Sachin draws blueprint to promote sports

Cricketer and MP Sachin Tendulkar proposes to scout for sporting talent through mobile phones, Facebook and YouTube, inviting potential sportspersons to sms/ upload/ post their credentials, and selecting the best for rounds of expert training to hone their skills. From drawing archers from tribal areas to talented hockey players and boxers from the Northeast, Tendulkar has called for "systemic changes" to realise the dream of "sports for all" and excellence in the field.

In a presentation shared with the HRD Ministry, Tendulkar has detailed his roadmap to make India "a successful multi sports nation". He advocates a three-tiered approach.

Tier 1 is about making sports a subject of study in history books with chapters on Indian hockey and Asian Games, while taking note of Indian sportsmen like Dhyan Chand. He also recommends setting up a national sports museum to immortalise sport stars' achievement, coupled with making performance in physical education count at schools.

Tier 2 should be to develop a parallel to US sports which draws its Olympians from the university network. The way forward is establishing state of the art sports facilities in five academic institutions — one each in north, south, east, west and northeast — to integrate sports with higher education.

Tier 3 will focus on 'high performance sport' and 'production of future champions' — a target to be achieved through centres for sporting excellence that the Sports Ministry will set up. For instance, a centre in Haryana could focus on wrestling and boxing complete with internationals standard rings and nutritionists.

ALSO READ

Railways bribery case: Opposition slams govt, demands resignations of PM, Bansal

Pawan Bansal distances himself from nephew, denies any wrongdoing

Mukesh Ambani in race to buy IMG Worldwide

CBI showed coal report to AG after Law Minister Ashwani Minister's changes