Katra, June 02: Under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, J&K Manoj Sinha, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) is dedicated to fostering the growth and development of the region’s youth. To realize this vision, the Shrine Board has established a world-class Sports Complex at Katra as a Centre of Excellence, wherein athletes are being trained to reach their full potential and contribute to the region’s sports development and overall well-being.
As part of this endeavour, the Shrine Board has taken a significant step to support budding sports talent, Hritik Sharma, a promising archer from the SMVD Sports Complex, Katra by extending financial assistance amounting to Rs. 2.37 lakh to facilitate his participation in the prestigious World University Games, Germany-2025. He has been training at the Complex since September-2020 and showcased his potential by winning accolades in the Khelo India University Games, 36th / 38th National Games, 19th NTPC Senior National Championship, North zone Inter university Championship, J&K UT Archery Championship and 2nd NTPC National Ranking Archery Tournament making him a promising prospect for future sporting excellence. Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB said that the sponsorship highlights the Board’s dedication to fostering young talent and enabling athletes in the Sports Complex to shine globally. He underscored that by offering vital support, the Shrine Board seeks to facilitate sporting aspirations for bringing accolades to both the region and the nation. He highlighted the Board’s sustained investment of Rs.2.5-3 crore annually over the past 9-10 years in developing world-class sports infrastructure and nurturing talented athletes at the SMVD Sports Complex. He cited the remarkable success of Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi, two world-class archers trained at the Complex, who have made a significant global impact and were honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Awards for their outstanding achievements.
CEO also congratulated three para-archers from the Sports Complex – Rakesh Kumar, Sheetal Devi and Jyoti Baliyan who made the nation proud by winning four medals, including two gold and two bronze, at the recently concluded Para Archery World Ranking Tournament held in Rome. Their impressive performance contributed significantly to India’s overall tally of eight medals in the tournament wherein, Rakesh won double Gold and Sheetal Devi won bronze along with Jyoti.
Notably, the SMVD Sports Complex is currently nurturing the talents of over 150 aspiring athletes across various sports disciplines, who have been consistently delivering promising results in national and international competitions. The SMVDSB Archery Academy, part of the Complex, has earned the prestigious accreditation under the Khelo India program by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, in recognition of its excellence in promoting sports development and nurturing young talent.
