Anandeshwar Pandey

Call it a quid pro quo policy.

The Handball Federation of India (HFI) has promised to arrange for synthetic court free of cost if an indoor facility comes up in the steel city.

“We will facilitate procurement of a synthetic court free of cost from the International Handball Federation if an indoor facility is in place in Jamshedpur,” HFI secretary-general Anandeshwar Pandey, who was here for the 37th Junior National Handball Championship (Boys), told The Telegraph.

According to him, the International Handball Federation is keen to promote the game in India and willing to extend support in form of infrastructure. “I had been to Incheon for the recently concluded Asiad. I met the functionaries of the international body who spoke highly of India’s prospects in handball,” said Pandey.

Speaking about the advantages of an indoor facility, Pandey said, “The handballers in Jamshedpur are forced to play on uneven grass courts that effects their performance. The facility will allow players to practise on an even surface and thus stop the exodus of handballers. Lot of players leave Jamshedpur to hone their skills at National Handball Academy in Bhilai.”

The steel city has been a hub of handball players. There has never been any dearth of talent. “Thus, the corporate sector and the state government should come forward to promote handball in the steel city. They must think of setting up an academy here,” the secretary-general added.

Speaking highly of the scope of handball in Jamshedpur, Pandey said that the new state body, under the presidentship of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu, was expected to make tireless efforts to bring back the old glory to the game.