Army Sports Institute in Pune selected for national award

The Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune has been awarded Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2020 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The ASI was raised as part of Indian Army’s ‘Mission Olympics’ programme on 01 Jul 2001. The aim was to train the vast reservoir of talent in the Army in selected seven disciplines to include archery, athletics, boxing, diving, fencing, weightlifting and wrestling with an ultimate aim of winning medals at Olympics.

The institute draws its sportsmen from Army as well as from young raw and proven talent in ‘Boys Sports Companies’ (8-14 years age). These sportsmen are supported by a team of foreign, Indian coaches, physical conditioners, specialists in Sports Medicine, Physiology, Psychology, Biomechanics, Statistics and Nutrition. In the Army Sports Institute, the sportsmen have been the ‘Centre of Gravity’ and ‘Team ASI’ is constantly inspired by these human bodies endowed with discipline, dedication, determination and devotion.

The Institute has made spectacular progress and given an inspired performance in international competitions including Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships. Since raising the institute has enabled participation of twenty sportsmen in Olympics and twelve (12) sportsmen have already qualified for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics with more yet to qualify. The Institute has won six (06) Youth Olympic Medals, nineteen (19) medals in Asian Games and eighteen medals (18) in Commonwealth Games. In the last three years itself, the sportsmen trained at ASI have won 450 International and 1118 National medals with number of firsts and records. In the last three editions of Khelo India, the sportsmen have won 125 medals in five disciplines. The success achieved is being done through igniting the minds to engage in ‘Big Thinking’ coupled with ownership, perseverance and passion.

Prime Minister Task Force constituted to assess various institutions across the country unequivocally states that the Task Force has no hesitation in saying that the facilities at ASI, Pune, outclass the facilities, system and manpower at most other sporting institutions in the country. The service of expert coaches, support staff of ASI should be utilized more in National camps and tournaments.