Bhubaneswar: Expanding its commitment to nurturing sports talent, Odisha has added two new feathers to its cap with the establishment of High Performance Centres (HPCs) in Archery and Sport Climbing. A significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the state of Odisha and Tata Steel today in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The two new academies, named Odisha Tata Archery Academy and Odisha Tata Steel Adventure Foundation Sport Climbing Academy, are set to be based in Bhubaneswar. Focused on the holistic development of athletes in these disciplines, the academies will not only function as training hubs but also establish Regional Development Centres for archery. Additionally, both academies are committed to running grassroots programs to nurture budding talent from the grassroots level.
Led by expert coaches and mentors, these HPCs aim to identify and nurture exceptional talent, providing them with top-notch infrastructure and training facilities. The goal is to empower athletes to compete at both national and international levels. The academies will be sourcing players from various talent pools, including state sports hostels and state and national-level programs.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, drawing on the successful partnership with Tata Steel for the Hockey High Performance Centre, which has yielded encouraging results. Patnaik stated, “We have a huge potential for Archery and Sports Climbing in Odisha and in the country, and with this new association, we will be able to collectively contribute towards creating a conducive environment for athletes in these disciplines.”
The Sports & Youth Services Department, represented by Secretary Vineel Krishna, played a key role in the collaborative effort. Tata Steel was represented by Chanakya Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Services Tata Steel Ltd., and Chairman Tata Steel Adventure Foundation.
This initiative adds to Odisha’s bouquet of High Performance Centres established at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Renowned for its unique partnership model between the state and the corporate sector, this collaboration has already proven successful in producing elite athletes in various disciplines such as Hockey, Football, Swimming, Athletics, Gymnastics, Sports Science, Shooting, Weightlifting, and now, Archery and Sport Climbing.