Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio meeting with Indian badminton legend, Prakash Padukone during the inaugural session of the First Summer Badminton Coaching camp hosted at Vidhya Bhawan Higher Secondary School, Dimapur on July 11 (Morung Photo)
Prakash Padukone along with the organisers and participants for the First Summer Badminton Coaching camp on July 11. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 11
The State government firmly taking up a sport policy and keen on building the required infrastructure as well as continuing the trend of being youth-centric, focused on promoting sports, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Tuesday.
“In Nagaland, the State has strongly taken up a sport policy and also some selected disciples were given special emphasis. Badminton is one of them,” he added, addressing as the Chief Guest of the inaugural session of the First Summer Badminton Coaching camp hosted here at Vidhya Bhawan Higher Secondary School, Dimapur.
He further noted that Nagaland was still in its nascent stage in field of sports due to lack of attention in the past.
However, with the changing scenario today, Rio maintained that the State has been challenging itself to host large sports events such as the North-East Olympics, with a bigger aim for National games to help benefit the budding talents.
“For that we are also preparing all kinds of infrastructure from constructing indoor stadiums in all the district headquarters and in some sub-divisions as well,” he said.
This included building more astro-turfs for developing football in the years to come. “By this year and next year, we will be having more astro-turfs so that all the districts will have equal opportunities to play in the standard playing fields,” he added.
Moreover, Rio further asserted that Nagaland has also made significant strides in being able to host the Asian Cross-country championship and claimed that “the Athletics Federation of India had commented that it was one of the best organised meets.”
Concerning the coaching camp, he expressed hoped that it would be b a “path breaking event.”
Emphasising on the youths to dedicate themselves and have the determination to grow, the Chief Minister announced: “If you show potential and you are selected, the government will be sponsoring for further coaching and 10 players potential players will be selected in this regard.”
NE has lot of talent, opines Prakash Padukone
The coaching camp is being organised by Abeio Kire and Angam Shaiza in collaboration with Padukone Sports Management Pvt Limited, Bengaluru. The new badminton stadium where the camp is undergoing, has also been named as the Prakash Padukone Gallery, Nagaland in honour of the sporting legend.
Padukone, who was the special guest for the event, acknowledged the organisers for hosting the first summer badminton coaching camp.
Having first begun playing badminton in the year 1962, he noted the remarkable progress the game has made over the years.
“I really wanted to do something for the North-East, because I felt there is a lot of talent here,” he said.
The sporting legend also viewed the current coaching camp as a stepping stone towards unearthing and nurturing the State’s best talent, adding: “Players need to be given the right opportunity and mentorship.”
In addition he expressed gratitude to the organisers for naming the stadium after him (Prakash Padukone Gallery, Nagaland), terming it as an honour.
