Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat and Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju inaugurated Water Sports and Adventure Institute (WSAI) at Koti Colony Tehri on 16th April, 2021.
The institute is developed as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in the year 2020.
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Tirath Singh Rawat said, “From time to time we organize various adventure activities at places like Bhimtal, Almora, Satpuli, Tehri, etc which has not only attracted tourists but also has given employment to locals here. Our government is making efforts to establish Tehri Lake as an international destination.”
On the occasion, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Rijiju said, “ITBP has better experience of adventure sports which will surely benefit the academy. I can firmly say that if players of the state get proper training and facilities then they have the potential to bring medals in the Olympics. This institute is a new chapter that has been added in the field of sports in the country.”
Adding more to this he said that Uttarakhand is the most suitable place for water sports and adventure activities in the country. Activities such as Trekking, Rock Climbing, Paragliding, Scuba Diving, Para Motor, All-Terrain Bike, Kayaking, Canoeing, Skiing, etc here will surely bring laurels to the country.
He further appreciated the decision of ITBP to run the institute and the efforts of Uttarakhand Government and Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB). He also mentioned that financial support is also being given to develop the Mountaineering and Skiing Institute at Auli which will surely become a center of training internationally.
Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) Colonel Ashwin Pundir (Adventure Wing) said, “An MoU was signed between Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) signed a Memorandum to promote adventure sports activities in Tehri Lake. Under the first phase of the MoU, nearly 25 students were given training for various adventure activities. The next batch will be selected soon.”
On this occasion, Member of Parliament from Tehri, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, ITBP Director General Shri SS Deswal, ITBP ADG Manoj Singh Rawat, Director-General North Frontier Nilabh Kishore, Tehri DM Eva Ashish Srivastava, SDM Ravindra Juventha, District Panchayat President Tehri Sona Sajwan, MLA ITBP officials including Dhan Singh Negi, BJP District President Vinod Raturi, Water Sports Experts from UTDB Mr. Anuj, Land Sports Expert from UTDB Ranveer Singh Negi, Tourism Officials Tehri, State Sports Officer, WSAI Tehri Dam officials were present.
