Govt Sanctions Five Crore For Anju Bobby George's Athletics Academy

The Union Sports Ministry has sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 crore to Anju Bobby George for the development of her Athletics Academy. The academy will be based in Bengaluru. It would be a way for the sportswoman to train and coach athletes. Moreover, the academy will be working to not only train but also pick out fresh talent.

Key Takeaways 

• The Union Sports Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 5 crore for Anju Bobby George.
• Kiren Rejiji met George on 17th September and approved the funds. 
• George will set up her athletics academy to train sportspersons. 
• The Academy will be situated close to Kengeri. 

Athletics Legend's Academy

Anju Bobby George is not only the first but also the only Indian to win a World Athletics Championship medal. She won a bronze medal in the Long Jump Category at Paris in 2003. This leap of 6.70 m brought her a lot of fame. August 30, is remembered as the day when she took Indian sports to a new height that it had never reached before. Only a few days after that, comes the approval of funds for her academy.

Anju Bobby George's Athletics Academy receives funding from the government, which will now help the World Athletics Championship bronze medalist train more athletes.

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Anju Bobby George is a celebrated sportswoman. Apart from her World Athletics Championship medal, she also won a gold in the women's long jump at the 16th Asian Athletics Championship, held in South Korea. She was awarded the Arjuna award in 2002 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Award in 2003 and conferred with Padmashree in 2004.

Rejiju Meets George 

Kiren Rejiju, the current Sports Minister of India, met with George on September 17. He approved the Rs 5 crore sanction for her academy. He tweeted, “Happy to meet Anju Bobby George, the first-ever and the only Indian to win a World Athletics Championships medal (Long Jump Bronze medal) at Paris in 2003. Today sanctioned Rs 5 crore for her Athletics Academy at Bengaluru.”

Kiren Rejiju has offered his support to women athletes on various other occasions. For instance, he has addressed the women's hockey team members, assuring them that the government will offer them all support needed for Olympic qualification.

Happy to meet Anju Bobby George, the first-ever and the only Indian to win a World Athletics Championships medal (Long Jump Bronze medal) at Paris in 2003. Today, sanctioned Rs 5 crore for her Athletics Academy at Bangaluru. pic.twitter.com/JQZUDmPYnc

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 17, 2019

This funding from the Sports Ministry will be a big help for Anju George. This has come during a stressful time when she was trying to find ways to gather financial support for her academy.

The Anju Bobby George Athletics Academy falls under the Anju Bobby Sports Foundation. In 2016, sports legend Mike Powell inaugurated the academy.

Expansion Plans

“The academy has been planned on a five-acre plot of land which has been leased to us. Currently, we are training five athletes and as a first step, we will soon start ten athletes.” George explained her plans for the future to Times Of India. “Once the facility is ready, we aim to take 30 athletes and train them.”

The Anju Bobby George Athletics Academy is to be set up close to Kengeri. Moreover, it will only be at a short distance of 6-7 km from the Sports Authority of India, South Centre.

Prapti is an intern with SheThePeople.TV