Nehru Society starts a hockey academy with NDMC

What captured the eyes of those who came to witness the Sports Day celebrations at Shivaji stadium on Thursday was two billboards on the rear side: ‘Nehru – NDMC Hockey Academy’ with a tagline ‘Marching Towards Goal’.

This is an interesting development in the city that is starved of any worthy academy after air India academy was unceremoniously closed down due to after-effect of now increasingly unpopular Commonwealth Games.

The latest news is this.

It is a good news, especially for the young hockey players in the capital city. The City based Nehru Society, which runs a chain of tournaments for both boys and girls, for domestic teams and college outfits, join hand with its long standing prompter New Delhi Municipal Committee, which owns the Shivaji stadium, to start a hockey academy.

Though minute details are not available, it is learnt that the Nehru Society will conceptualize and put on board the academy, named ‘Nehru-NDMC Hockey Academy’ , while NDMC will make available turf free of cost.

“We are in the process of fine tuning the concept. The good news is that the new Chairman of the NDMC has agreed in principle not only to be the Chairman of our Competition Committee but also to give green signal to the academy”, announced Kukoo Walia during Prize Presentation ceremony of the first Dhyan Chand Sports Day Cup on Thursday evening.

“We will shortly announce mass trials to select teams, with competent Olympians on board as selectors”, said beaming Kukoo Walia.
“It will be a professional academy, with the aim of bringing the world’s best coaches to India”, he hinted on the vision he has for it.

It is expected that boys and girls selected from the mass trials, a section from NDMC Schools are expected to make up the hostel.

It is s good news on Sports Day which saw chain of celebrations. Besides an Under-14 tournament that ran for two days, the talented girls of MPWHA, Gwalior and matching Haryana Women Hockey Academy, Shahbad played an exciting Exhibition Match on the Shivaji stadium pitch.

Earlier GBSSS, Begumpur won the First Dhyan Chand Sports Day Cup.