Sports minister Kiren Rijiju launched the Khelo India Community Coach Development programme for 15,000 physical education teachers and coaches around the country.
The 25-day programme was inaugurated by Rijiju on Monday evening.
Terming it a critical and far-reaching programme which will further boost India’s objective of becoming a sporting nation, Rijiju said: “Earlier physical education in school used to be an ad-hoc arrangement and never given much importance. But if India has to be a sporting superpower we need to create a culture of sports in the country.
“Community coaches and physical education teachers have a big role to play in reaching every child in every corner of India and motivating them to take up sports and fitness as part of their daily life. If the culture of sports can be developed, champions will automatically emerge.”
He said fitness has slowly become a way of life for Indians.
“We will work closely with the HRD ministry and start taking this to every school in India. Fitness should be a part of daily life, not something optional. This is the beginning and in a few years, this will have far-reaching effects and India will turn into a fitter country,” Rijiju said.
The course module will equip physical education teachers and community coaches with the right set of knowledge and skills to help children of all ages to take up a variety of fitness-related activities and conduct age-appropriate fitness tests.
Besides regular sessions will be be conducted by eminent educationists in the field of fitness and physical education.
In the inaugural session, professor Rosa Lopez De’Amico, president of the International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women, and professor Darlene Kluka, vice president of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education, were the guest speakers.
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