E-Paper
Aim to bring sports revolution via int’l university, says Sunil Kedar
The state was initially planning to set up a university in Aurangabad, but considering the cost and infrastructure, the project has been moved to Pune.
We aim to bring in a sports revolution in the country with the opening of the International Sports University at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, said Sunil Kedar, state sports and youth affairs minister on Friday.
Kedar, who was in the city to interact with the city’s sports fraternity, said, “Like former PM Rajiv Gandhi, who brought Information and Technology (IT) revolution in the country which has helped various generations get employed and even prove their mettle in other countries, in the same way, the International Sports University will help bring sports revolution in the country.”
A budget of Rs 400 crore has been allocated for the prestigious event. However, the state was initially planning to set up a university in Aurangabad, but considering the cost and infrastructure, the project has been moved to Pune.
“If we had started the project from scratch, then we would have had to spend Rs 700 to 800 crore and it could have taken a lot of time, but in Pune, infrastructure will not be a problem,” added Kedar.
The university will offer various courses including physical and sports education, sports sciences and sports medicine, sports technology, sports governance, sports management, sports media and communication, sports coaching and training.
In the first phase, a three-year programme in sports science and sports technology will be started along with a three-month programme in sports coaching and training. Intake capacity for each course will be 50 students.
“Focus will be not only on developing athletes who can bring medals, but producing world-class coaches in the country. We have a trend to hire coaches from other countries and this could help change that,” added Kedar.
Government is also planning to set up sub-centres of universities in other parts of the state after two years. The state sports minister also stressed on providing much needed help for athletes who come from middle class families.
“The sports university will create such a platform that it will give employment to all athletes who are coming from middle class families. University will give them so many options related to sports stream that even if someone does not want to play a game, they can continue to remain at the back-end in a supporting role,” added Kedar, who is expecting the university to be ready in the next three years.
Omprakash Bakoria, state sports commissioner, said that the sports department is in talks with prestigious institutes like the Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Management for possible tie-ups.
“We have written to IIT, Mumbai, and IIM, Ahmedabad, for possible tie-ups. We are looking to get experts from these prime institutes for our courses like Sports Technology, Sports Governance and Sports Management,” said Bakoria.
The university will also help students during placements. “We will be meeting corporates associated with the field of sports. We will meet companies leading the sports manufacturing group so that our students get jobs in these companies when they complete the course,” added Bakoria.
Rutuja Bhosale, who went to the US to play college tennis and represented Texas A&M, said, “Having a sports university in your city helps tremendously. One can get every facility under one roof. I have experienced it when I was in Texas and it really helps. If this happens, it will be a major boost for upcoming athletes.”
Malikaa Marathe, an upcoming tennis player who studies in Class 11, said, “Having a sports university would work really well to promote sports in the city. Hopefully, it would help more people get involved in sports.”