Rourkela: Three cadets of SAIL Hockey Academy have been selected by the Sports Authority of India to receive scholarship under the Khelo India Talent Identification Development scheme.
The three are Innocent Munda, a midfielder who plays in the right, forward Rajat Minz and defender Nabin Kujur. The three are in their mid-teens. While Innocent and Nabin belong to Sundargarh, Rajat comes from Deogarh district.
The cadets have been selected on the basis of their performance in the national coaching camps.
Innocent and Rajat have already been staying at the Hockey India hostel in Delhi for the past one year.
"Innocent and Rajat got selected on completion of their first year and were about to join second year in the hostel here. Nabin was about to enter the third year. I have high hopes on the three and believe they will break into the national team," said SAIL Academy chief coach Peter Tirky.
"I cannot say who is better because they play in different areas of the game. Rajat is definitely very fast and has got good thighs to support him. He has good stamina, which is required in the game as a forward. Munda is very cool and calculative and keeps a keen eye on the game. His ability is to reach the spot before ball reaches and is very good at fielding. Nabin is a strong defender and to carry ball past him is extremely difficult because he will never give you an easy time and will remain glued to the attacker," the coach said.
Another product of the academy, forward Shilanand Lakra, recently toured Belgium and did well there. Before that, he had represented the men's senior team at Sultan Azlan Shah at Malaysia and scored goals for the country.
"We are going to produce more quality forwards and midfielder in coming days and these two are really inspiration for rest of my boys," said Tirky.
According to the initiative launched by the Sports Authority of India, 734 budding sportspersons from all over the country from various disciplines of sports have been selected to receive the award. Of the Rs 5 lakh grant given to each cadet per annum, a stipend of Rs 1.2 lakh for the whole year will be given in cash.
The players will be supported for a maximum of eight years. The players will receive skill trainings at Khelo India-accredited academies.
