Madikeri: Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Dr. B.C. Satish has asked the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES) to submit a proposal to the Government to establish a Sports University in Kodagu District.

He was chairing a meeting of the District Stadium Committee at the Office of Assistant Director, DYES in Madikeri yesterday. He said that there is a long-pending demand for the establishment of Sports University and the Department must send a proposal to the Government, he noted.

Kodagu does not have appropriate or adequate sports infrastructure though the tiny district has produced innumerable sporting icons over the years. Hence, the Sports University can give a platform for thousands of emerging sportspersons from Kodagu and also to encourage sportsmen from other districts of Karnataka, the meeting noted.

It is a long-pending demand of the district to set up a Sports University. The setting up of the University will help in bringing out more talented sportspersons in the district.

The Federation of Kodava Samajas and many other Kodava Samajas along with sports organisations have been demanding a Sports University in Kodagu as the district had contributed thousands of sportspersons to the State and to the Nation. Every village in Kodagu has sports talents in abundance but the budding sportspersons lack encouragement, state-of-the-art facilities and professional training. This way, several sports talents are being ignored.

The meeting also discussed the development of the indoor stadium in Virajpet and provide basic amenities. The DC directed the DYES authorities to speed up works of improving outer and inner infrastructure at General Thimayya District Stadium.

Directing Madikeri City Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner to reserve 3 percent of the total CMC funds for sports encouragement and development projects, the DC said that the swimming pool, table tennis court, lighting and toilet facilities at General Thimayya District Stadium must be taken up on priority.

Superintendent of Police Kshama Mishra, CMC Commissioner Ramdas, PWD Executive Engineer Nagaraj, AEE Shivaram, ZP Engineer Mahadevu, Project Director of Nirmithi Kendra Sachin and others were present at the meeting.