The academy's standing committee met on Monday to set up a Sports Congress to boost activity in the years to come and elaborating on the subject, Dr SB Mujamdar, director, said: ``The idea of the Sports Congress is on the lines of the Indian Science Congress, and Pune being a sports city, this recommendation should come in handy for local sportsmen.'' He went on to add, ``This could enable all involved in sports to come under one umbrella.''

Thought of on the lines of the Olympics for which such bodies play a vital role, Dr Mujumdar said, ``Even at big events (Olympics) the Sports Congress members debate on how they should organise the event besides many others.''

Talking to reporters at Symbiosis Atul Centre, the All England Badminton champion, Prakash Padukone, here to inaugurate his brain-child the BPL Badminton Academy, a feeding centre to his parent body in Bangalore, said, ``This move aims to support sports talent as well as organisers who have put in the better part of their lives to help sport.''

``The academy is working on a low profile now, with badminton and hockey being the focus but it could be expanded as we grow,'' added Padukone.The Krida-Bhushan Award was the other major topic in the agenda drawn for the day.

``Awards, besides going to sportsmen and organisers, are being thought about for journalists whose hard work for years have helped the cause of sport. We would also like to reward many working for the cause of sport whose efforts have largely been forgotten,'' Dr Mujumdar said.

The others things on the agenda were: 1. Consideration to strengthen present sports actvities: (A) To select 4-6 players in two disciplines, namely table tennis and badminton for intensive coaching and (b) To establish a gymnasium facility; 2. Consideration for creating a Sports Talent Fund (STF); 3.

Consideration to establish a sports library; 4. To encourage foreign youth to learn Indian games; 4. Acquainting Indian youth with indigenous games of Afro-Asian countries.

The members of the Spa standing committee are: Avinash Wardekar (Chairman); Prakash Padukone, Arnavaz Damania, Satish Pradhan, Kamlesh Mehta (TT), Lila Poonawala, Prakash Wakankar (chairman western region Coca Cola), Rajeev Bodas, Narayan Thakar, Pralhad Sawant.

Meanwhile, to set off their various recommendations in the Standing Committee meeting here today, Symbiosis Spa are all geared up to organise the State ranking table tennis championship at their venue from July 26-30, according to Dr SS Thigale the director of Spa.

``Besides this, we have annual events drawn up for the year and Maharashtra Cricket Association have given us a go-ahead for the six-a-side tournament on Christmas Day,'' added Dr Thigale.

``The compilation of our activities go back five years and we look forward to another five in a bigger way,'' he enthused.