The Naval Tata Hockey Academy will be formally inaugurated at Indian Steel and Wire Products Sports Complex near Telco in Jamshedpur on August 30.
Son of Naval Tata and chairman of Tata Trusts Ratan Tata, Dutch hockey legend Floris Jan Bovelander and former India hockey captain Sandeep Singh will grace the occasion. Chief minister Raghubar Das is also expected to be part of the inaugural ceremony.
Promoters Tata Steel particularly chose August 30 to inaugurate the cradle as the day coincides with the birthday of noted industrialist and philanthropist Naval Tata (1904-89).
The cradle, which was set up with the technical aid from the Netherlands-based Bovelander Hockey Academy, was awaiting inauguration after its launch on June 13.
"The academy will be formally inaugurated on August 30," said Tata Steel vice-president (corporate services) Sunil Bhaskaran.
The cadets in the age group 12-14 are being trained by four mentors with technical help from Sandeep Singh and Dutch coach Warner Van der Vaget. "Warner will arrive tomorrow (Friday) while Bovelander and Sandeep will be present at the inaugural ceremony," said G.M. Sharan, administrator of the academy.
Before joining the cradle the cadets were trained by Tata Trusts associate organisation Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (Cini) under the supervision of Dutch coaches in Khunti and also by feeder centres run by Tata Steel Rural Development Society in Seraikela-Kharsawan and West Singhbhum.
