Government of Odisha, through Sports and Youth Services Department (DSYS) and Swimming Federation of India (SFI), today entered into a partnership to develop, promote and expand the swimming ecosystem in the state of Odisha and India.

Through this partnership, Odisha will provide support and sponsor SFI and the Federation in conjunction with Odisha State Swimming Association (OSSA) will provide their technical expertise. According to a DSYS release, the partnership will be valid for one year extendable to five years, under mutually agreed terms.

DSUS Commissioner-cum-Secretary R Vineel Krishna and SFI Secretary General Monal Chokshi signed the Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of SFI Senior Vice President and FINA Bureau member Virendra Nanavati, on the side lines of the ongoing Mens Junior Hockey World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

The partnership, over the next five years, will be towards the  holistic development of the sport from grassroot to elite, include conduct of  national and international repute swimming competitions and events and conduct ‘Train the Trainers’ courses in Odisha.

Vineel Krishna said, “Swimming is a major discipline in multi events. The sport has a lot of potential to grow and many young swimmers are showing great prospect at the national level.  We are delighted to partner with SFI for the holistic development of the sport of swimming in Odisha. The Federation will assist in developing all forms of aquatic sports in the state and to produce elite swimmers. This partnership will enable us to collaborate to also conduct national and international repute aquatic championship in Odisha.”

“Our Biju Patnaik Swimming Pool Complex at Kalinga Stadium is one of the finest swimming infrastructure in the country and we are strengthening our grassroot swimming training centres too. Our High Performance Partnership with JSW Sports and this association with SFI will give an added impetus to the sport of swimming,” he added.

Speaking on the partnership, SFI Secretary General Chokshi shared, “We are very excited with the signing of the agreement between SFI and the Odisha Government for development of aquatic sport in Odisha and the country. This is an important milestone for SFI and I am certain this partnership will be an enduring relationship to take aquatic sport in the country to uncharted heights.”
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PHOTO: DSYS Secretary R Vineel Krishna (R ), SFI Secretary General Monal Chokshi (C) and SFI Senior Vice-President Virendra Nanavati at the MoU signing in Bhubaneswar on 4 December 2021.