The Sports Authority of India (SAI) formally took over the reins of the Trivandrum Golf Club after it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State government here on Wednesday.
According to the MoU signed by SAI director general Jiji Thompson and Chief Secretary E.K. Bharat Bhushan, the country’s oldest golf course will be given to SAI on lease for an initial period of 33 years and this can be extended for another 33 years on mutually acceptable terms.
SAI will construct a state-of-the-art golf course on the 25.38 acres of land and establish an international standard academy for the promotion of golf. This is the second golf course after Bangalore to be owned by SAI.
“The idea is to start a golf academy for the public and the MoU is the first step towards realising this goal. The new golf course will also be used to promote golf tourism as well,” Mr. Thompson said. SAI will make substantial investment in the next five years and will establish a new golf club named SAI-Trivandrum Golf Club. The existing memberships of the Trivandrum Golf Club will be transferred to the new club. The current workers of the club will become SAI staff.
Trivandrum Golf Club secretary Reghuchandran Nair welcomed the takeover. “Earlier the Supreme Court had appointed an interim committee headed by the Chief Secretary to manage the affairs of the golf course. The government and the TGC office-bearers will now file an affidavit before the apex court seeking its approval for suspending that body and leasing the course to SAI,” Mr. Thompson said.
