What ‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh had once suggested to Mr B Muthuraman, managing director, Tata Steel was finally realised by the company yesterday. After having successfully set up the Tata Football Academy and the Tata Archery Academy in the past, the Tata Athletics Academy was inaugurated with a bang in Jamshedpur, being the first of its kind in the country and devoted to nurturing young talent with the hope of winning that elusive Olympic gold medal. 

Thirteen cadets for the inaugural session have already been inducted after a nationwide recruitment programme, in which the Athletics Federation of India had played a vital part. Mr Lalit Bhanot, secretary, AFI, who was also present on the occasion, said the country had enough infrastructure for competition, but lacked the infrastructure for training. And it was commendable that a company like Tata Steel had come forward for the cause. 

And if beginning shows the day, this academy is headed for success. A new training track and a new hostel has already been sanctioned, said Mr AN Singh, chairman of the academy. Mr S Nikolai, former head coach of the Russian team and presently working in Belarus is expected to join the academy shortly to oversee training programmes of the athletes. 

Milkha. also present yesterday, sounded a warning note besides urging the cadets to reach for the sky. “Performance is what matters,” he said. “If a coach fails to produce desired results, his contract should be terminated. No one should take his job here lightly.” 

Milkha also suggested to Mr Muthuraman the necessity of a rehabilitation programme in case an athlete had to drop out of the programme in case of injury. The veteran also hoped that cadets in the future would be selected on the sole basis of merit and talent and not recommendation. Milkha would play advisor to the academy, visiting Jamshedpur twice a year to see how things were progressing. 

Mr Singh, speaking on the objective of the academy, said the focus was mainly on middle and long distance events. Selection would be done through the AFI’s countrywide network, on which the academy’s expert panel would narrow down. The main idea was to consolidate on few events and specialise on them, he said. 

Mr Bhanot, elaborating on other steps that the AFI was taking, said a three-level certificate course for coaches was being started in September. It would help produce better coaches who could, in turn, produce better athletes. 

Asked about India’s hopes in the forthcoming Olympics, Mr Bhanot said India stood a bright chance in the women’s 4x400m relay. The individual efforts of Anju Bobby George, Neelam J Singh and JJ Shobha could also count, he said.