The state government had given an in-principle approval to the draft bill for setting up of the international sports university in the city
Maharashtra’s first sports university will come at Balewadi in Pune and will officially begin functioning by academic year 2021-2022. State sports minister Sunil Kedar, who made the announcement, said that the university, the first one of its kind will be the centre of sports excellence in the country that will pick and train sportspersons of international calibre.
The state government had given an in-principle approval to the draft bill for setting up of the international sports university in the city and also got its approval during the winter session of the legislature on December 14-15. The bill was approved in both the state legislative assembly and the council.
Kedar said, “The state government has decided to upgrade the existing sports complex into a university and a special budgetary allocation of Rs 400 crore has been made for the purpose. The government had already announced during the budget that an international class university will be set up in Maharashtra. A total of 213 posts have been sanctioned for the new university where world class sportspersons will be trained.”
The Maharashtra sports directorate stated that a committee, headed by Mumbai University former vice-chancellor Vijay Khole, was set up and based on its recommendations, the state government decided to set up the international sports university in the city.
The Balewadi-based Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex has hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008 and will be upgraded to sports university which will bring trainers and researchers in various sports fields under one roof for the cause of sports development in the state. The sanctioned budget will be spent in a phased manner for the infrastructural upgradation of the current set up at the Balewadi sports complex.
The university sports faculty and its various researches would cover sports-related subjects like sports science, medicine, technology, coaching and training, sports management and sports media and communication. The inmates will be given training facilities on par with international standards.
The state government has initially planned to hire prominent sportspersons for permanent posts, including vice-chancellor and registrar. There are also plans to hire some international experts on contractual basis for the benefit of the course mates.
Initially, 213 posts will be filled up as per the regular pay scale of which 166 posts will be filled up through straight recruitment, while 47 posts will be on fixed payment. Among those recruited for the sports university, includes vice-chancellor, registrar, and other experts on contractual basis.
Omprakash Bakoria, sports Commissioner of Maharashtra, said, “The government has sanctioned Rs 400 for the international sports university which will be developed in phased manner. Infrastructural development will be our top priority and different courses will be started. Recruitment for various sports department will be done as part of the university development programme.”
The university was originally proposed at Aurangabad, but government moved it to Pune citing infrastructure.
City’s pride
Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex was originally constructed within 53 acres at Balewadi, Pune, in 1995 to host the National Games.
In 2006, the sports complex was refurbished to host the Youth Commonwealth Games in 2008.
Chhatrapati Sports Complex currently has multiple facilities for games, including football, athletics, aquatic centre, badminton, basketball, boxing area, table tennis hall, tennis court, weightlifting hall, wrestling hall, velodrome, fitness centre and games village
The Sports Science Centre includes Central dope collection centre, department of bio-mechanics, department of nutrition and ergogenic aids, department of physiotherapy, department of Psychology, department of sports rehabilitation and human performance and evolution laboratory
