Bhubaneshwar: In celebration of the State achieving readiness in record 90 days for the Asian Athletics Championships (AAC) held in the city in 2017, Chief Minister Shri. Naveen Patnaik today launched the AAC Coffee Table Book& Documentary at an event held at the Secretariat. Consisting of well-curated content and memoirs, the coffee table book& documentary capture the action & emotions of AAC along with the achievements of the state, which has become a shining beacon for sporting development in the country.
Commenting on the occasion, Shri Naveen Patnaik said, “Initiatives like these are the cornerstone to propel and make Bhubaneshwar and Odisha, a hub for sports in the country. AAC represents the agility, commitment and drive of the people of Odisha. We could have taken this as a challenge or an opportunity; we chose to take it as an opportunity. The opportunity for Odisha to bring glory to India.”
Vishal Dev, Commissioner–cum-Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Services said, “We are committed to the development of sports and The AAC 2017 was the perfect example as it inspired us to take up the challenge and turn things around in a record 90 days. We are proud about the fact that the Kalinga Stadium is a symbol for world class sporting events, and upcoming events like the Hockey World Cup in 2018 will only reinforce this.”
The Government of Odisha has followed a focused approach in nurturing sports. This is being done by way of a well-defined two-pronged strategy: nurture, and in turn create global athletes. Secondly, make sports a part of the daily fabric of life, thereby taking it to the grassroots, and in that widening the talent pool. Six disciplines that have been prioritised are: Athletics, Archery, Weight-Lifting and Badminton as individual sports; Hockey and Football as team sports.
Nupur Mahajan, Creator of the AAC Coffee Table Book and Documentary, said,”The AAC 2017 saw ideas come into fruition in a remarkably short window of time. Later, telling the story through the book and the film completed the full circle of a creative journey. As a story teller it was a compelling subject how a State and its Govt. through sheer love and commitment made this race against time a success story.”
The 22nd Asian Athletics Championship saw the largest contingent of athletes in the AAC thus far. Over 800 athletes participatedin the Bhubaneswar edition in 2017 compared to 550 in the last Championship at Wuhan, China in 2015.
Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation signs MOU with Department of Sports and Youth Services
Marking another important step in developing sports in Odisha, the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation (PGMF) signed Department of Sports and Youth Services. The initiative will help inthrusting Odisha in the forefront of developing world class talent for Badminton among other sporting disciplines in the state.
The PGMF will be driving the Badminton academy at Odisha and will be responsible for providing technical support and the overall development of Badminton in the State.
Commenting on the association, Shri Naveen Patnaik said, “Badminton is one of the focus areas in sports for Odisha. Under the tutelage and guidance of PGMF, I am confident that we will be able to nurture and groom world class talentsof the future. I want Odisha to win Olympic Medals for India, and we are all committed to make this into a reality.”
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Chandra Sarthi Behra, Sports Minister, Government of Odisha said, “We are proud to associate with Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation (PGMF) which will help us develop badminton stars of the future.”
Speaking on the association, Pullela Gopichand said, “It is an honour for us to be associated with the Govt. of Odisha and we are aligned to their vision to keep producing world class talent. The trajectory of Badminton as a sport in India has hit new highs in the recent past, with top players like Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu winning major honours at regular intervals. The academy in Odisha will help in keeping the momentum up, and we hope to nurture great talent right from the grass roots to the international levels.”
Note to the Editor:
Odisha has witnessed rapid development and changes in its socio-economic, political and cultural spheres since last decade. The economic growth rate is also consistent and remains above the national average.Odisha recently Enacted historic legislation to enable nearly 10 lakh slum dwellers in urban areas to have land and property rights. It’s the only State to have doubled farmers’ incomes in the last decade and leads the country in the construction of rural roads with a record 22,500 kilometers in the last 4 years.
The State hosted the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships last year with a preparation period of a record 90 days and is currently associated with the National Hockey teams for 5 years. The state provides full scholarships for budding talent in 11 disciplines taught at the 16 sports hostels across the state.
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