Govt keen on promoting sports across State: Acharya

Addressing the gathering, Home Minister Dr V S Acharya said that the government is keen on promoting sports across the State. A proposal to build a swimming pool in Udupi has been submitted to the government for approval. Efforts have been made to support sports activities in the district, he added.

Physical education teachers play a vital role in promoting sports is very essential school, he said.

Udupi MLA Raghupathy Bhat said emphasis should be paid to support sports and extra curricular activities besides academic activities among students. All local bodies should earmark 2 per cent of the funds for sports related activities in their respective budget.

Sports talents should be groomed and maximum exposure should be given to bring out their talent.

He said sheer budgetary allocations will not substitute the dearth of good sports talents.

Technical training is the need of hour. Splendid indoor stadium is coming up in Udupi, built at a cost of Rs 4 crore. Administrative approval has been given for the Rs 4 crore project for 150 meters swimming pool in Udupi. The government has released Rs 50 lakh in the first phase, he added. Manipal University Pro-Chancellor Dr H S Ballal said that sports should be free from politics. Interference of politics in sports affairs results in failure of best performances. Rural talents ought to be groomed. Extra curricular sports activities besides academic activities help in the overall development of personality, he added.

Arjun Shetty and Gopal Shetty for cricket, Bharath Nishan and Kripashree for volleyball, Sunil Kumar from Milagres College, Kalyanpur and Prithvi from SMS College Brahmavar for the athletics, Pallavi Rao and Allen D’Silva for tennis, Sandesh Shetty and Prathima for Kabbadi, Abhishek Ameen for karate are among others were felicitated on the occasion.