Mission Olympics: Hyderabad Public School to invest Rs 25 cr to produce Olympians

HYDERABAD: The city's prestigious Hyderabad Public School(HPS) is on a 'Mission Olympics Mode,' to invest Rs 25 crore in establishing hard and soft infrastructure with the audacious aim of producing Olympic-level athletes from the School.

Continuing its tradition of driving excellence and achieving rare distinctions in multiple areas of human endeavor, the prestigious Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet on Saturday announced an ambitious plan aimed at producing Olympians.

The school has identified cycling, swimming, shooting, and other sports for this purpose and plans to invest up to Rs. 25 crores over the next five years in creating world-class physical infrastructure and acquiring the necessary trainers, coaches, and know-how in these areas to develop their students into Olympic caliber athletes.

The School has announced the formation of a Cycling Club in accordance with this mission. Sir Graham Watson, President of the World Cycling Association, was the Principal Guest at the event. Guests of honour included Dr. D. V. Manohar, First Vice-President of the World Cycling Alliance, and T. Satyanarayana Reddy, President of the Hyderabad Bicycling Club. The celebration was presided over by Gusti J. Noria, President of the Hyderabad Public School Society. Dr. Madhav Deo Saraswat, Principal of HPS Begumpet, spoke to the students, faculty, and guests.

HPS's 120-acre campus is home to numerous sporting facilities, including an Olympic-size swimming pool, cricket pitches, football fields, and a shooting range. HPS is also one of the only schools in the country with a shooting range.

Following the launch, Sir Graham led a campus-wide bicycle rally of students and instructors. Following that, he shared with the students his opinions on cycling as a sport, as well as his lifelong experience in cycling that led to his leadership of the World Cycling Association. He encouraged them to take up cycling as a sport, which has numerous advantages, including improved individual health and the environment.

The HPS Cycling Club is meant to be multi-purpose and includes amenities such as a world-class cycling track. It would allow students to compete in both racing and cross-country cycling tournaments. The School would have the best infrastructure for an introduction to the athletic world with the multi-faceted cycling club. Under the guidance of professionals, the students would be mentored and trained. This would establish a new standard for preparing students to compete in the Olympics.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Saraswat said, “The School has always focused on sport-integrated learning, in line with the New Education Policy. We have envisaged a curriculum that can nurture the sports talent in our school. With the advent of the Cycling Club, we are taking our curriculum

to the next level by ensuring holistic development of students and turning out athletic stars from HPS.”

Mr. Noria said, “We have already made a mark in academics and business through our excellent curriculum. We, at HPS, are aware of the importance of sports and this club will cater to the students aiming big in sports. The school will create an ecosystem for students to nurture their athletic talent in cycling. With an increased focus on developing the sports infrastructure at the

School, post including swimming and shooting ranges, we will ensure all-round development of students.”

The inaugural day was marked by a heart-touching speech by Chief Guest, Sir Graham, an avid cyclist himself, who shared his thoughts on how grassroots-level efforts can create world-class champions. The event received a huge support from 30 cycling enthusiasts who are a part of the school’s unparalleled network of alumni as well as the keen parents who cheered for their wards.

Sir Graham Watson, President, World Cycling Alliance, said, “Cycling ticks so many boxes for government and society. It reduces traffic congestion, improves health, combats obesity and diabetes, cuts carbon emissions and helps us meet 11 of the 16 United Nations Millennium Development Goals. I am pleased that Hyderabad Public School has teamed up with the Hyderabad Cycling Club and the All India Bicycling Federation to establish this new Club, which will encourage young people to adopt healthier lifestyles. Last month I had the pleasure to visit your city’s new 23 km solar-powered cycle path with our Vice President D. V. Manohar. I can see

that Hyderabad is at the leading edge of new thinking in India. There is an alternative to traffic congestion and air pollution in India: build more cycle paths and promote a cycling culture. In line

with its admirable tradition of breaking new ground, Hyderabad Public School is showing a lead.”

The School is spearheading this new initiative to bring out the best athletes among its students and to ensure that HPS produces a world cycling champion in the time to come. Hyderabad has been the land of athletes and this club is another feather in the cap of the city. The School also aims to cultivate greener practices through this club across the city and set an example for the entire country.