Finding future talent is key component of SAI's plans at Khelo

Teams of talent spotters have been at work at various venues of the Khelo India Youth Games being held here.

The talent spotters have been brought in by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in relays to track performances in their assigned events and present a shortlist of those found worthy of following on a long-term basis, a media release said on Tuesday.

One of the stated aims of the Khelo India is to use the Youth Games as a resource base.

With the government having set up the Target Olympics scheme, these Games are being looked at as a feeder for the larger pool that is looking at the 2020 Olympic Tokyo Games and beyond.

"Our target is to find 495 prospects from these Games. Towards that, we will be bringing in about 150 scouts as and when their particular sport is being played," A K Bansal, head of the SAI's talent identification programme, was quoted as saying in the release.

The work is being done at two levels, first through the Talent Screening Committee (TSC) and thereafter through the Talent Identification and Development Committee (TIDC), he said.

"Each and every member of these two committees are either eminent former players or coaches, many of them Arjuna or Dronacharya Award winners. There was no other criteria to pick them," Bansal added.

In all, 20 sports have been shortlisted, of which 17 are being played here and as per need, we have been bringing in spotters, he said.

"For team events, our spotters are drawing up shortlists on the basis of which we will call the athletes for assessment camps over five to seven days as per the need and nature of the sport, where a final selection will be made," the top SAI official added.

According to the release, those shortlisted at these Games are immediately eligible to a government grant worth Rs 10,000 per month and are enrolled at one of the 80-odd academies that are supported under Khelo India.

Most of these are SAI units, but also include state government academies and increasingly, private institutions such as the Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand badminton academies, Gagan Narang's shooting school, among others.

"Schemes are being drawn up to monitor progress of the inductees and there will be a weeding out process as well to add or remove those who are not meeting performance criteria.

"The Games here are just the first step. The follow-up and monitoring process is equally, if not more, important. That is why, such detailed schemes have been put in place," Bansal signed off.