Hyderabad: Minister Azharuddin said Telangana had grown into a centre for sporting talent, and he pointed out that many athletes reached the international stage. He noted that several trained at the Gopichand Academy. Moreover, he said sports grounds continued to shape athlete development and that the government now supported football along with other disciplines. He spoke during the “Olympic Gold Quest” discussion on Day 2 of the Telangana Rising Global Summit, where Anil Kumble, Pullela Gopichand, PV Sindhu, Ambati Rayudu and Jwala Gutta also participated.
Azharuddin said Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Jwala Gutta brought global recognition to Telangana. Furthermore, he said athletes should not face financial hurdles while building their careers. He added that the State’s sports policy offered strong benefits; however, athletes still required steady government backing. He stressed the need for financial support and stable jobs so they could progress without pressure.
Sindhu and Gopichand stress support, vision and long-term planning
PV Sindhu said many factors shaped a sportsperson’s success, and infrastructure remained central to that growth. She added that trained coaches played a major role as well. Moreover, she said athletes needed encouragement at every stage. Sindhu added that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy supported sports strongly, and therefore the coming years looked promising for Telangana’s players.
Pullela Gopichand said Hyderabad stood among the best cities in India. Additionally, he praised the Chief Minister’s Vision 2047 and called it impressive. He said Revanth Reddy showed personal commitment to sports, and plans for a Sports City, a Sports University and Sports Hubs demonstrated that approach. Moreover, Gopichand said these ideas would help children stay fitter and take part in sports more actively. He added that the Chief Minister remained one of the fittest leaders in the country. Finally, he said he felt pleased to join the summit and expressed hope for Telangana’s sporting future.