NEW DELHI, July 19 - The Centre on Thursday asserted that Hima Das was selected for special training under Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme months ahead of the World Junior Athletic Championship in Finland and some shortcomings which have come to the notice would be rectified.
In a Question Hour discussion, Minister of State for Sports, Col Rajya Vardhan Rathore said that Hima Das was identified and selected months ahead of the international event to ensure that she gets proper training. Though some shortcoming may have come to notice, they would be rectified.
Earlier, Gaurav Gogoi said that today the entire country is proud of the achievements of Hima Das. �But our effort is to ensure that in every village a girl like Hima Das comes forward and encourage other girls,� he said.
Gogoi baited the Minister by asking whether he has made any comments, when the Athletic Association made some remarks over Hima Das�s English.
Efforts are being made to open campuses of the National Sports University in other states while four new courses are soon being introduced in the Imphal-based University, Rathore said.
The University in Imphal already has four schools and 13 departments and since January two courses have been started.
�Very soon we will start four more courses in the University,� Rathore said.
He said it was essential that a curriculum or syllabus is prepared which would act as a �torch-bearer� for sports education in the country.
�The National Sports University in Imphal will continue to be the mother university. We will also spread campuses of the university in other states as well,� Rathore said.
Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkahiah Naidu congratulated Hima Das for winning the Gold Medal in the 400-metre event at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championships. The victory of Hima Das is all the more significant as she has become the first Indian woman to win a Gold Medal in a track event at a World Championship.
�Hailing from a small village in Nagaon, Assam, and reaching pinnacles of achievement, I am sure, she will inspire millions of our youth and budding sportspersons to excel in their field of sports. We, the entire House, wish Hima Das all success in her future endeavours and hope that she would continue to make the country proud by bringing many more laurels in the coming years,� the Chairman said.
