Mangaluru: The Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya (sport wing) in the city honoured veteran and young sportspersons on Sunday, September 4.
The Head of Brahmakumari Iswariya Vidyalaya, Brahmakumari Vishweshwari who spoke on the occasion said that young boys and girls should pursue sports with greater passion to reach greater heights.
“This felicitation is done every year as a social responsibility. For one to have a good body, they should have a sound mind too. To achieve in the field of sports, one’s body and mind has to work together,” she added.
She further advised everyone to regularly practice meditation. She said that particularly after seeing our country performing at Rio Olympics, the social responsibility of encouraging more people to take to sports and present sport persons to perform better has increased.
A total of 71 sportspersons were felicitated. Shravaya for 1st place in State level Karate, Javeen for National level swimming, Muhammed Tashreef K for 1st place at State level football, Shanya D.Shetty, Yashas.H and S.R.Rachana Rao for participation National level swimming, Melrick for 3rd place in state level Net Ball, Shruthi for 3rd place in State level Karate and Swathi Bhat K.M. for Bronze Medal at National Level Chess were some of the young sportspersons felicitated. While Radhakrishna.H.R aged 65 years was honoured for 1st place in National level triple jump. 63-year-old Ramachandra Achar, was also felicitated for his 1st place in National level 5000mtrswalking.
Deputy Director of Sports, Dakshina Kannada, Pradeep D’Souza said, “There are many school and colleges which neither have neither playgrounds nor efficient Physical Education directors. Sportspersons with good talent should be trained at international training centres under experts. Only then young sports persons will consistently do better and show improvement”.
“In Dakshina Kannada, we have rains for four months and it becomes extremely difficult for athletes to practices in their respective grounds. We do not have an indoor stadium. Though there is a certificate course offered by Sports Authority of India, many of the government physical education teachers and directors do not avail the opportunity. This is because to get trained, one has to pay fees,” he said.
When queried if there is any proposal to the government from his office to send such physical education directors and teachers to get trained with fees borne by the government, he said, we will have to take such initiatives in this field, and only then we can perform better at national and international level.
D’Souza expressed concern, that till Pre university level there are many students who participate in sports and athletics. After PU, many of them start pursing higher education more seriously, thus find it difficult to practice as there is lack of time. Many of them are interested in a career to earn and so there is dearth in producing good sportspersons, he said.
Earlier inaugurating the function, Manjari Bahrgav, Arjuna award winner in diving, said that her first attempt in diving at international level sports ended up in a fault. But her trainer/coach gave the right kind of advice, by which she ended up winning and received the Arjuna award. “I am still attached to the sport and a trustee at Eden Aquatic Club,” she said.
Vice President, Karnataka Masters Athletes Association, Anand Soans and Corporator Vinayraj were present.
