Bhubaneswar: As a continuation of its commitment towards building and grooming talent in the state of Odisha, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd (DCBL) laid the foundation stone for its state-of-the-art high-performance centre for badminton at Kalinga Stadium here today.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone in the presence of Sports Minister of Odisha Chandra Sarathi Behera, the Chief National Coach of Indian Badminton Team Pullela Gopichand, former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble, Harmit Singh Sethi, Executive Director and Group Head- Corporate Affairs, Dalmia Bharat Group and others.
The initiative is in partnership with the Department of Sports & Youth (DSYS), Government of Odisha and Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation.
The construction of actual academy shall be completed within one year of the Foundation Stone laying ceremony.
According to reports, the academy will be equipped with 10 badminton courts, gymnasium, boarding and lodging facilities for players, coaches and support staff.
The academy will be solely responsible for the handling of all operation and functions of the Badminton HPC, the repair, maintenance and the upkeep of the Badminton HPC, to facilitate coaching camps for various national and international events for nurturing the young talents; and host and organize various national and international events.
The academy shall impart a higher level of coaching and training with the help of world-class competent coaches and sports professionals. The academy will be of International Standards and shall provide advanced sports amenities to support and encourage the sportsman to achieve excellence of international standards.
Approximately 4 acres of land shall be leased out by DSYS for this high-performance centre for badminton.
As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Sports & Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha; Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation (PGBF) and the Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd. have agreed in principle to collaborate together under the name of Dalmia Bharat Gopichand Badminton Academy (an initiative supported by Govt. of Odisha).
Odisha has a rich sporting history and has served the nation with world-class athletes and sportspersons. The State Government has outlined its vision to make Odisha a major sporting destination by conducting national and international sporting events.
Through DSYS, the Government of Odisha is desirous of establishing a High-Performance Centre to nurture and train young players in the sports discipline of badminton with an objective to prepare players of international level.
Puneet Dalmia, Managing Director, Dalmia Bharat Group said, “We are very obliged to Government of Odisha for providing us this commendable opportunity to set up a Badminton HPC in the state. We at Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., are committed to the growth of the state and its youth. And, as a responsible corporate, we believe that our humble contribution in establishing a high-performance centre for providing world-class coaching and training facilities by our Chief National Badminton Coach, Arjuna Awardee Mr. Pullela Gopichand – will be a step forward to develop new global champions of Badminton from the state.”
Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd. has undertaken multiple activities to promote sports and sportsmanship in Odisha as well as in the country including a hockey coaching centre for tribal youth in Sundergarh district of Odisha apart from being a prime sponsor in India’s international cricket matches.
In the field of badminton, the Company is already contributing to the growth of the sports in India as owners of Team Delhi Dashers in Premier Badminton League. It now aims to strengthen the consortium of excellence in sports through this association and nurture the dreams of the Badminton enthusiasts of Odisha.
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