BHOPAL, 18 July 2005 — Madhya Pradesh Governor Dr. Balram Jakhar inaugurated the Director General of Electronics & Mechanical Engineers (DGEME) Sailing Trophy Championship-2005 at the Boat Club in the picturesque Upper Lake here on Saturday evening. He declared the championship open. It is being organized by EME Sailing Club under the auspices of 3 EME Center at Bhopal, the capital city of central state of Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Jakhar lauded the efforts of Brig. P.K. Jaggia, Commandant of the 3 EME Center & patron of EME Sailing Club, for hosting, for the first time, a national level sailing championship in Bhopal as well as in Madhya Pradesh. He said the Upper Lake, spread over 31 sq. kms. is ideal locale to conduct the water sports events of the level of Asian Games when it is held in India in future. The occasion was marked by the presence of high ranking civil and military dignitaries. The governor was introduced to the sailors, who have come from all over India. Presence of three local sailors was also appreciated by him.
The main competitions of the championship will conclude on July 19. In all 25 Indian sailors of national and international repute will flex their muscles to vie for top honors in the DGEME Sailing Trophy Championship-2005.
According to Brig. Jaggia with the motto ‘Harnessing Wind Power’, the championship would witness Enterprise, Laser class and veteran OK Dinghy boats in action. The jury will be from the Yachting Association of India (YAI).
In the Laser fleet, Subedar Rajesh Choudhary, VSM, who had won bronze medal in Busan Asian Games-2001 and gold medal in Asian Championship-2004, is one among the national and international level names glorifying the event. Other sailors include Purushottam, A. K. Yadav etc. Captains S. Kavitha Reddy and Freny Francies, the women officers, would also be participating in the championship, he added.
Brig. Jaggia said that EME Sailing Club has long plans to promote the sports among the locals of Bhopal and develop a synergy in water sports arena, and consequently teams from Madhya Pradesh Directorate of Sports & Youth Welfare Department and Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation are also competing in the event.
He said the sailing industry in India is still in its infancy, smaller countries like Thailand, Malaysia are way ahead of India and have an established sailing industry including Marinas. Though India has a 3,000 km coastline but to date there is no Marina.
Col. Atul Mishra, chairman of the organizing committee, said regular sailing activities would continue even after the championship is over. The championship will provide a platform for the sailors in Bhopal, he added.
Maj. Bhuvan Khare, Hon. Secretary EME Sailing Club, said that Bhopal has got one of the most beautiful lakes in the country, with huge potential to develop as a nodal center for sailing, being located so centrally in the country to generate new sailors who can participate in national and international level championship and put Bhopal on the sailing map of India. He said that more than 25 boats, each costing roughly Rs. 350,000, are taking part in the championship. The EME Sailing Club was established in 1999 and is affiliated to YAI.
He said that the event is supported by the Directorate of Sports & Youth Welfare Department and MP Tourism Corporation, M/s Airtel (Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd.), State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Hindustan Times Media Ltd. and Jehan Numa Palace Hotel.
