Anurag Thakur Inaugurates 63rd State Volleyball Championship

Calls for More Coaches and Investment in Sports

Baddi, November 14: Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the 63rd Himachal Pradesh State Volleyball Championship at Kudawala, urging the state to expand sports infrastructure and appoint more coaches to support rising talent. A total of 32 men’s and women’s teams are competing in the three-day event, attended by Volleyball Federation of India President Virender Kanwar and HP Volleyball Association General Secretary Madan Rana.

Thakur said state championships play a crucial role in identifying young athletes and preparing them for camps and national-level selections. He stressed that Himachal urgently needs 250–300 coaches, with an ideal requirement of 500, to ensure meaningful sports development. He added that if the state government fails to act, the Himachal Olympic Association will begin appointing coaches on its own, starting with 20 coaches, followed by 100 more in the next phase.

Highlighting the Centre’s achievements, Thakur said the Modi government established 1100 Khelo India Centres nationwide to build world-class sporting infrastructure. He also proposed launching Himachal State Games, similar to the National Games, to create a strong sports culture and ensure employment-linked benefits for athletes.

Commenting on the Bihar election results, Thakur said the NDA’s victory reflects the public’s trust in the work done under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He said Rahul Gandhi continues to lead Congress “towards a century of defeats.”

Thakur also joined the Sardar@150 Unity March in Una and Hamirpur, paying tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s role in unifying 562 princely states. He said the Statue of Unity stands as a symbol of India’s collective strength and accused Congress of sidelining Patel’s legacy for decades.