The Delhi Sports University is set to commence admissions for students in grades 6 to 9 starting in April next year. The operations will be based at the Ludlow Sports Castle in the Civil Lines area of the national capital, according to Vice Chancellor Karnam Malleswari. Emphasizing the advantage of admitting students at a young age, she envisions them being Olympic-ready by the ages of 18 or 19.
Malleswari, a former Olympic medal-winning weightlifter, revealed that university teams will visit sports-centric regions across the country to identify promising talent. The unique feature of the university is its inclusion of a school that will enroll students from a young age and nurture their potential for the Olympics. Admissions are planned to begin in April, targeting students in grades 6 to 9, with the prospect of them remaining within the university until the PhD level.
Initial admissions are projected to enroll 250 students, with classes scheduled to commence at the Ludlow Sports Castle. The curriculum will blend traditional school subjects with a flexible approach, incorporating morning training sessions, followed by classes lasting three hours, lunch, rest, and evening training sessions.
Malleswari outlined a two to three-year timeline for the university’s full readiness, considering the current availability of land. The chosen sports for talent identification include shooting, weightlifting, badminton, table tennis, athletics, swimming, and archery.
To identify talent, university teams will visit recognized sports hubs, conduct trials, and assess physical attributes such as muscle and bone quality to determine the most suitable sports for training. While acknowledging the challenges, Malleswari expressed her readiness to put in the hard work required.
The university has established connections with sports experts and trainers, including Anita Chaunu, associated with Mirabai Chanu’s training academy. Malleswari affirmed plans to visit these training centers to identify potential talent. Despite delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university aims to begin talent identification visits within a month.