Chennai: Apart from traffic transportation, Indian Railways has been contributing in the field of sports as well as a part of its CSR initiatives since 1928.
Railways provides eco-system of sports and opportunities to expose sports talent on national and international levels, including Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games, says Rajeev Jain, Additional Director General (PR), Ministry of Railways.
“With its affiliation as associate member of 28 National Sports Federations, Railway Sports Promotion Board with the help of its 33 Zonal Railway and other associated units, has been consistently working on various sports activities with a large number of sportspersons and officials on its roll,” he says in an article.
Railway Sports Promotion Board has been leading sports institution of India with nearly 40 per cent of the top athletes of India on its roll.
According to him, the biggest names in Indian sports have had an association with Indian Railways, including Shri Kishan Lal, Sardar Harvinder Singh, Rajender Singh, Nani Contractor, Lala Amarnath, Diana Edulji, P T Usha, Md Shahid, Bahadur Prasad, Shakti Singh, Shakshi Malik, and current icons like weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, wrestler Ravi Kumar, Bajrang and Amit Rohidas, Nilakant Sharma from Hockey, medalist of Tokyo Olympic Games.