Earlier this month, the Karnataka government announced in its budget substantial cash awards for successful athletes from the State. Henceforth, medallists from the Olympic Games will receive Rs.1 crore for a gold, 50 lakh for a silver and 25 lakh for a bronze medal. Podium-finishers from the Commonwealth and Asian Games (both to be held later this year) stand to earn Rs.25, 15 and eight lakh and those from National events Rs.2 lakh, 1 lakh and 50,000 (gold, silver and bronze respectively).
It is good news for sportspersons in Karnataka and it is news that makes Vikash Kumar Vikash, the Director of the Department of Youth Services and Sports, hopeful of success. In this interview, Vikash, who took charge last July, speaks of the development of infrastructure that has gone on and work in the pipeline. He addresses the issue of the Kanteerava Stadium, the condition of which has been a perennial cause for complaint from athletes, and promises steady improvement. Excerpts from an interview:
Kanteerava Stadium:
We have a plan to upgrade the Kanteerava Stadium this year. I’m very much aware of the problems. The Kanteerava is a standby stadium for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup (the Football Stadium is the primary venue from Bangalore, slated to be one of the host cities). So we will revamp the place in the next two-three months. We have received a letter from the Karnataka State Football Association. We will overhaul a few things. The pitch may be re-laid. We will see what is required: if they (the FIFA inspection committee) say the lights are not sufficient, we will work on that as well. We will get to the other facilities subsequently. Everything possible will be done.
We’re already revamping the Kanteerava indoor stadium; we’re installing an a/c unit. In future we want to be able to hold even international events there.
Promoting sports in the hinterland:
It’s definitely important to encourage sports in the districts and regional headquarters. We’ve been taking many efforts in this regard. For example, we have begun work on an archery school in Chamarajnagar because we expect talent to come from there. We will lay a synthetic track in Moodabidri where there is a student population of 30-35,000. The tender process is complete and work is about to begin. We want to help that age group.
Recently, we’ve constructed synthetic tracks in Udupi and Vidyanagar and work has started on a 25m swimming pool in Udupi. We plan to replace the hockey turf in Ponnampet and next year we will do it in Kudige also. The funds are limited; so we’re doing it year by year on a priority basis.
Cash awards:
The Olympic Games are the pinnacle. If we get an Olympic medal, there is nothing like it. But the government order recognizes not just Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games performers but also those on the National-level. The awards were something we had been working on; we followed it up for two months before the budget and then it was announced.
Complaint that other states offer bigger awards:
I don’t think many states have the facilities that Karnataka has. See, earlier there was nothing and now there is one crore. It must be seen as a positive development; it is much, much better than what existed earlier. If an athlete wins an Olympic medal, he or she will have other benefactors than just the government. The cash award we give is to appreciate that they have won a medal and it’s an incentive for others to excel.
Happy with Karnataka’s recent performance in national events?
It is not about happiness. There is always scope for improvement. The purpose is to ensure that performance keeps on improving. In this budget, there has also been an enhancement of 50 rupees in the daily food allowance for trainees. For juniors, it has gone up from 100 to 150; for seniors, from 125 to 175. So we are doing things one by one.
Long-term plans:
We want to set up a sports excellence academy in Vidyanagar. We want to have senior boys’ and girls’ hostels like we do at the Kanteerava Stadium with good infrastructure, qualified coaching and mentoring.
