President inaugurates sports facility at Rashtrapati Bhavan

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday inaugurated a renovated Peacock Sports Complex at Rashtapati Bhavan here.

He also interacted with the `sports plus initiative` participants at Rashtrapati Bhavan during which he asked them to work hard and make country proud by achieving distinction in sports, a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. "The President presented gifts to all the participants and called upon them to work hard and make India proud by achieving distinction in sports. The President also interacted with parents and coaches of the participants in the initiative," Venu Rajamony, Press Secretary to the President, said in a statement. The statement said the aim of the `Sports Plus Initiative` is to train talented children from the President`s Estate in different games using the sports facilities of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. "Through this initiative, sports facilities have been opened for every child of President`s Estate. Select children of the employees of Rashtrapati Bhavan have been chosen through a competitive process and are being trained in tennis, squash and table tennis by professional coaches to try and reach national and international standards," it said. The Rashtrapati Bhavan said the selected children are being provided free coaching, playing kits and nutritious meals. PTI