Bhubaneswar, 22 October 2024: Sports & Youth Services Department (DSYS) today conducted a workshop on the draft Odisha Sports Policy with the aim to take valuable insights from key stakeholders including State Sports Associations, Odisha Sports Journalists Association, eminent sportspersons. The draft policy sets the direction to elevate the sports ecosystem in Odisha and today’s deliberation was a significant step in achieving that objective.
The workshop was held at the Kalinga Stadium and was led by Sports & Youth Services Minister Sri Suryabanshi Suraj who addressed the gathering and emphasised on elevating Odisha’s Sports ecosystem by trying to bridge the gaps between grassroots to elite. He encouraged all stakeholders to share their perspectives on the draft policy. Principal Secretary Bhaskar Sarma Sports Director, Siddhartha Das, CEO HPCO, Deepankar Mohapatra and senior officials of Sports & Youth Services Department were also in attendance.
Sports Minister highlighted the increasing need to focus on grassroots development. He emphasised on the growing importance of e-sports in this tech-driven era. Coaches must receive the best training to effectively guide our athletes. Provisions have also been made for specially-abled children in the policy. Additionally, he stressed upon investing in adventure sports, promoting indigenous games and to promote the investment in sports to foster the growth of sports in Odisha.
Addressing the sports experts, Sports Minister said, “Our vision is to inspire every individual in Odisha to participate in sports and physical activities. We are committed to building a vibrant sports culture that supports the growth of athletes from grassroots to global champions. By investing in infrastructure, talent development, and wellness programs, from block to state level, we aim to create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed in sports.”
I am confident that, with your collective experience, expertise and valuable feedback we will be able to formulate a policy that not only nurtures talent but also supports our athletes holistically, he added.
During the workshop, it was highlighted that the Sports Policy will inspire citizens to engage in sports, champion a vibrant sports culture, and offer every individual the opportunity to grow and excel in their chosen disciplines. The state government envisions creating a holistic sports ecosystem by integrating physical wellness programs into education, building and optimizing state-of-the-art sports facilities, and implementing training programs for coaches and physical education teachers.
As part of the policy, Odisha will host regular sports competitions and events at the village, block, and district levels to foster widespread participation.
Principal Secretary Bhaskar Sarma opened the workshop with his welcome remark while Sports Director Siddharth Das, presented the vote of thanks. On behalf of the department, Joint Secretary, Sri Sailendra Jena made a presentation on the draft sports policy before the floor was open for feedback.
While sharing their feedback, the stakeholders were also appreciative of this initiative of the Sports Minister and the Department to include them and their views in formulating a comprehensive sports policy of the state.
The workshop witnessed participation from various stakeholders of the sports fraternity. Eminent Sports person, BCCI Member and Ex- MLA Sri Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, General Secretary Odisha Olympic Association Sri Ashirbad Behera, Olympian Anuradha Biswal, President Odisha Handball Association Biplab Choudhry, Blind Cricketer, Md Jafar Iqbal, Members of Odisha Sports Journalists Association, Former sportsperson & neuroscientist Lagnajit Dash, Martin Owens and Bapi Rai from the HPC ecosystem were contributors amongst others in the workshop
