Foundation Stone of new campus of sports institute laid

New Delhi, Jan 11 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today laid foundation stone of a new campus for Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences in Rohini subcity in NorthWest Delhi.

She expressed hope that the new campus would be ready well before the 2010 Commonwealth Games and help in the pursuit of excellence through human resource development and academic growth of physical education and sports science concerning talent selection and scientific training.

Ms Dikshit was confident that IGIPESS with its new, modern and well-equipped campus would be able to offer formalised academic courses in physical education and develop itself as best in the world.

Stressing the need for ''first class'' intensive training for winning medals on international sports arena, the chief minister said this was essential as Delhi was going to host the Commonwealth Games and also likely to host Asian Games in 2014 and Olympics in 2016.

18-acre new campus of the institute, which was the only one of its kind in the capital, was expected to be completed by 2009. It would be developed at a cost Rs 77 crore.

Delhi government would continue to render all possible assistance and support to make it the best capacity utilisation institute, she said.

The institute, which was funded by the state government and affiliated to Delhi University, was functioning from a school building in Vikas Puri in West Delhi for more than last 15 years.

Local MP Sajjan Kumar, MLAs Kulwant Rana and Mukesh Sharma, Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental were also present on the occasion.

UNI