NGO promotes hockey, launch programme

Stairs, a leading NGO working towards empowerment of underprivileged youth through sports, education and health, today launched its flagship programme "Hockey for Growth" here.

In this endeavour, it has gathered support from Rajya Sabha MP and former Indian hockey team captain Dilip Tirkey who has joined the board of advisors of Stairs to guide its various sports development related programmes.

"Hockey for Growth programme aims at promoting the sport among the underprivileged youth across the country," Founder and General Secretary of Stairs, Siddhartha Upadhyay told reporters here.

The initiative was started from Odisha with the distribution of 400 hockey sticks to players from rural areas of the state, he said adding Stairs joined hands as partner with "Hockey Gangpur", the organisation set up by Tirkey to promote the game in tribal and rural belts of Odisha.

"Hockey for growth is our humble endeavour to take the game to the interior areas of the country and revive it. Since Odisha happens to be a breeding ground of world class hockey players, we found it appropriate to flag off the mission from here," said Upadhyay.

As part of the programme, Stairs would distribute 1,00,000 hockey sticks among underprivileged youth across the country, he said adding the programme envisages organisation of grassroot level tournaments, selection of players for scholarship programes, facilitation of the selected players in the state and national hockey teams.

Hopeful of getting support from individuals, corporate and other institutions towards the cause, Upadhyay said Stairs provides a platform to the underprivileged who are encouraged to showcase their talent.