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Time KCR, Naidu get off the block
Time KCR, Naidu get off the block. Setting up goals is one thing. Accomplishing them is another. For the two new Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and N Chandrababu Naidu, success is a daily devotional.
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and others make it happen
— Michael Jordan
Setting up goals is one thing. Accomplishing them is another. For the two new Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and N Chandrababu Naidu, success is a daily devotional. They are driven by a motivation to make it happen. Both are on a mission with a vision. Good for the people.
They know they have to deal with some tough situations but it must be said that both have the courage, resourcefulness and conviction to progress towards their goals. As far as sports is concerned KCR and Naidu are off the blocks, But it must be mentioned that Naidu it was, who developed Hyderabad as a sports hub. He will certainly give his new State a sports boost once the capital blues are over. When he was the Chief Minister of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, he created a sporting environment by putting in place world class infrastructure for the National Games.
Icons like Pullela Gopichand, Koneru Humpy, Gagan Narang, VVS Laxman and N Mukesh Kumar have proved trailblazers and have left a rich sports culture that is here to stay. KCR surely indicated that he would like to strengthen this sporting foundation and has even gone one step ahead of his neighbouring counterpart when he announced to develop a sports city. Promises sound good, but delivery is what matters. If this happens it will be good for sports lovers.
New States have brought new hopes, new dreams, new challenges and thereby new requirements. Both want to be smart, different and unique. Good for the people. The stage is ready, the aim set on the target, now we need some action-the trigger to be pulled. Sports has always received step-motherly treatment. This gets reflected in the meagre budgetary allocations by the two States.
The Sports Authorities require a lot of money for day-to-day running, for sports hostels, financial assistance for various Associations to conduct activities, maintenance of infrastructure, incentives and miscellaneous expenses. Here it must be mentioned that the staff and coaches in Telangana are not deprived of their salaries. Incentives are also being paid from time to time whereas in Andhra Pradesh salaries are getting delayed.
The top priority of the Telangana Government, however, should be to review and revise the sports policy. While one appreciates that the Chief Minister is monitoring various departments and is taking firm action wherever he found lapses. It is imperative that he calls the sports hierarchy, discusses and takes radical decisions.
The working of the academies, upgrading the sports school at Hakimpet and monitoring the coaches is important Bidding for big international events should be done so that the stadia at Gachibowli, Saroornagar and Yousufguda are utilized.
Although, it is not aimed at trumpeting Naidu, let's give credit where it is due. He was instrumental in implementing a new sports policy and he was one of the first few Chief Ministers who doled out cash incentives to encourage sportspersons. Just to frame the sports policy, he had taken inputs from former international sportspersons, administrators and sports journalists.
He also got a lot of business houses, banks, public sector undertakings involved in promoting sports, Naidu was lucky as he had some dedicated and focussed officials in L V Subrahmanyam, Sabhyasachi Ghosh, Kanda, and KV Ramana, technical officials ASV Prasad and Keshav Reddy and go-getting ministers in T Sitaram and Ramulu.
KCR has stolen a march by making Sania Mirza as brand ambassador of the new State, instead of some other celebrity. Her brand value has gone up more after she achieved world No, 1 status. However, KCR seems to have missed a golden opportunity to publicly honour Sania and Saina Nehwal after they climbed the summit in their respective fields. Mithali Raj too deserves recognition from the State Government.
To sustain the sports culture should be KCR’s priority. He would do well if he gets the veteran officials at his disposal to study the Australian sports model and emulate it for Telangana. The progress of Saina, P V Sindhu, Sania, Y Pranjala, Vishnuvardhan, A T Rayudu and so many other promising youngsters are incentives enough for the Government to allocate more funds for sports. Naidu and KCR will now need a premium to lay out a perfect sports policy!!!
By Valentine Wilson
