Hyderabad: Labour and Mines Minister G. Vivek Venkatswamy inaugurated the Spotlight Cricket Ground at Pratap Singaram on Saturday and urged students to give equal importance to sports and academics.
He opened the Spotlight Cricket Ground by cutting the ribbon and releasing balloons. On the occasion, he congratulated the organisers for building a quality facility and praised their push to promote cricket at the grassroots level.
He stressed that education must go hand in hand with physical activity. Therefore, he asked youngsters to limit time on television and social media. Instead, he encouraged them to spend more time on playgrounds to build fitness and discipline. According to him, sports nurture team spirit and shape character.
Cricket, he said, continued to unite people across the country. Moreover, he described it as the most popular sport with unmatched reach.
For over two decades, he had observed Narsimha Reddy’s dedication to cricket. In addition, he expressed happiness that Ranjith was emerging as a promising player.
Spotlight Cricket Ground gains momentum amid rural expansion plans
During his tenure as President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, he worked to develop grounds in the city’s outskirts and remote areas. Furthermore, he noted that cricket matches were recently organised in the name of Kaka Venkatswamy.
The Minister pointed out that several changes were taking place in cricket. As a result, he advised young players to make the most of new opportunities. Referring to Supreme Court guidelines, he clarified that cricket passes must not exceed 15 per cent.
He also stated that a cricket ground had been established in his native Moinabad. Notably, the facility was receiving a positive response from young players.
Sharing personal memories, he recalled travelling by scooter to play cricket during his time at Osmania Medical College. In his view, accessible coaching facilities in rural areas would help uncover hidden talent.
Later, the Minister visited the Zilla Parishad High School at Pratap Singaram. On National Science Day, he inspected a science exhibition organised by students. Thereafter, he interacted with them to review their models and experiments. Finally, he appreciated their efforts and encouraged them to excel in both academics and sports.
