Jamshedpur: Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) is gearing up to set up a residential sport climbing academy in the steel city.

The initiative will help in meeting the basic requirements of three promising steel city-based climbers - Talim Ansari (15), Aman Verma (16) and Anisha Verma (14).

With sport climbing being included as one of the disciplines (on experimental basis) at the 2020 Tokyo (Japan) Olympics, the adventure outfit is keen to groom and produce quality climbers for the country.

TSAF senior manager Hemant Gupta said plans were afoot to set up the climbing academy at the earliest. "We are working on it but it will definitely take time. We also need to work out the logistics involved in setting up the academy," said Gupta.

Sources at the TSAF said that models of football, archery and hockey academies run by Tatas in Jamshedpur were being studied and discussed.

"Focus on three climbers is a clear indication that an academy was in the offing. A structured training module needs to be worked out. Experienced coaches need to be hired and aspects like accommodation, education, timings and nutrition have to be worked out," said a sport coach at TSAF.

Meanwhile, food and lodging arrangements have been provided to Talim, Aman and Anisha at the sports hostel at JRD Tata Sports Complex. Plans are also afoot to fund education expenses of the trio.

"We want Talim, Aman and Anisha to learn the essence of the discipline and also intake a nutritious diet as strength, stamina and endurance are the key components in sport climbing," said Everester Gupta.

Gupta, who is also a member of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (East Zone), added they had plans to put Anisha in an open school. "Anisha studied till Class VII at Balwin Farm Area High School after which she was forced to quit for remaining absent for sport climbing training," he added.

Both Talim and Aman are Class IX students of DBMS Lilliput School and Kerala Public School, Kadma, respectively.

The premier adventure outfit boasts of the only sport climbing facility in Jharkhand. It has three separate walls for speed, lead and bouldering categories.