Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Arun Sao distributed hockey kits to players selected for the Performance Assessment Camp at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru.
The kits were handed over at the Deputy Chief Minister’s official residence in Nava Raipur. Goalkeeper Alfaz Khan received a complete goalkeeping kit, while forwards Madhu Siddar and Damini Khusro were presented with hockey sticks. All three players have been undergoing professional hockey training for the past three years at the Late B.R. Yadav State Training Centre, Bahtarai, Bilaspur.
Congratulating the players on their selection, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao expressed confidence in their abilities and wished them success at the assessment camp, where players will be evaluated by Indian hockey coach P.R. Sreejesh. He said the state government is committed to nurturing sporting talent and providing athletes with world-class facilities.
The residential training centre at Bahtarai, operated by the Sports and Youth Welfare Department since June 2022, currently trains 67 hockey players. With consistent government support and expert coaching, the centre has been producing athletes capable of competing at the national and international levels.
Assistant Director of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department A. Ekka and senior hockey coach Rakesh Toppo from the Bahtarai training centre were also present during the kit distribution ceremony.
