OGQ launches programme to raise funds for creating champs

With an aim to get countrymen involved in their endeavor of promoting sportspersons in Olympic disciplines Olympic Gold Quest,on Thursday launched `Power Your Champion` programme.

New Delhi: With an aim to get countrymen involved in their endeavor of promoting sportspersons in Olympic disciplines, non-profit organisation Olympic Gold Quest, today launced `Power Your Champion` programme, which will enable it to raise sustainable fund for its mission.

Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha, who is also the chief operating officer of OGQ, said the foundation`s ultimate goal behind the programme is to get million Indians to contribute Rs 100 per month, which would go towards the training and preparation of country`s top Olympic medal hopes. "The rationale of this initiative is simple. People spend more than Rs 100 every other day at coffee shops. OGQ endeavours to reach out to the people to channelise a similar amount as a contribution every month towards creating India`s next Olympic champions," Rasquinha told repoters here. "Currently, OGQ supports 22 athletes but if the programme attains success, OGQ could support the training and preparation of at least 2000 grass root level athletes," he said. Even before the launch of the programme, OGQ had already managed to attract eight companies apart from students of Indian School of Business (ISB), IIM Ahmedabad and youth wing of CII who are supporting the initiative. OGQ co-founder and eight-time world billiards champion Geet Sethi said, the foundation`s mission is simple. To support Indian athletes who have the potential to win medals at the world stage. "It has been our dream to make OGQ into a national movement. Initially, it was just an idea, but now it has become a movement," Sethi said. "We started OGQ in 2001 but for the first 4-5 years nothing happened. Only in 2006, things started to move," he added. Apart from Sethi and Rasquinha, also present on the occasion were five-time world women boxing champion M C Mary Kom, veteran Davis Cupper Leander Paes and current world chess champions Vishwanathan Anand, who joined the board of OGQ. PTI