GANGTOK,: Sports & Youth Affairs minister Raju Basnet inaugurated the
newly renovated State Sports Academy boys’ hostel at Paljor Stadium here on Wednesday.
Present
on the occasion were Sports secretary MT Sherpa, Sports chief engineer Milan
Kumari Pradhan, coaches and officials.
Speaking
to the media, Sports minister Raju Basnet informed that the State Sports
Academy and its renovated hostel is resuming after a gap of some years with
induction of 30 u-16 football talents.
Following
the Covid pandemic, the State-run academy was shut down and later it was
temporarily used as the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence. The centre was
shifted to Reshithang sports complex, after which the academy’s hostel
underwent a major renovation, and resumes from this academic session.
The
Sports department has already selected 30 football talents, all under 16 years
of age, after holding district-level and State-level selection trials. These 30
football talents will stay in the hostel, train football daily while pursuing
their studies in schools here.
The
players selected for the academy will receive boarding, education and training
facilities, said the Sports minister.
“The
State Sports Academy operating from Paljor Stadium has groomed and developed
numerous national and international footballers from Sikkim. We are hopeful
that the new players selected from this academic session will bring further
glory for Sikkim at national and international levels,” said Basnet.
We
also plan to extend training to the best performing players of the academy till
college level, informed the Sports minister.
Earlier,
the academy used to release the players once they complete Class 12.
