Odisha should pursue one of the sports and physical education university proposed by the 12th plan working group on Sports and Physical Education
The 12th plan working group report on Sports and Physical Education recommends the establishment of four regional centres of LNUPE and 5 new sports and physical education universities or physical education colleges. Odisha must vigorously pursue the central government and the planning commission to get one of the proposed 5 sports and physical education universities.
In this regard, please send an email to the Odisha CM at cmo@ori.nic.in with content such as given below:
Dear Esteemed CM:
The 12th plan working group on Sports and Physical Education has recommended in their report at http://planningcommission.nic.in/aboutus/committee/wrkgrp12/hrd/wg_repsports.pdf that "for meeting the increasing demand of Physical Education Teachers and producing quality PETs, at least four regional centres of LNUPE and 5 new sports and physical education universities or physical education colleges should be opened during 12th
Plan. "Kindly pursue with the central government regarding having one of these universities in Odisha.
Sincerely,
Following are some rationale behind pursuing a Sports and Physical Education University. Please have a look at it at your leisure.
While promoting sports, besides providing good facilities (hostels, stadiums, turfs), what is most important is that the athletes are provided with opportunities to pursue some recognized degree/diploma/certificate of study so that they have alternate avenues of employment. For example, consider the story in http://www.indiablooms.com/
Renowned national woman footballer Jhilli Munda, who has represented India at international and national events in several tournaments, is bearing the brunt of acute poverty and she is forced to roll beedis to earn her bread and butter.
It is well known that among the athletes that join the sports hostels, only a few make it to the state and national teams and of them only a few get appropriate jobs. What happens to the rest? It is sad to read about Jhili Munda’s story above. The point is until and unless we make sure that kids pursuing a career as an athlete have a way to make a living we can not significantly improve the sports scenario in Odisha and India. Now how do we make sure that *all* kids pursuing a career as an athlete have a way to make a living.
The way to do that is to provide them with some *relevant education* in parallel with their athletics training such that even if they do not make it to the top in sports, they can get a good job and make a living. What are some of the relevant educational avenues and programs?
Some of them are:
- Physical training
- Coaching in various sports
- Physiotherapy
- Sports medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Psychology
- Sports Biomechanics
- Sports Management and Mass Communication
- Health Sciences & Yoga
- Sports Massage
- Grounds Management
- Health and fitness management
- Sports journalism
- Sports photography and
- Sports commentary.
Some of these courses are offered at the three established institutions in India:
- Laxmibai National University of Physical Education in Gwalior, http://www.lnipe.gov.
in/ - Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala, http://www.nsnis.org/
- Laxmibai National College of Physical Education in Thiruvanthapuram, http://
lncpe.gov.in/
In the 2011-12 budget there was mention of the following *new* initiatives:
- Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development in Tamil Nadu: With a 2011-12 budget allocation of 10.8 crores (2010-11: 9.9 crores)
- Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education – NE area and Sikkim Initiative: With a 2011-12 budget allocation of 15 crores (2010-11: 3 crores)
- 7. Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Developmentin Tamil Nadu has a budget of 18.9 crores.
- 28. National Institute of Sports Science and Sports Medicine 5 crores
- 29. National Institute of Coaching Education 5 crores
Note that none of the above are in the eastern part of India and none are in the traditional tribal areas of India.
The 12th plan has a working group on Sports and Physical Education. They have a report at http://planningcommission.nic.
5.15 It has been recommended that for meeting the increasing demand of Physical Education Teachers and producing quality PETs, at least four regional centres of LNUPE and 5 new sports and physical education universities or physical education colleges should be opened during 12th Plan. An outlay of Rs. 900 crore on this account during 12th Plan is projected.
Considering that Sundergarh and Rourkela area is the hotbed of Odisha athletics (mainly Hockey) and it is a tribal district, it would be good to locate the proposed National Sports Institute/University in Sundergarh/Rourkela. It may have branches in Kendrapada and Bhubaneswar to cater to the women footballers of Kendrapada and other sports persons in Bhubaneswar/Cuttack. Moreover the university in Sundergarh/Rourkela can also cater to athletes in Jharkhand.
May 1st, 2012