Special Certificate Course in Sports Coaching for J&K Sportspersons Started at NIS Patiala The Union Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel today inaugurated Special Certificate Course in Sports Coaching for Jammu and Kashmir sportspersons at Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) Patiala. Speaking on the occasion Shri Goel said that hard work has no alternative and emphasized the need for promotion of all type of sports throughout the country with the help of all stakeholders at all levels having a well-knit sports infrastructure. With this in view a meeting of Sports Ministers of all the States will soon be held, he said. Addressing the inaugural function of the first batch of the three batch programme, of the eight-week Special Certificate Course in Sports Coaching, for sportspersons under Prime Ministers Special Package for J&K, Shri Vijay Goel said that the Govt. of India is fully committed to promote sports culture and integrating it with Health and Education. This, he said, would channelize the youth energy for constructive purposes and divert their attention from disruptive activities, bringing them in the main stream. Each batch consists of 60 sportspersons, coaches and physical education teachers. The Minister said that a package of Rs 200 crore has been prepared for promotion of sports in Jammu and Kashmir. Shri Goel said that a National Sports University is being planned in Manipur and a Paralympics Centre at Hyderabad. The Minister distributed sports kit to all the participants of the course. He also released the copies of Syllabus in Hindi in 26 sports disciplines. The Minister also unveiled the Bust of Late Major Jyotin Singh, Ashok Chakra at Sports Science Centre. Shri Goel took a round of Weightlifting, Boxing and Table Tennis Halls and Squash, Sauna & Steam Bath Centre. The Minister also flagged off Symbolic Race as part of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and Rashtriya Ekta Saptah on the occasion of Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A large number of dignitaries from the sports world attended the function. Welcoming the Minister, Shri S.S.Roy, Executive Director (Academics), SAI NSNIS, Patiala briefed him on the NIS sports academic activities.