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HOCKEY

NRI from Canada has recently donated Rs 30,000
to Kila Raipur hockey academy to alive but Govt. never care

Ludhiana, July 16, 2005
Puneet Singh Gill
Express India

KILA Raipur village, once known as a major nursery for the Indian hockey, is now struggling to survive owing to the lack of infrastructure and funds crunch.

It is also the home to country's biggest rural sports festival, also known as the 'Rural olympics' held in the month of February every year.

Grewal Sports Association (GSA), Kila Raipur, which has taken an active part in the promotion of many games, mainly hockey, has also been running the Grewal Hockey Academy since 1993.

Giving details about the Academy, Paramjit Singh Grewal, secretary, GSA said, "This hockey academy was started in 1993 when late Col Raminder Singh (retd), the then Punjab Director of Sports released a grant of Rs 1 lakh. In its initial year, 30 day-boarder hockey players from Kila Raipur, Narangwal and Aasi were selected. They were given a daily diet of Rs 10 per day. This grant was stopped after the completion of the first year of the academy. Again for two years, in 1995 and 1996, the sports department issued a grant of Rs 1 lakh in which the number of players was decreased to 10 who were given a daily diet of Rs 30 per day. All these players were regular players of the academy who stayed in hostel at GSA Stadium, Kila Raipur."

"We have reminded all the governments about the deteriorating condition of this academy, but till date no one has paid any heed towards it. Now, out of our own funds, we have been running this academy and all the present 16 hostellers get a daily diet of Rs 30 per day. When former Union Sports Minister Sunil Dutt visited our rural sports festival in February, this year, we asked him to attach the Sports Authority of India (SAI) coaches with this academy. But due to his demise, we will have to pursue the case afresh. Now we demand our present government to regularise this academy so that the students should get proper sports facilities," added Paramjit.

He further added that a non-resident Indian (NRI) from Canada has recently donated Rs 30,000 for the academy but this is not enough for its proper running. Every year as much as Rs 2.5 lakh are spent on this hockey academy from the funds generated by GSA.

Kila Raipur has produced various hockey Olympians and international players like Gurbachan Singh, Balkishan Singh, Balvir Singh, Sukhvir Singh Grewal and Hardeep Grewal.

 

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