The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has selected Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) at Itanagar to establish a centre of sports science education and research under MYAS scheme of National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR).
Once established, the sports science education and research centre would be the first of its kind in the Northeast and the 6th in the entire country.
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NCSSR aims to support high level research, education and innovation with respect to high performance of elite athletes.
RGU’s selection for the same was informed by Subhabrata Karmakar, the under secretary to the Government of India vide a letter to RGU vice chancellor Professor Saket Kushwaha on Tuesday.
Karmakar in the letter said the centre once established at RGU, would be conducting eight M.Sc. and Ph.D programmes besides collaborative research in the area of sports sciences.
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This, Karmakar said, would lead to enhancement of performance of Indian sportspersons in international competitions.
The courses, among others, include Sports Anthropometry, Sports Biochemistry, Sports Biomechanics & Performance Analysis, Sports Nutrition and Sports Physiology.
Pointing out the conditions required for the establishment of the center in the letter, Karmakar said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) would be signed between the MYAS and the grantee university (RGU) once all the requirements meet.
Professor Saket Kushwaha, when contacted, said that he has already formed a ten-member committee to work on the required modalities, as well as site selection.
The committee will be headed by RGU acting registrar professor Tomo Riba as the chairman and physical department’s HoD in-charge Dr Anil Mili, as convener.
“The committee will do all the homework and submit a report within 2-3 days,” Professor Kushwaha said, while adding that he would, in the meantime, pursue the University Grants Commission (UGC) for permanent position of faculty members.
“There would be a requirement of at least 5 teachers in a particular department, so the university will also invite people on deputation and those who have retired as faculty to start the center immediately,” Kushwaha said.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports would provide Rs 3.5 crore per post graduate programme to cover the expenditure for 3 years after which the grantee institution has to be self reliant to continue the scheme.
Professor Kushwaha said the only major hurdle the university has to cross now would be that of creating top class infrastructure and for which land is required.
RGU has around 300 acres of land and would need at least an additional 100 acres for the center.
“This is a proud moment and a great opportunity for all of us as, RGU, among many other top universities of the country has been chosen for the establishment of sports science center. We had been following the matter religiously for the past six months,” he said.
He further thanked Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju for his support and providing RGU an opportunity create the centre which would be a game changing one in the field of games and sports in the country.
RGU joint registrar (academic) Dr David Pertin, who is also a member of the 10-member committee said: “We have already started our work upon the receipt of the letter from the ministry. The report of the committee will be submitted to the academic council after which the further course of action will be taken.”