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.