Sports Ministry launch `India Sports 2014`

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Wednesday launched the `India Sports 2014` at the 5th Global Sports Summit to promote sports amongst youth in the country.

The event would be an umbrella programme, focusing on all aspects of sports and would bring the entire sports fraternity to one platform. The first edition would not only serve as a platform for the Indian sports industry to showcase their strength but would also act as a catalyst in promoting sports amongst the youth. The event would include an international exhibition on sports sector at the National Stadium, an international conference on sports sector, reverse buyer-seller meet by sports goods export promotion council, networking dinner and concurrent sports activities and tournaments. At the sports summit, G S G Ayyangar, Joint Secretary, MYA&S, spelt out the details of the `Scheme for Identifying and Nurturing Sports Talent in the Country`. Under the scheme, which has been taken up on a pilot basis, talents would be scouted and selected from the present Rajeev Gandhi Krida Abhiyan annual competitions. These sportspersons will be called Young Talent (YT) and they will be specially trained by Physical Education Teachers attached to every District Level Sports Center. A District Sports School (DLSS) will be set up in every district in the country in the next ten years. He said that the Sports Ministry will supervise the training in sports and provide the sports scholarships and the recurring expenses. On the occasion two reports, `Best 25 Ideas` Sports Start up`s Business in India and `Vision 2014: Sector Skills Council, Way Forward` were released. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed and exchanged between FICCI and Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), New Zealand, to launch the Level 3 course in India under the SIT-John Wright Scholarship programme, which is recognized by NZQA to help athletes not only to harness their existing capability but also to provide an opportunity in getting higher qualification courses and good opportunity in New Zealand. This course will be 100 per cent sponsored by the John Wright - SIT Scholarship programme. The John Wright - SIT Scholarship programme is founded by John Wright, Former New Zealand Cricketer and India Cricket Team Coach (2000-05).