'Kreedangana' launched

Addressing the gathering after launching the sports fortnightly, former Indian cricketer Dodda Ganesh opined that infrastructural support besides systematic training is needed to develop sports activities in schools. “Lack of government support has resulted in poor performance of Indian sportsmen. Obviously in India cricket seizes all concentration. It is the core of attraction. Similar support should be given to other sports also,” he said.

Earlier inaugurating the programme, Alva’s Education Foundation Chairman Dr Mohan Alva said all journalism colleges should offer a sophisticated and extensive course on sports journalism.

“It should be part of the curriculum. A sports journalist should be well aware with the basics of the sports he reports. This knowledge enables him to do justice to his job. Cricket is given extra weight in India and other sports suffer at the cost of this biased attitude,” he added.

Physical Education Teachers and sports hour should be part of the school activities. “Exclusive and well refined sports stadium besides trained physical education teachers will help to cover the drought of sports talents in India. Inadequate sports facilities have worsen the situation. Most of the time, the budding sports talents are cramped in the beginning and they never find the light of the day,” Alva said.

Kreedangana Co-ordinator Zafrullah, MLA Raghupathy Bhat, Industrialist Pramodh Madhwaraj, KMC Dean Dr Sripathy Rao, Wakf Board Udupi President T S Budan Bhasha and others were present.