Change of guard in the Youth Advancement and Sports department with K.S. Sreenivasa Raju taking charge as Secretary to government of Telangana, Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture Department and also MD of Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS), has generated hope of giving new direction to sports in the State. It is anticipated that there will be renewed focus on disciplines like athletics, boxing, badminton, boxing and rowing where individuals can make a huge impact at the national and international levels.
“Given his vast experience and interest in sports, I am sure Mr. Raju will come out with policies to tap talent, especially in rural and tribal areas, across the State,” said SATS chairman A. Venkateshwar Reddy, after congratulating the new boss.
“In the recent past, we had lacked the liaison between the SATS and the YAT&C department and there were occasions when we had a tough time in even tracing the files to follow up on some important schemes for athletes,” Mr. Reddy added.
The need to follow-up with the Union Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India to get more schemes for the State under different subjects will also be stressed, he felt. “For instance, the sprawling Telangana Sports School in Hakimpet was allotted only three disciplines – fencing, weightlifting and rowing – under the Khelo India scheme. There is scope for so much more, given the facilities available there,” the SATS chairman said.
He admitted that there are certain constraints in terms of annual budget allocation, which is about ₹25 crore, but they have been making efforts for a substantial increase in that. “This is where I feel Mr.Raju’s vast experience will come handy,” he averred, adding, “We hope to come up with the new sports policy at the earliest with invaluable inputs from Mr. Raju. We are going to lay emphasis on encouraging tribals to take up sports in a big way in disciplines like archery in which their skills would be more natural,” Mr. Reddy said.
Interestingly, former world youth boxing champion Nikhat Zareen was also present at the meeting on Monday. “It was more of a courtesy call from her,” the official said.
For his part, Mr. Srinivasa Raju has reportedly assured sportspersons and officials that he would try his best to make Telangana the ‘sports capital’ of the country.
