Former India star paddler Sharath Kamal’s dream has lastly come true. The High Performance Centre (HPC), to be funded by the Tamil Nadu Innovations Initiatives (TANII), a wing of the State Planning Commission of the Tamil Nadu Government, might be up and operating by the tip of August, on the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (TNPESU) at Melakottaiyur. The proposal was authorised by the Executive Committee of Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) right here on Thursday.
Speaking to The Hindu, J. Meghanatha Reddy, Member Secretary of SDAT, mentioned the HPC has obtained a funding for 3 years from TNII which assist stabilise the Centre. It was additionally determined that Sharath could be HPC’s Advisory Director. “The funding from TNII will comprehensively cover the infrastructure, upgradation, equipment, manpower, expert coaches for the facilities,” he mentioned.
The 42-year-old five-time Olympian was thrilled with the event. Sharath mentioned his imaginative and prescient is to develop abilities from different districts of Tamil Nadu and make the HPC right into a National Training Centre and tie-up with World Table Tennis (WTT) to usher in coaches and gamers from overseas. The 10-time Senior National champion is eager to maintain a WTT Youth Contender both by November this 12 months or Nov. 2026 at TNPESU.
“It’s been a long process. It took us a while to figure out how to get the HPC into shape. Am happy it will be starting soon. I had in mind to start a National Training Centre and in 2022-23 when Meghanatha Reddy sir called me, the seed was planted in my mind. Slowly it took shape,” Sharath informed The Hindu.
Sharath mentioned he’s planning to rope in reputed health coach Ramji Srinivasan and his staff of physios and power and conditioning coaches into HPC. “Of course SDAT will have a say on it,” he mentioned. Sharath insisted that HPC could have residential services for gamers whereas including that he would finalise his staff of coaches within the coming months.
