Sarbanda iugurates SAI Chairman office

By Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 18: A new chapter in the sports history of North East was added today with the opening of Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Chairman office (for North East chapter) in the city . Sarbanda Sonowal, the Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent charge) iugurated the office at the Regiol Sub Centre of SAI in presence of local sports organizers, former intertiol players and SAI officials .

It will be the first time any office of Union Minister of Youth and Sports was established outside Delhi.  Sonowal, who is also the Chairman of SAI, will regularly visit in this office and sports organizers and players from this region can also meet him here.

Addressing a gathering just after iugurating the office Sonowal today said, "The main aim to to open this office is to development and promotion of sports in this region with better monitoring. Out Ministry is making proactive efforts for development of sports in the North Eastern Region."

He also added," Sports is a subject of State Government. However if we really want to take it forward than Central Government and state Government should work together with the guidance from IOA and tiol Sports bodies."

Sports minister also gave thrust on the upgradation of new existing sports infrastructure in this region to the intertiol level." We need infrastructure of intertiol level and for that fund is not a problem. I received proposal to develop indoor stadium at the SAI centre in Guwahati and the infrastructure of SAI, Tinsukia and I have already instructed my ministry to look after the matter."

Sonowal also encouraged the proposal of Anjan Sarma, the Director of Sports and Youth Welfare of Assam, regarding land acquire for the construction of new sports infrastructure. Sarma, who was also present in the function, in his brief speech appealed to the sports minister to take steps so that new land can acquire adjacent to the city for the construction of new sports infrastructure."

Apart from Sonowal and Sarma today’s function was also attended by Premadhar Sarma, veteran sports jourlists and the vice president of the AOA, Balendra Mohan Chakraborty, veteran sports organizer, Shiva Thapa, Olympian boxer and Subhash Basumatari, the director of SAI, Guwahati.