Mangaluru: Yatish Narayan Bangera, president of the Karnataka State Judo Sports Association and a native of Udupi based in Maharashtra, announced plans on Thursday to conduct training camps across Karnataka aimed at preparing young athletes for future Olympic competitions.
Proposal for State Sports Policy
Addressing reporters in Mangaluru, Bangera stated that he would submit a proposal to the state government seeking a comprehensive sports policy to strengthen support for athletes in Karnataka. He emphasized that the sports sector currently lacks strong government backing and stressed the need for long-term planning to nurture talent.
Long-Term Investment in Youth
According to Bangera, the state must invest the next 10 to 20 years in identifying and training young athletes if Karnataka is to produce medal contenders on the international stage. He said his vision is to revive the glory of judo in Karnataka and help India secure maximum medals at the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.
Legacy and Infrastructure Plans
Bangera recalled that Karnataka's judo legacy began with the late Sensei Narayan Bangera in Hejmadi village of Udupi. He also noted that the Bangera legacy was associated with the Bombay Judo Club, established in 1962, even before the formation of the Judo Federation of India. His immediate focus is to build a strong ecosystem for judo in the state by creating better infrastructure and expanding opportunities for athletes. As part of this plan, Bangera proposed setting up state-of-the-art training centres in Udupi, Mangaluru and north Karnataka with government support.
Bangera said the initiative aims to provide structured coaching, modern facilities and sustained encouragement for youth, with the larger goal of making Karnataka a major force in Indian judo.
