Date:08/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/08/stories/2008010851280300.htm

Tamil Nadu

A gesture for development of sports in rural areas

Staff Reporter

BOOST: S. Regupathi, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, giving away sports kits at the inaugural of Rural Sports Development Centre at Kavinadu near Pudukottai. Collector D. Uthirakkumaran, extreme right, is also seen.

PUDUKOTTAI: They earn their living by loading and unloading crusher-stones and gravel in quarries in and around Kavinadu; another group is members of Kavinadu Ayacutdars’ Association.

In their common goal of promoting sports activities among the rural youths, they have contributed sports materials worth Rs. 20,000 to the Kavinadu Rural Sports Development Centre, which was inaugurated at Kavinadu village near here recently.

The sports materials included 10 hurdles in all worth Rs.6,350 donated by the loadmen, while the farmers had donated a multi-gym equipment worth about Rs.15,000.

The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, which chose this village for setting up the centre after a competition for athletes and rural sports, sanctioned Rs.1.85 lakh for providing additional infrastructural facilities and maintenance.

In the first instalment, the SDAT had released sports materials, worth Rs.20,000, including medicine balls, short-put kits, discus etc.

Inaugurating the centre, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests S. Regupathi said that the rural youths of Kavinadu had proved their mettle by winning several events.

In the competition held for the selection of the village for setting up the centre, the youths of this village won the race, by scoring 143 points in the athletes events.

The donation of a part of daily-wages by the loadmen at the quarries and farm-hands was more appreciable. He appealed to the rural youths to take maximum advantage of the centre.

Collector D. Uthirakkumaran, who presided over the function, underlined the importance of sports in maintaining good health and also developing discipline.

President of the Kavinadu Youth Sports Club B. V. R. Sekaran said that youths from Kavinadu, Sembaattoor and Athaani participated in the contest for identifying the village for the centre.

MLA Rama. Subburam; District Athletics Association Secretary E. Jahangir; and S. Loganathan were among those who spoke.