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Siddis to celebrate Barak Obama’s anniversary

CELEBRATIONS: Diyog Bastyanv Siddi addressing a press conference at Haliyal on Thursday.

Karwar: The Siddi community of Haliyal taluk will celebrate the anniversary of oath-taking of the U.S. President Barak Obama on January 20.

To celebrate it, a two-day sports and athletics competition has been arranged at Garadolli village for Siddi youths, said Diyog Bastyanv Siddi, president of the Siddi association.

He was addressing presspersons at Haliyal on Thursday.

Diyog Siddi said that during the celebrations, different Siddi people who had made achievements in sports, art, films and modelling would be honoured.

The association passed a resolution to install a statue of late Agnel Nigro who had made considerable achievements in wrestling at the district wresting stadium at Haliyal.

Diyog Siddi criticised the sports policy of the Union Government and said that because of the wrong policies adopted, national athletics champion Mary Garibache and other Siddi athletes had failed to prove their mettle.

He said that in 1988 the Sports Authority of India had selected some Siddis for coaching in athletics and they were given training in Bangalore.

However, within two years, the Union Government withdrew the scheme and many eligible Siddi athletes lost an opportunity to take part in national and international events, he said.

Many athletes returned to villages owing to financial constraints and many went to work in other fields. He said that if an opportunity is given, the Siddis would do well in the field of sports.

Many Siddi leaders were present.

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