IIT Kharagpur’s ‘wellness’ thrust: To upgrade sports facilities for Rs 10 crore

IIT-KGP will be setting up two synthetic courts each for tennis, basketball and volleyball, one synthetic athletic track and an indoor stadium with a food court

Kolkata IIT Kharagpur (KGP) has allocated Rs 10 crore for upgrading and renovating the institute’s sports facilities as part of its preparations to host Inter-IIT Sports Meet 2019.

IIT Kharagpur already has a stadium for athletics, ground for cricket and football, several outdoor courts for tennis, basketball and volleyball and a swimming pool. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This allocation is in addition to the annual sports budget of Rs 1.5 crore, an IIT-Kharagpur press statement has said.

IIT-KGP will be setting up two synthetic courts each for tennis, basketball and volleyball, one synthetic athletic track and an indoor stadium with a food court, it said.

The institute already houses a stadium for athletics, ground for cricket and football, several outdoor courts for tennis, basketball and volleyball and a swimming pool.

“The enhanced focus on sports activities will strengthen the wellness initiatives as a whole. Sports tend to inculcate leadership qualities and decision-making powers into individuals,” the president of Technology Students’ Gymkhana, the hub of students’ extra-curricular activities, William Mohanty, said.

Tennis has recently received a major thrust at the institute with US-based alumnus and entrepreneur Vinod Gupta roping in TJ Hyman, erstwhile coach of ace player Leander Paes, for a training programme.

He will be assisted by Warren Rhomfeld of the US Professional Tennis Association.

“I want IITKGP to excel in sports. We have asked TJ Hyman to train the institute’s tennis team from January 2018,” Gupta said.

The 2017 Inter-IIT Sports Meet for students and staff is scheduled for December in Chennai. A total of 23 IITs will be participating in the event this year in 13 categories. The 2018 meet will be hosted by IIT Delhi.