Date:01/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/01/stories/2008050156162000.htm

Sport - Sports : General

Museum in memory of G.V. Raja to come up in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A sports museum and a children’s sports park, commemorating the memory of the late Col. G.V. Raja, will come up in Thiruvananthapuram soon under the initiative of the Kerala State Sports Council.

Disclosing this while inaugurating the 37th Remembrance Day of the founder president of the KSSC here on Wednesday, the Sports Minister, M. Vijayakumar, said the location for the two projects would be decided soon in consultation with the erstwhile Travancore royal family.

“Already we have discussed the projects with the senior members of the family who have promised all help to establish the museum and the park at a suitable venue in the capital city.”

Further, the Minister stated that the Government would be constructing a sport complex, including a multi-purpose stadium, a swimming pool and an indoor stadium, in Poonjar (Kottayam district), the birth place of the late Raja.

This would be done this year itself as part of the birth centenary celebrations of the Raja who, besides forming the KSSC in 1954, was also instrumental in implementing several novel projects for the benefit of Kerala sports during his tenure that lasted a little over 17 years.

The KSSC vice-president, K. Thankappan, and veteran sports administrator, R. Ramakrishnan Nair, also spoke at length about the contributions of the late Raja and on how he stood for the common man all through his illustrious life.

Unanimous

Later, the meeting also discussed the various problems faced by Kerala sports based on a theme paper presented by the KSSC secretary, G. Kishore.

Experts who participated in the discussion were of the unanimous opinion that several problems like lack of basic infrastructure and the need to ensure wider participation of the student community had to be tackled to ensure sustained growth of sports and games in the State.

The former KSSC president, V.G. Govindan Nair, former SNIPES Board member K.R. Krishnan Nair and former volleyball international, S. Gopinath, were a few others who spoke on the various facets of Kerala sports.

The KSSC president, T. P. Dasan, who presided, said that the focus of the current administration was to ensure the promotion of both community sports and competitive sports among the various sections of the society.

The KSSC, he said, would consider the various points raised during the discussion before its ambitious projects — Total Fitness Programme and the introduction of sports as part of the educational curriculum — were formally introduced. The former BCCI secretary, S.K. Nair, welcomed the gathering and the KSSC member, V. Gabriel, proposed a vote of thanks.