Laxmi Ratan Shukla sets up sports academy

Bengal's Minister of State for Sports and former member of the Indian cricket team Laxmi Ratan Shukla is all set to flag off his sports academy (LRS Bangla Sports Academy) that will train youngsters not just in football and cricket but also in gymnastics.

Shukla, who won from his North Howrah seat by a huge margin last year, had wanted to start this state-of-the-art training facility even before he picked up his new portfolio at Nabanna at the behest of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2016. The academy, which has come up near Dumurjala Stadium in Howrah, has been built on land provided by the Howrah Municipal Corporation — HMC — which is also revamping the Dumurjala Stadium. Students from different districts will be recruited through online applications and then screened at the academy before they can join. There will be free coaching camps for Under-19 players in the field of cricket but all selections will be vetted by contacting local panchayat authorities to ensure that the players come from low-income groups. "Most of the selectors and trainers will apply their experience as players while choosing the candidates as many of them have played in Bengal team or for top clubs," said a source close to Shukla.

Saurasish Lahiri, an experienced cricketer of the Bengal team will assist Shukla in this venture. The minister will also spend time at the academy overseeing things as and when possible.

The first cricket camp is expected to take off in April-May this year. It will take some more time to kickstart football coaching, it is known. The academy will diversify into other sports later on. It is all set for a formal mega launch on April 15 and it is expected that the Chief Minister, who campaigned for him last year, will inaugurate it.