Berhampur, June 29: The Odisha Weightlifting Association is planning to set up special gyms in all the districts to encourage more youths to take up the sport in the state.

"I have submitted a proposal to open special gyms in all the 30 districts here to the sports and youth affairs department," said Narayan Sahu, secretary of the association, who was elected to the post for the fifth time today.

"We must provide the budding weightlifters with proper barbell set, proper infrastructures and required nutrition. The state government must immediately come forward to help us," he said at a function where veteran weightlifters of the district were felicitated at the Veer Hanuman Circus and Physical Institute (VHCPI). The new office bearers of the association were also elected at the event.

The seven veteran weightlifters from Ganjam who were honoured are Narayan Sahu (secretary), Biswanath Patra (advisor), Laxmi Narayan Rout, Manoranjan Das and Arjun awardee Bijay Kumar Satpathy (vice-presidents), Ramesh Chandra Padhi (joint secretary), Surya Narayan Satpathy (treasurer).

B Venugopal Rao, organising secretary of the Indian Body Building Federation, and one of the international judges presided over the felicitation ceremony.

Sahu has groomed more than 250 medalists both in international and national level and two Arjun awardees - Bijaya Kumar Satpathy and Katulu Ravi Kumar. He said the association was also planning to organise a sub-junior and junior weightlifting championship in 2016 or 2017 in Odisha.

"We will have to gather Rs 30 lakh for the purpose. We conducted the All India Senior Weightlifting Championship in 2011 at a cost of Rs 23.20 lakh," he said.