Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | NXg | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Photo: murali kumar k.

Talking tough H. A. Ranganath: ‘We should be facilitators first before becoming felicitators’

In the 1970s, the University had done quite well in sports, especially in athletics, cricket, volleyball, football and several other disciplines. In 1971-72, Bangalore University had won the All-India inter-university athletic championship title, and had international stars like Nirmala Uthaiah and Irene Saldhana. Such dominance has all but vanished, despite the fact that the University has financial muscle to improve its infrastructure. The former Dean of the Physical Education Department and College, L.R. Vaidyanathan, pointed to the lack of basic equipment and training facilities.

“Take gymnastics for example, I doubt any new equipment has been added to the training centre for nearly two decades. The gymnastics training hall itself was in bad shape with a leaking roof,” he said.

A lot can be done to improve the quality of sports at Collegiate level. Finance should not be a problem as the University collects Rs. 50 from each student annually. With over 500 colleges affiliated to the University, the funds collected in each college would run into lakhs.

Only a fraction of that amount is being pumped back into the development of sports. Bangalore University needs to have its own training arena. Qualified coaches need to be appointed in all disciplines and special incentives be given to all outstanding sportspersons, including grace marks in academics. Inter-collegiate sports meets need to be more competitive. Swimming for instance, often has only a couple of swimmers per event, despite the fact that the Bangalore University squad is among the best in the country.

A well-planned annual calendar will also help. Sportspersons should be aware of major meets and inter-collegiate events well in advance so that they can prepare accordingly. H.A. Ranganath, Vice-Chancellor of the Bangalore University, who presided over the felicitation function, said: “We should be facilitators first before becoming felicitators. While I congratulate all the winners, I wish to stress that we need to address the problems facing our sportspersons.We wish to enhance the existing facilities and build new ones to achieve optimum results in sports.”

He acknowledged the individual efforts such as swimmer Rehan Poncha. “We need to have more Ponchas, but for that we need to give them the right facilities,” he said.

Bangalore Universityplans to build an indoor stadium with an international class swimming pool in the Central College campus. “We already have the plan and with a formal sanction, the construction would soon begin,” said Muni Reddy, Physical Director of the University.

“I am sure with better facilities, we would have better performances and we are not holding back any cash incentives,” Ranganath said.

A total prize money of Rs. 4,16,000 for the 2006-2007 winners and Rs. 4,45,000 for the 2007-2008 achievers were given away. A chunk of the prize money went to the Bangalore University swimming team, which had won the overall title in the all India Inter-University championship for four years in succession and National champion Rehan Poncha, was the major beneficiary, claiming Rs. 1,87,500 for the 2006-2007 season and Rs. 1,10,000 for 2007-2008.

Besides, the swimmers, the University badminton team was also in the lime light for its outstanding efforts in both 2006-07 and 2007-08, by winning the South Zone and All-India inter-university titles. Other achievers of the Bangalore University included its hockey and kabaddi teams, which had won bronze and the women’s tennis team, which won the South Zone team title and finished as runner-up in the All India Inter-University meet.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail