Bula seeks corporate aid for proposed swimming academy

Jamshedpur, May 27 (UNI) Ace swimmer Bula Chowdhury sought the corporate sponsorship for her proposed swimming academy at Eastern Metropolitan by-pass on the outskirt of Kolkata.

Bula, who came here to offer tips to the budding swimmers at a summer camp at the newly-built swimming pool at JRD Tata sports complex here yesterday, said she had already received green signal from the Urban Development Ministry of West Bengal government for allotment of land for the academy. But she had planned to approach the corporate houses like Tata Steel and Sahara groups for adequate funding to run the academy.

Bula, also a CPI(M) MLA from Nandanpur (West Midnapore), said the government should make swimming a compulsory subject in the school curriculum for grooming champions. '' There are no dearth of talents in our country but we need adequate infrastructure and proper coaching from the young age, '' the Arjuna Awardee said.

Bula, who set a world record to become the first swimmer to cross eight channels including English channel twice, spreading in the five continents, felt the Indian swimmers should think to go beyond the Asian level.' 'We are, somehow, good at Asian level but to match the world standard the concerned authorities should do some scientific research to iron out the drawbacks,'' she said.

She suggested and advocated to open up swimming academies across the country with modern facilities and trained coaches.

''We must do something to streamline swimming affairs in the country'' said the winner of Tenzing Norgay Adventure Sports Awardee.

Bula, who was accompanied by her international swimmer husband Sanjib Chakaaborty, swam with the young boys and girls and offered valuable tips. She was thrilled to see the Olympic-size swimming pool here.

UNI