By Bipin Sharma
New Delhi (30/10/2022): The much awaited first of its kind “8AM Sports Diet Scholarship” for North East youths was officially launched and awarded to selected budding sporting champs from North East at a ceremony hosted at the State Banquet Hall in Ita Nagar on 27th October’2022. The 8AM Sports Diet Scholarship comprises a nutritious breakfast diet from this Olympics to the next Olympics and a one-time monetary Scholarship of Rs10,001/. The Chief Guest of the event was Taba Tedir, Education Minister and Arunachal Olympic Association President.
In all, a total of 50 budding sports champs had been chosen to be awarded the 8AM Sports Diet Scholarship. During the course of the event, 29 champions were awarded the diet hamper and a one-time monetary scholarship of Rs 10,001/. The diet hampers and one-time scholarship cheques have been couriered to the remaining awardees who could not make it for the event.
The 50 chosen sports champs are pursuing sports as their career, and happen to be National/State level medal winners below 20 years of age from different sports category recognized by the Indian Olympic Association. They are the bonafide residents of North Eastern states.
Buoyed by the glory that Indian athletes brought to the nation in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, the idea of a Sports Diet Scholarship was conceived by Major Vishal Bakshi (VSM), M.D V.R Industries.
The project took wings when Major Bakshi got in touch with First IPS from Arunachal Pradesh Robin Hibu (President Helping Hands NGO) who assured him of all possible support in giving shape to this ambitious plan.
Lauding the efforts of Helping Hands and the sponsors, Minister Tedir said, “The state of Arunachal Pradesh has humongous sports potential. The small 17 member state team created a record of sorts in the recently concluded 36th National Games in Ahmedabad, Gujarat when the contingent won seven medals. The need for nutritious food stuffs for players to play well would be solved by this much needed scholarship. Initiatives such as “Sports Diet Scholarship” would play a vital role in transforming Arunachal into a Sports House of India. Our aim should be to make Arunachal Pradesh the National Sports Hub of the country.”
It was quite an uphill task for Helping Hands NGO as they had to first meticulously choose the most promising sports champions from the different North East states and this they did, by working in sync with Indian Olympic Association. The second big challenge before the Helping Hands Team was to ensure the various logistics in ensuring a hassle free delivery of Sports Diet Scholarship to champions from seven sister states of North East as well as the mountain state of Sikkim.
V.R Industries that has been serving the Armed Forces for the last three decades by offering its wide range of breakfast cereals has launched a unique “8AM Sports Diet Scholarship” in sync with Helping Hands NGO for promoting budding sports champions from the eight North Eastern states of the country.
Says Maj. Vishal Bakshi, “Launch of “Sports Diet Scholarship” irrefutably marks a new era for sports in India. Inspired by the current wave in our country about “Sabka Prayas” and innovative initiatives of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, V.R Industries got inspired to contribute their bit towards promoting sports and budding champions in the country. We chose North Eastern states for awarding the first of its kind Sports Diet Scholarship for primarily two reasons, first their abundant sporting talent, and second, to help bring countless of unsung heroes to the fore by giving them the much needed nutritious diet that can make all the difference in the world. To begin with, we are offering scholarship for 50 budding sports champs who wish to pursue sports as their career. The 8AM Sports Diet Scholarship comprises a nutritious breakfast diet from this Olympics to the next Olympics and a one-time monetary Scholarship of Rs10,001/. More importantly, 8AM breakfast cereals being all indigenous “Made in India” products, it will help give a big fillip to the “AatmaNirbhar Bharat Campaign”, and thus play a critical role in helping promising youths of the country fulfill their long cherished dreams of excelling at the Olympics. The breakfast diet includes Corn Flakes, Muesli, Instant Porridge, Oats, and Trail Mix. We have been promoting everything that is “Made in India”. We wholeheartedly support the jargon “Make in India- Made for the World” as well as “Vocal for Local”. As an entrepreneur, I firmly believe that we must all contribute our bit towards “Nation Building”. India is on the threshold of becoming a global superpower with initiatives such as “Make in India”, “Skill India” and “Digital India”.
Shares IPS Robin Hibu (President of Helping Hands NGO), “North East states have immensely contributed in bringing sporting laurels to the nation. 5-time World Amateur Championship winner MC Mary Kom, Mirabai Chanu and Lovelina Borgohain need no introduction. Helping Hands NGO happens to be one of the largest virtual NGO serving the North East fraternity. It’s been an extremely challenging journey for the entire team of Helping Hands so far, and I have no qualms in saying that I have never shied from taking the less travelled roads. I am pledged to serving the North East People in distress, and empowering them by creating awareness, providing legal-emergency assistance as well as healthcare–education facilities. We have been spreading all round awareness among people about the need to ensure their overall wellbeing, and to shield them from any discrimination. Every member of the society, and every state is an integral component of the country, and in the true sense, happens to be the mainstream segment of our country and the pluralistic society. The seven sister states of the North Eastern namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura’ certainly being no exception, it thus becomes the duty of every citizen to ensure their safety and security. Integration of all states and UTs of the country will play a key role in realizing our ambitious dream of ‘New India’.”
Adds Major Bakshi, “There is no dearth of sporting talent in the country, but ironically, the reason why we still trail in mega sporting carnivals like Olympics is because we do not promote healthy balanced diet to match up to the standards of the international athletes. While talent can be God gifted, the same cannot be said for fitness as one needs to toil hard for maintaining a fit n’ fine body. Besides following specific fitness regimes in the daily lifestyle, it is imperative to augment it with a healthy and balanced diet for ensuring a fit and healthy body. Let us remember one thing clearly, “Jo fit hai wo Hit hai” meaning that one who is holistically fit stands more prospects of scaling new peaks. Health being an important aspect of life, both the government and the key stakeholders need to give it top most priority. There can’t be any ambiguity about the fact that a healthy lifestyle can only be maintained by inculcating healthy eating habits. It is ideal for Sportspersons, Doctors, Armed Forces personnel’s, to remain in the pink of their health.”
