Page 61 - Tata-Trusts-Annual-Report-2021-22
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OVERVIEW                                                  More physical or sporting activity needs to be included in the                                                  Over the past five years, the Trusts have established        National Institute for the Visually Handicapped started
                                                                                       school curriculum and should be promoted for the holistic                                                       state-wide sports development programmes at the             as soon as the schools re-opened.
                                                                                       development of children. This will, in turn, feed talent into                                                   grassroots level in Jharkhand, Mizoram, Manipur and
                             Sports is an important catalyst for development. It raises
                                                                                       competitive sports and improve the country’s odds of                                                            Odisha, based on the culture and availability of sporting
                             aspirations, improves physical and mental health, and aids
                                                                                       participation and excellence at the international level.                                                        infrastructure  in  these  regions. Programmes  were
                             in the overall development of children. The United Nations
                                                                                                                                                                                                       designed to develop Hockey in Jharkhand and
                             has listed sports as a development tool with a host of
                                                                                       The Trusts strongly believe in sports being a powerful                                                          Odisha, Badminton in Mizoram, and Football in Mizoram
                             benefits ranging from raising the standard of health
                                                                                       accelerator for meaningful development, with a focus on                                                         and  Manipur.
                             globally,  attracting  funding  and   investment  in
                                                                                       young children and youth, especially among the
                             infrastructure, to spawning new livelihood opportunities in
                                                                                       underprivileged and under-served communities in the                                                             The Covid-19 pandemic ground all these sporting
                             the sporting ecosystem.
                                                                                       rural and tribal regions of the country. This is particularly                                                   programmes to a halt over the past two years, though
                                                                                        significant given that historically, these regions have                                                         fitness training sessions were conducted online, albeit in a
                             Unfortunately, in India, sports are still
                                                                                             produced the best athletes in the country.                                                                limited  manner. During  the  year under  review,  with the
                             considered an extra-curricular activity for
                                                                                                                                                                                                       world struggling to get back to normal post-pandemic, the
                             recreational  purposes    or   competitive
                                                                                                    Tata Trusts’ sports strategy is based on the                                                       Trusts renewed their e orts to restart the programmes
                             participation.  With  a  greater  focus  on
                                                                                                      “Sports Development Pyramid,” which                                                              and bring them back on track.
                             academics, the time devoted to physical
                                                                                                     aims to lay a strong foundation for
                             activities is reduced, which drastically a ects not
                                                                                                       enjoyable physical education and sports                                                         • The Hockey excellence programmes at the Naval Tata
                             just the physical, but also the mental and social
                                                                                                        through  in-school and  grassroots                                                               Hockey Academy in Jharkhand and Odisha are
                             development of children and youth, resulting in
                                                                                                        programmes, before building on these                                                             residential programmes and were the least impacted
                             many lifestyle diseases.
                                                                                                            fundamental blocks to identify                                                               during the pandemic. They quickly swung back into
                                                                                                             talented players and coaches,                                                               operation as  soon  as  the  government  allowed
                             The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this
                                                                                                               and    provide   competitive                                                              resumption of   sporting activities. Grassroots-level
                             situation, with even younger children attending
                                                                                                               training  opportunities  that                                                             Hockey, though operational in pockets where Covid
                             kindergarten and primary schools gaining greater
                                                                                                               lead them to various careers in                                                           infections were fewer, also quickly reached peak
                             access to smartphones, even in remote villages
                                                                                                            the sporting field, such as players,                                                          capacity during the second quarter.
                             across the country. As a result, these children
                                                                                                    o cials, administrators, etc.
                             are now hooked on to their digital devices,
                                                                                                                                                                                                       • Due to a  denser  population and availability  of only
                             forgoing the usual practice of various
                                                                                       Further, given that partnerships make such programmes                                                             indoor courts in Mizoram, it took a longer time to
                             forms of physical activity and play—a
                                                                                       stronger and more sustainable, the Trusts have                                                                    regularise operations for Badminton. The competitive
                             scenario which was mostly
                                                                                        identified  local partners  with  strong  outreach                                                                training centres, however, commenced operations
                             prevalent in cities alone.
                                                                                       capabilities, such as local clubs, coaches,                                                                       during the second quarter.
                                                                                       communities,   and    state-level  sporting
                             This has reinforced the importance changing the ways in
                                                                                       associations, to work with and to develop                                                                       • The physical literacy in school programme in
                             which education is imparted to children, especially with
                                                                                       capacities so that these programmes can remain                                                                    Uttarakhand recommenced during the third quarter with
                             regard to the need for more physical and experiential
                                                                                       viable in the long run. Wherever possible,                                                                        the Train the Trainer workshops being implemented in
                             learning, along with fostering a physical and emotional
                                                                                       collaborations with state governments have been                                                                   schools after they re-opened. The training for athletes at
                             connect. This  has already been articulated  in the new
                                                                                       sought, so that existing infrastructure can be                                                                    the Maharana Pratap Sports School, continued in public
                             Education Policy, which supports the predominant view
                                                                                       used and integrated within the programmes.                                                                        spaces and within the institute, as and when permitted.
                             that the time is now ripe to embrace and implement this
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Training for  the visually  impaired studying  at the
                             change whole-heartedly.



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