Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Sadanand Tanavade on Thursday met Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya and submitted a memorandum seeking central support for further development of sports infrastructure and training facilities in Goa.
In his memorandum, Tanavade highlighted Taekwondo as one of Goa’s consistently strong-performing sports. He noted that Goan athletes have won medals at the National Games as well as at several national and international championships, bringing recognition to the state. Goa, he said, has a wide network of government-run and private Taekwondo training centres spread across districts, talukas and cities, supported by experienced coaches, including former gold medallists and senior state and national-level achievers.
With increasing participation and improving performance standards, Tanavade stressed the need for advanced and international-level training facilities in Goa, particularly in the context of upcoming Olympic and other international sporting events.
The MP also drew attention to the rapid growth of racket sports in the state, including badminton, table tennis, tennis, squash and pickleball. Participation in these sports has increased significantly, especially among school and college students. He pointed out that India’s performance in racket sports has been steadily improving and that Goa has produced several talented players over the years.
Tanavade noted that Goa already has good-quality indoor stadiums, courts and support facilities, many of which were upgraded during the 37th National Games hosted by the state. These existing facilities, he said, are suitable for setting up Centres of Excellence without requiring major additional infrastructure investment.
Emphasising the importance of a focused and scientific training system, Tanavade said Centres of Excellence would provide professional coaching, nutrition support and early talent identification. Such an approach would help young athletes train at competitive national standards and follow a structured pathway towards long-term excellence, he added.
With the next Olympic cycle approaching, Tanavade underlined the need to optimally utilise states like Goa, which already have strong infrastructure and a vibrant sporting culture, to strengthen India’s overall pool of athletes.
He requested the Ministry to consider restarting Taekwondo at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Training Centre in Goa and to establish Centres of Excellence for major racket sports such as badminton, table tennis, tennis, squash and pickleball by effectively using existing facilities.
Tanavade expressed confidence that these measures would significantly boost sports development in Goa and contribute positively to India’s performance at national and international levels.
