Deepinder Hooda wants sports university in Haryana

CHANDIGARH - Buoyed by the success of Haryana’s medal-winning sportspersons in the recent Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, parliamentarian Deepender Singh Hooda now wants the central government to sanction a sports university for the state.

Hooda, who represents Rohtak and is the son of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said in a statement here that the university would be helpful in making the future of sportspersons brighter.

Hooda said he would place the demand in parliament and also before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Haryana chief minister has already announced the setting up of sports academies in various districts.

Hooda Jr said the state government had created a favourable atmosphere for sports. He added that no talented player in the state would have to make any compromise in pursuing sports due to his economic condition.

“Haryana players have again brought glory to the state and the country by exhibiting their sterling performance in the recently concluded Asian Games, after the Commonwealth Games,” he said.

In the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, Haryana players claimed 37 out of the 101 medals won by India. Out of the 38 gold medals won, 21 came from Haryana players.

Several players from Haryana have made it big in events like boxing, wrestling, discus throw, athletics, shooting, badminton, kabaddi and others.

In the Asian Games at Guangzhou, Haryana players bagged five gold medals and 10 others.

Their success has brought them the moolah as well.

Haryana players winning gold, silver and bronze medals in the Asian Games will be given cash rewards of Rs.25 lakh, Rs.15 lakh and Rs.10 lakh each respectively.

Commonwealth Games medal winners were given a cash reward of Rs.15 lakh, Rs.10 lakh and Rs.700,000 each for gold, silver and bronze medals respectively. They also got cars ranging from Rs.350,000 to Rs.800,000, mobile phones and up to 101 kg of desi ghee.

Haryana has over 350 sports stadiums in villages, blocks and towns.

Bhiwani district has emerged as a prominent nursery in boxing, producing boxers of international fame like Vijender Singh, who won a bronze medal in Beijing Olympics and gold medal in the Asian Games, Dinesh Kumar and Akhil Kumar.

The small town of Shahbad, 60 km from here, has produced nearly 40 international women hockey players in a short span of 10 years.

The Haryana government has plans to set up a wrestling academy at Rohtak and a kabaddi academy at Jind.