Date:13/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/13/stories/2008051354711800.htm

Sport - Hockey

Dhanraj launches development plan

MUMBAI: Dhanraj Pillay initiated a three-year development plan to tap and train talent from rural and urban areas for junior national hockey events.

The project will kick off with a 18-day camp at Mumbai Hockey Association turf with 50 under-18 boys from Varanasi’s Olympian Vivek Singh Academy, Nagpur’s Brahmapuri district and Mumbai’s selected juniors.

This will be followed by a tournament featuring the camp teams. Varanasi and Nagpur coaches will attend the camp to facilitate training follow-up.

Dhanraj Pillay Hockey Academy will be conducting the camp from May 13-29, as the first part of a three-year project to be sponsored by Arch Pharma Labs Limited.

Olympians Rahul Singh, Maratha Warriors coach Clarence Lobo and manager Mukul Pandey are other names on the coaching panel. “There is talent in smaller towns like Brahmapuri who need to be given opportunities to develop skills and fitness needed for Astroturf. This is a starting point by getting them to Mumbai and giving them a chance to compete against city boys,” said Dhanraj. — Special Correspondent