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To promote young talent and foster excellence in sports among girls, the Army is set to raise two Army Girls Sports Companies (AGSC) in a phased manner, sources told The Indian Express.
These companies will be set up at Army’s two Centre of Excellence Nodes — the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow and Army Sports Institute in Pune — and are scheduled to be functional from April.
A senior officer said the Army Sports Companies provide talented soldier sportsmen with facilities, environment, opportunities and the ability to focus on their sports discipline.
“These sports companies have nurtured future champions and have acted as a catalyst in motivating soldiers to take up competitive sports. They operate on well-matured processes that are a prudent mix of scientific sporting knowledge and regimented pride,” the officer said.
The officer said with women soldiers joining the ranks now, extending similar sports facilities is natural and will encourage women soldiers to embark on sporting journeys.
“These sports companies will also serve as feeders to notable centres of sports excellence and enable the Army to field participants in women’s sporting fields,” the officer said.
Drawing from its experience in scouting for young talent through the success of Boys Sports Companies, the Army aims at replicating the same model for girls in sports.
As per sources, the AGSCs will serve as incubators for budding athletes, offering not only rigorous training for the specific stream, but also formal education and other administrative support to hone their skills.
They said these two designated locations will have world-class training infrastructure, sports medicine centres, rehabilitation facilities and coaching amenities, adding that the proximity to senior Army teams and athletes undergoing training at these facilities will serve as a source of motivation for the young girls at AGSCs.
Sources said the initiative is aligned with India’s sports policy to secure more podium finishes at international events like the Olympics and create a robust pipeline of elite athletes capable of competing at the highest level.
A notable success story that exemplifies the potential of this initiative is that of Subedar Preeti Rajak, a champion trap shooter and Asian Games silver medallist.
Identified for her talent and enrolled as a Havildar in the Corps of Military Police in December 2022, she became the first woman soldier to be promoted to Subedar in January 2024. She trained at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow.
Jasmine Lamboria, a bronze medallist in the Commonwealth Games, 2022, was enlisted as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the Army in October 2022.
Sources said these two women highlight the potential for success while inspiring young talent to strive for sporting glory in their respective fields.
“By offering opportunities for recruitment as Direct Entry Non-Commissioned Officers, Direct Entry Junior Commissioned Officers, and enrolment as Agniveers, the AGSCs pave the way for a fulfilling career in the armed forces while pursuing one’s passion for sports,” a source said.
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