Shri Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Sports & Youth Affairs reviewed the functioning of Doordarshan, All India Radio, Press Information Bureau and Central Bureau of Communication today in Ahmedabad. During the meeting Shri Thakur asked all the media units to conduct a special cleanliness campaign from 2 October for a fortnight with a special emphasis on non-serviceable items. He also emphasised the need to weed out old paper material as well as e-waste.
The Minister reviewed the ongoing programmes of both DD and AIR and exhorted the staff to produce fresh content catering to common people. He also asked the employees to make programmes that can inform the people about various welfare schemes of the government.
The meeting was attended by Shri Prakash Magdum, ADG, PIB & CBC, Shri Satyajit Das, DDG, DD, Shri NL Chauhan, DDG, AIR, Shri Dharmendra Tiwari, Director (News) DD, Shri Naval Parmar, Head of Regional News Unit, AIR, Shri Yogesh Pandya, Deputy Director, PIB & CBC and Shri Utsav Parmar, Deputy Director (News), DD along with section heads and other employees of these organisations.
Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of I&B and Sports & Youth Affairs will felicitate/honour the players of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar at Annual Sports Prize Distribution Function of the University on September 20.
The Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Sports & Youth Affairs, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur will felicitate/honour the players who brought laurels to the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar in various sports disciplines at the International, Khelo India and All India Inter-University levels during its 52nd Annual Sports Prize Distribution Function on September 20, 2022 with cash awards for outstanding athletes & trophies to overall best performing Colleges.
Shri Anurag Singh Thakur will be the chief guest and Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Cabinet Minister Department of Sports & Youth Services, Punjab will give presidential remarks. Besides this, Vice- Chancellor Prof. Jaspal Singh Sandhu will address the players and guests on this occasion.
Guru Nanak Dev University has made phenomenal progress in the field of sports and won India’s prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy for a record period of 23 times. It has produced 35 Arjuna Awardees, 6 Padma Shri Awardees and 2 Dronacharya Awardees. Each year, Department of Physical Education (Allied Teaching) organizes more than 90 Guru Nanak Dev University Inter-College (Men and Women) Championships and sends more than 70 University teams (Men and Women) for participation in All India Inter-University Championships. Sports Authority of India has set up Khelo India Centres in Sports disciplines Hockey and Handball and Khelo India Academies in Sports disciplines Fencing and Archery in the University Campus.
Every year, the University organizes Annual Sports Prize Distribution Function, in which about 250 sportspersons (International / Khelo India / Inter-University levels) are awarded with cash prizes worth about Rs. 2.00 crore.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur reviewed India’s preparation for the Commonwealth Games 2022 at a Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting on Thursday. A total of 215 athletes will be representing India at the upcoming CWG.
Present at the MOC meeting were former long jumper Anju Bobby George, former hockey player Viren Rasquinha, former Table Tennis player Monalisa Baruah, former Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, former Badminton player Trupti Murgunde.
“The preparation of the athletes is going on in full swing. I am happy that the momentum of training and competition has been enhanced post Olympics and we can hope for continued success post Olympic and Paralympic,” Shri Thakur said while reviewing the preparations.
During the review, various aspects of India’s preparation came to the fore. Post the Tokyo 2020 Olympics the athletes have gone back to full fledged training including training at national camps and multiple international exposures in training and competition. As of now, the Government of India has helped facilitate 111 exposure trips in disciplines that India will be compete in Birmingham2022.
The National Sports Federations (NSFs) are also working in tandem to organize national camps.
Several elite athletes have been training abroad post-Olympics at government cost, as per their training plan. Since return to training after Olympic Games, Javelin Thower Neeraj Chopra has been based in Chula Vista (US), Antalya (Turkey) and Finland, Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu spent time in St. Louis (US), training with specialist coach Dr. Aaron Horschig, Steeplechaser Avinash Sable has been based in Colarado Springs (US) with coach Scott Simons since April 2022 and Cycling team has been based in Slovenia and Portugal for three months. Recently, exposure trips in Portugal and Republic of Ireland for the Table Tennis and Boxing contingents have also been sanctioned ahead of the CWG 2022.
Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports said that one should not wait for the weekend or holidays to play games but start anywhere and at anytime. The Minister, while interacting with the sports persons at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE) said that the state-of-the-art facilities at this Centre should be utilised to develop more skills to compete at the International level.
The Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE) is a world-class integrated sports complex built on 15 acres in Bengaluru. CSE offers state-of-the-art facilities in Badminton, Cricket, Football, Tennis, Swimming, Squash, Basketball and Shooting. CSE aims to encourage competitive and recreational athletes, professional coaches, sports academies and aspiring young talent to excel in their sport of choice. CSE was recently recognised by the sports authority of India as a National Centre of Excellence for both Badminton and Swimming.
Academies at CSE cater to grassroots level programs to encourage and build a sporting culture, whilst also aiming to produce international players in the future. CSE is already host to some of India’s most talented and successful athletes in the likes of Lakshya Sen, Srihari Nataraj, Ashwini Ponnappa and Apurvi Chandeli.
CSE is home to some of the most successful and well renowned sports academies in the country, run by some of the most accomplished coaches, including Dronacharya awardees Vimal Kumar (Chief Coach of Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy) and Nihar Amin (Head Coach of Dolphin Aquatics).
An important aspect of an athlete’s journey is the support they require through sports sciences in order to perform on the world stage. At CSE, the Abhinav Bindra Targeting Performance Centre (ABTP), Vesoma Sports Medical Centre and Samiksha Psychology offer our athletes and client’s services including physiotherapy, injury rehabilitation, hydrotherapy, geriatric care, sports nutrition and sports psychology.
ABTP was set up by India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, and the centre boasts state-of-the-art equipment for assessment and training for both elite athletes and recreational users including access to a Pilate’s room and a cryotherapy chamber.
The Centre also offers sport membership to sport loving individuals and corporate. Along with the sport of their choice, they get access to a fully functional fitness centre and access to ‘The Grandstand’, a two storey clubhouse nestled in heart of the campus.
Shri Rahul Dravid, Crickter, Shri Vivek Kumar, Managing Director, Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence (CSE), Members and Senior Officers were present during the visit.
India’s Deaflympics 2021 contingent received a rousing send-off on Monday ahead of embarking for the Games, starting May 1. Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Nisith Pramanik and other dignitaries graced the occasion.
A total of 65 athletes will be participating at the Games in Caxias Du Sul, Brazil, making it the largest and the youngest contingent ever from India to participate in the Deaflympics. They will participate in a total of 11 sports disciplines: Athletics, Badminton, Judo, Golf, Karate, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis, Table Tennis, Taekwondo and Wrestling. The Games are scheduled from May 1 to May 15.
Showering the contingent with the best of wishes, Shri Anurag Thakur mentioned, “On behalf of everyone in the country, I not only give the best of wishes to all of you but also want to say that you have already shown your mettle by getting selected to represent India for the Games. Since this is the biggest contingent, I also believe we will also get the highest number of medals from Brazil. India will be the next big sporting powerhouse, be it in Olympics, Paralympics or Deaflympics. India will not stop. This century is ours and we will keep on unfurling India’s flag on all sporting arena.”
The Union Minister also spoke about the immense support provided to the athletes by the All India Sports Council for the Deaf (AISCD) and the Sports Authority of India. “Both the AISCD and SAI have given a lot of support to the athletes. A 30-day National Coaching Camp was facilitated across the SAI centres for the Deaflympics-bound athletes. Besides that, SAI arranged everything for the athletes like giving them kits, ceremonial dress for the Deaflympics as well as arranging for their accommodation, lodging, boarding and transportation.”
Mentioning about the kind of inspiration the contingent can provide to Young India, Shri Nisith Pramanik said, “We have seen the country’s sports ecosystem ever evolving as per the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and also our Sports Minister Shri Anurag Thakur. Our Prime Minister’s clarion call of ‘Cheer For India’ has remained the game-changer. Be it the Olympics, Paralympics or Deaflympics, India has been set for utmost glory in sports.
Mentioning about the Brazil Deaflympics, he added, “We have the biggest contingent in Deaflympics this time. You have already become a great inspiration for Young India. The way you overcame all the hurdles is noteworthy. Also, from what I see, your passion and energy to win medals in radiating even before you have left for Brazil!”
India had sent a delegation of 46 participants in the last Deaflympics in Turkey in 2017, bagging a total of 5 medals, which included 1 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals.
