fundamentally, we will have much more talent to work with at the grassroots level, and the infrastructure that the government is creating over here, they are building a start of art aquatic center which will be ready by the end of the next year. It is a completely indoor and temperature-controlled pool with a viewing gallery. It will be one of the good infrastructures in the country, where we can bring international events once ready. We can run the sport all year round with indoor facilities and camps too. There are a lot of spin-offs at the national level also. It is not only for the state, there are a lot of positives for India swimming that can happen with this partnership," Chokshi told this daily.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary, DSYS, Government of Odisha, R. Vineel Krishna, and Chokshi signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in presence of Virendra Nanavati, FINA Bureau member, and Senior Vice President SFI, on the sidelines of the ongoing Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2021 at the Kalinga Stadium.