Tirupati should host national sports every year: Collector PS Pradyumna

Tirupati: The pilgrim city should become permanent venue for national sports meet for which the National Inter District Junior Athletic Meet (NIDJAM)-2018 to be held from December 1-3 should pave the way, said District Collector PS Pradyumna.

He reviewed the arrangements being made for NIDJAM at SVU Tarakarama stadium here on Tuesday and made several suggestions to the officials. He directed R&B officials to lay permanent running track in the stadium for athletics meet.

Flood lights should be arranged at the stadium on permanent basis so that if any delay is caused due to rains for the tournament, they may be held in the night. He inspected the ongoing painting works, athletic office and media centre at the stadium.

Speaking to the media, the Collector said that their idea was to conduct NIDJAM at Surappakasam near Tirupati by constructing a new stadium at the proposed sports city. But, due to time constraint, that could not be done.

Though, NIDJAM can be held anywhere in the country, with the initiative of the state government, it was being held in Visakhapatnam for the last four years and the government has accepted the request of district administration to give an opportunity for organising the event at Tirupati.  

For the first time, Tirupati will be hosting national sports meet in which 4,000 athletes will be taking part. All the participants will reach Tirupati by November 30 and accommodation will be provided to them at the private college hostels where all facilities are there.

Special care will be taken to provide variety food to athletes coming from different states. An app ‘NIDJAM.com’ was made available for the participants, who can know their accommodation and liaison officer details from it.

To organise the event, 20 committees were formed, he stated and called upon the denizens to visit the event directly by visiting the stadium. MLA M Suguna, Municipal Corporation Commissioner V Vijay Rama Raju, Sub Collector Dr R Mahesh Kumar, TUDA Secretary K Madhavi Latha, Joint Collector-II VR Chandramouli, SETVEN CEO S Lakshmi and other officials were with the Collector.

Chittoor: Ministers K Atchannaidu, Kollu Ravindra and Amaranatha Reddy, Chittoor MP Dr N Sivaprasad and ZP Chairperson Girvani will attend as chief guests for the NIDJAM. Special Chief Secretary L V Subramanyam, TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal, Athletic Federation of India (AFI) President Adille J Sumariwalla, AFI Secretary C K Valson and Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) Vice-Chairman M V Seshagiri Babu will attend as special invitees, a press release said.