Shakti Institute Resurrect National Sport
S. Thangavelu (right), Chairman of Sri Sakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, presenting a hockey stick to Olympian Vasudevan Bhaskaran at the college campus in Coimbatore. The failure of the Indian hockey team to qualify for the Olympics for the first time has certainly upset most countrymen. But how long can one remain in a state of shock? It’s time to put the puzzle pieces in place and act accordingly for the betterment of the game. The former India coach was off to a flyer recalling his days of hockey in the district.The Sri Shakti Institute of Engineering and Technology has decided to resurrect this dying national sport by introducing it in its campus. And to encourage its students in taking up the sport it roped in Olympian Vasudevan Baskaran as its chief guest for the ‘Orientation Olympics’ event it celebrated recently. The former India coach was off to a flyer recalling his days of hockey in the district. He then moved on to elaborate on his passion for the sport and his dreams of shaping national stars.
Baskaran, who is pursuing a Ph.D on promoting sports among rural women, lauded the efforts of the college to own a ground and encouraged the students to be part of the volunteer group for the 2012 Olympics. “As long as I live, I would make an attempt to promote hockey as a sport which youth would want to be part of,” said Baskaran. He advised the students to learn defeat first and then the art of winning. He also requested the college to support him in realising his dreams.
As a return gesture, the Chairman of the college, S. Thangavelu, made a commitment to contribute Rs. 1 lakh for the development of the game in the State. It is the Olympic year. To commemorate the concept of Olympics and enhance its charm, the college decided to title its annual sports affair as ‘Orientation Olympics’. “We believe this would set the tone for students to have a feel of the Olympics and also expect more from the Indian contingent participating in it,” said T. Dheepan Thangavelu, Secretary of the college.
