Assam Olympic Association to launch 'Grassroot Olympic-Mission Talent Hunt'

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: Assam Olympic Association will soon launch a new programme across Assam to identify the sports talents of the State. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who is also the President of the Association, announced this during its Executive Committee Meeting at RG Baruah Sports Complex today.

While speaking at the first Executive Committee Meeting of the Association, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the Association will launch a new programme named “Grassroot Olympic - Mission Talent Hunt” in the State in a bid to identify the promising sportspersons and providing them adequate opportunities for grooming their talents. A committee under the chairmanship of vice chairman of the Association and Minister of State for Health Pijush Hazarika was also formed in the meeting today. The committee will interact with grassroots level sports organizations, clubs, and sports organizers. The committee will prepare a detailed action plan and connect with the field to spot the talented sportspersons.

Sonowal also underlined the need for a sporting culture in the State to promote sports among youth. In this regard, he said that under the proposed programme, AOA will organize sports events in five categories covering players from 10 years of age to 60 years in the State. He also stressed on developing a strong network of grassroots level sports organizations with the AOA to take forward this mission in the State.

During the Meeting, various sub-committees and commissions were also constituted. This includes the AOA constitution review committee, core committee, arbitration commission, athlete commission, co-ordination committee, finance committee, medical committee, sports development commission, youth commission, tender and purchase committee, sexual harassment committee, media committee, etc.

The Core committee included: Sarbananda Sonowal (chairman), Lakhya Konwar (convenor), Atul Borah, Pijush Hazarika, Tapan Das, Pranay Bordoloi and Bishnuram Nunisa (all members). Two Arjuna Awardee athletes from Assam Bhogeswar Baruah and Monalisa Baruah will be the part of the Athlete commissions. The other members are Gilbertson Sangma, Pramila Bharali, Kushal Lahon, and L Hemanta Singh.

Meanwhile, Assam Olympic Association will soon organize a programme to interact with the sportspersons who would represent the State in the ensuing Khelo India Youth Games, which is scheduled to be held in Assam from January 9.

General Secretary of AOA Lakhya Knowar along with Vice President of AOA, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, MoS (Health) Pijush Hazarika, Rajyasabha MP Ranee Narah, MLAs Bolin Chetia, and Gurujyoti Das and other members of the executive committee were present in the meeting.

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