New hope for talented archers

Ranchi, Oct. 29: Budding archers of the state have something to cheer about.

A second archery academy is in the offing to groom local talent. The management of the public sector steel behemoth, Steel Authority of India (SAIL), has approved a proposal to open an archery academy in Kiriburu-Meghahataburu region of the tribal-dominated West Singhbhum district.

The first academy, promoted by Tata Steel, came up in Jamshedpur a decade ago in 1996.

The executive director in-charge of raw material division of SAIL, Mrimoy Roy, confirmed to The Telegraph that the archery academy would start functioning within the next couple of months. “There are lots of talented youngsters in archery in Jharkhand and our company wants to train them,” Roy said.

The SAIL management has already approved about Rs 10 lakh for opening the academy. The selected cadets would be housed either at the vacant quarters of the company or at one of the hostels at Kiriburu. One of the two grounds of the company at Kiriburu would be used for training.

The company has also decided to buy four imported bows and arrows, each costing about Rs 90,000, and about a dozen made in India.

Sources said the two international archers associated with SAIL, Rajendra Guia and Turi Sundi, are helping the PSU in selecting the local talents who would be inducted as cadets.

Meghahataburu mines general manager Manas Kumur Bindu said SAIL had recently organised a talent search where over 300 people from different parts of Singhbhum took part. “About 100 youths were shortlisted and by the middle of next month, the final selection would be done. The academy would be functional by January.”

According to the company officials, the sports unit of SAIL is presently chalking out the nitty-gritty of the functioning of the academy, including the appointment of a trainers, the training schedule and other logistical requirements.