National Hockey Academy at Delhi's Dhyan Chand Stadium

The Sports ministry on Friday announced that it will set up a National Hockey Academy at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here.

The decision was taken during the 46th governing body meeting of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) that the hockey academy "will be managed by a High Performance Technical Director and High Performance Coaches along with scientific and technical support staff".

It will cater to 40 players each among boys and girls. The National Academy will be supported by designated satellite centres which will include the SAI Regional Centres at Sonepat, Kolkata, Bangalore, Gandhinagar and Bhopal.

Other Centres belonging to State Governments or other entities will also be selected in traditional hockey playing state such as Jharkhand and Odisha. While the National Academy will look at 16-18 year age group. The lower age groups will be looked after by the satellite centres and different sports hostels run by State Governments as well as private academies.

Among other decisions, a partnership between SAI and Glenmark Aquatic Foundation (GAF) -- a Trust floated by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited) was approved. Under this arrangement, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has committed to invest about Rs. 10 crore in running a talent identification and development programme for young swimmers over a period of five years.

The programme will be run at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Pool Complex (SPMSPC), Talkatora here.

Apart from the above, the governing body approved opening of a SAI centre at Vidyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur; a Centre of Excellence in Archery (compound event) at SAI Regional Centre, Sonepat; and an Athletic Centre for Siddis in Karwar District in Karnataka.