Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Smt. Swetika Sachan, IAS presented Sports Scholarships to 25 sportspersons in Goa at a function organised by the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs, Goa in association with Champa Devinder Dhingra Sports Trust, in the presence of Shri. Shrinivas Dempo Industrialist, Shri. Rajesh Dhingra IAS, Trustee, Champa Devinder Dhingra Sports Trust, in the city today.
Smt Swetika Sachan, IAS Secretary for Sports, congratulated all 25 recipients of sponsorships. She highlighted that the Directorate of Sports is dedicated to developing a comprehensive sports policy that will not only focus on education but also address the specific needs of athletes from school to higher education. Smt Sachan also emphasized that the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs is actively organizing numerous tournaments at the taluka, State, and national levels to promote and identify talent across various sports disciplines.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Shrinivas Dempo offered valuable advice to young athletes, emphasizing that there is no substitute for hard work. He praised the state government for prioritizing sports as a key area of focus. Shri Dempo noted that to produce successful athletes from schools and colleges, there needs to be a slight shift in the curriculum, which is currently too heavily focused on academics. He pointed out that the lack of significant achievements in sports is due to the insufficient importance placed on it. Dempo also highlighted the role of parents, urging them not to discourage their children from participating in sports merely for only pursuing academics. He concluded by stating that sports help in developing good citizens and well-rounded individuals, who are essential for the future leadership of the country.
Smt Praveen Mahajan, Former Chairman of Central Board Customs and GST was also present on the occasion
Arvind Khutkar, Director of Sports and Youth Affairs welcomed the gathering and Shri Irwin Cordo, Assistant Director(Coaching Deputy Director (Sports) proposed the vote of thanks.
