Over the years, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been buffeted by allegations of corruption and inefficiency, but its northern regional centre, now located at village Joshi Chauhan, near Sonepat, is quietly scripting a success story in an unlikely arena— Jammu and Kashmir.

The northern regional centre of was created with a specific purpose and initially set up at NIS, Patiala in June 1988. In the 90s, the authorities moved it to Chandigarh from where the centre functioned until Haryana donated 83 acres of land for a new centre. But in all these 20 years, it never reached out to J&K, though the state was very much under the SAI scheme of things.

While states like Punjab, Delhi, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh benefited from its schemes, J&K suffered all the time. Probably, the militancy in the state had a role to play that kept the SAI officials at bay. But not any more.

For the first time, the centre organised a selection trial last year for hockey and football in Baramulla and Poonch. And now, selected sportspersons from these two districts are undergoing a unique winter camp at the newly-built centre.

With director in charge at the centre, Sudhanshu S Roy, training his sights on sportspersons from the Valley, following a visit to Baramulla and Poonch last July, the response has been encouraging.

Over 50 boys—14-17 years old—are at the camp, most of them from poor families, and some of them still savouring the experience of having boarded a train for the first time.

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