City needs infrastructure to stop exodus of players: Ojas

 

 

 

THERE is an exodus of players from the region to other cities which boast of better infrastructure and training facilities. If the same are provided in our own city, Nagpur will raise its own medal-winning players, feels archer Ojas Deotale who won three gold medals in the recently concluded Hangzhou Asian Games. City’s toast at the moment, Ojas was feted by Sports Journalists’ Association of Nagpur at its office on Friday.

 

After going down memory lane highlighting low and high points in his career, Ojas finally made a point. “Many talented players of the region are leaving to other places where they get better infrastructure and training facilities. After a certain point in my career, there was no further improvement and then I decided to move to Satara that provided comparatively better training facility and good coaches. Now, everywhere, I take names of both city’s in grooming me.

 

If good infrastructure and coaching facilities are provided in our own city, Nagpur will raise its own medal-winning players,” remarked Ojas, who won gold medals in the men’s individual, mixed and men’s team compound events. At the outset, the golden boy was felicitated with a memento by SJAN President Dr Ram Thakur and Secretary Paritosh Pramanik. Ojas’ father Pravin was also honoured on the occasion. Naresh Shelke conducted the proceedings and proposed a vote of thanks.

OJAS was feted at his native village Gumgaon by Sant Gamaji Maharaj Shikshan Sanstha (SGMSS). President of the sanstha and former State Minister Rameshchandra Bang and Dinesh Bang offered the ace archer a shawl and memento. Mahesh Bang, Arun Deotale, sarpanchs Shobha Mahure and Usha Bawne, principals Nitin Tupekar and Shashikant Mohite were prominently present on the occasion.