ITANAGAR, Sep 15: Sports Authority of Arunachal (SAA) Chairman Bamang Tago urged the union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to consider the proposal to set up SAI-Dorjee Khandu Badminton Academy in Itanagar.
In a memorandum to the Minister of State (in-charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports, Tago stated that the State Government is keen to have a Badminton Academy, for which a plot of land measuring more than 1125000 sqmt at Itanagar has been identified and a proposal in this regard has already been submitted to the Ministry.
“A project proposal to set up the SAI-Dorjee Khandu Badminton Academy cum Stadium having 8 courts with residential facilities for 40 girls and 60 boys and all other basic facilities, including recreation centre with an estimated cost of Rs. 46 Cr (approx) has already been submitted to the Ministry,” the memorandum said.
Informing the union minister about the growing popularity of badminton in Arunachal Pradesh, Tago said the shutllers of the state have been consistently performing at regional, national and even at international level and won many a medals despite lack of infrastructure.
The SAA Chairman said that the badminton academy cum stadium, if set up, would cater all the badminton needs of the state.
Tago also urged the union minister to consider functioning of SAI-Dorjee Khandu Badminton Academy temporally from the existing MLA Cottage and B sector badminton stadiums until the proposed SAI-Dorjee Khandu Academy comes up.
Few months ago, the SAI Director General had deputed Executive Director (Finance & Operations) Hira Ballabh and Director, Regional, SAI, Guwahati Dr. Subash Basumatary to take stock of the ground realities for development of games and sports in Arunachal and recommended few proposals after due verification and interaction with the stakeholders, which also included the above two proposals, said Tago.
Other two points of the memorandum were establishment of Centre of Excellence in zone wise and up- gradation of Laksmibai National Institute of Physical Education, North East Regional Centre, Guwahati to full fledged National Institute of Physical Education & Sports Science.
