The State is all set to get back to the basics on wrestling if the Tourism Department’s plans materialise.
The Department is planning to set up at least five major akhadas, wrestling rings/training academies, to promote wrestling, an age old sport. The Tourism department has decided to take the assistance of the Haryana Government in this direction as the northern State is reputed for the akhadas.
A team of officials from Telangana has visited around 120 akhadas operational in different parts of Haryana in the recent past and inspected the coaching and facilities in these wrestling rings. “We are seeking the help of coaches and wrestlers of Haryana to promote wrestling in Telangana,” Tourism Secretary Burra Venkatesham said.
In exchange, the State had deputed a team of experts in Kabaddi to Haryana helping it to hone the skills of players there. “These form part of the exchange programme under the Ek Bharat – Shresht Bharat programme launched by the Central Government,” he said. Mr. Venkatesham informed that a team of photographers had been deputed to Haryana as part of exchange programmes between the two States which have signed up for Centre sponsored Ek Bharat – Shresht Bharat.
There are a series of programmes planned as part of the cultural exchange and the Haryana Government had agreed to organise celebrations of Bathukamma in all major towns there besides conducting Telangana day either in Gurgaon or Chandigarh. The entire exchange was christened as Haryangaana symbolising the cultural confluence of Haryana and Telangana.
