CM Naveen Patnaik noted that it has created a longlasting partnership which will result in producing sportspersons of world standards.
(Photo: SNS)
In a major sports initiative, Odisha government signed MoUs with seven leading industrialists to help promote the sports culture within the state.
Every sport will have the necessary infrastructure and support services needed by an individual to realize their potential. Athletics will be sponsored and promoted by Reliance Industries Group; Football and Swimming by JSW Group; Badminton by Dalmia Bharat Group; Weightlifting by Ahluwalia Group; Shooting by Aditya Birla Group; and Hockey by Tata Group.
A special function was held at Kalinga Stadium here and a glittering ceremony with the climax in the form of Bollywood playback singer performance marked the event.
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Sports Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera, spoke on the vision to develop Odisha into a sports hub. Mr Vishal Kumar Dev-Commissioner-Cum- Secretary, Sports & Youth Services, said, “It is great day not just for the state but for the country as well. This move was long overdue in order to fully develop the quality of sport and sportsmen in the country. By signing this MOU’s we have built a framework which will work towards sporting education, talent identification at grass root levels and infrastructural development at a global level.”
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CM Naveen Patnaik noted that it has created a longlasting partnership which will result in producing sportspersons of world standards. But this partnership is more than just giving grants and funds, it will focus on extending the outreach of every sport in India.
FIH President Dr Narendra Batra, Mr Puneet Dalmia, CMD, Dalmia Bharat Group, Mr Pullela Gopichand, PGBF, Mr Sajjan Jindal, Chairman JSW, Mr Gagan Narang, GNSPF, Mr Anil Kumble, the Commissioner-cum-Secretary, DSYS and Director – cum- Additional Secretary, DSYS were present.
Apart from the signing of the MOU’s the conference also saw the unveiling of the World Cup Trophy by the Chief Minister and FIH President ahead of the Odisha Hockey Mens World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018.
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