Tata to open athletics academy

After the success of their football academy, the Tata group is set to start an athletics academy next month.

"The Tata Athletics Academy will be inaugurated by 'Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh on May 29," Tata Steel Managing Director B Muthuraman said at the convocation ceremony of the fifth Tata Football Academy batch in Jamshedpur on Tuesday.

Muthuraman praised the 18 youngsters who graduated from the academy on Tuesday, saying most of them represented India in recent international tournaments.

"The TFA boys performed well in the under-17 and under-19 Asian qualifying championships held in Kolkata and Turkmenistan, the Milk Cup in Ireland, Ian Rush Trophy at Wales and Bimst-EC youth championships at Thailand," he said.

The batch also includes promising forward Malswama, who was selected in the Asian All Star team last year.

Promising defender Gurpreet Singh was awarded the trophy for 'Best Gentleman Cadet of TFA'.

The TFA graduates:

Goalkeepers: Subhasish Roy Choudhury, Shambhu Mistry, Subrato Paul.

Defenders: Debrata Roy, Gurpreet Singh, Habibur Rahman Mondal, M Gouramangi Singh, Praveen Rawat, Subhas Mondol.

Midfielders: Bhola Prasad, Bimanyu Bimal Birwa, Chaitan Mukhi, Chandam Chitrasen Singh, L Karthigan, Sumit Thapa.

Strikers: Jerry Zirsanga, Malsawma, Vanlalrova.