Xavier's boys plan smart sports centre

KOLKATA: In a bid to produce sporting heroes, the Alumnorum Societas (St Xavier''s Old Boys'' Association) has initiated an ambitious project of setting up a threestorey centre for sporting excellence on top of the high school gymnasium.
At a recent meeting of ALSOC, the school authorities agreed to the proposal in principle and asked for more project details before giving them the final go-ahead.
According to ALSOC secretary Noomi Mehta, "The project cost has been pegged at Rs 3 crore. There will be a state-of-the-art gymnasium with all the latest gadgets to help young sportsmen develop the right muscle groups for different sporting activities under the watchful supervision of fitness experts. Coaching facilities in cricket, football and hockey will also be offered there. There will be rooms for yoga and meditation classes. The ALSOC is also trying to persuade the Jesuit fathers to allow them to build an indoor swimming pool on the top floor of the new building," Mehta said.
This centre for sporting excellence was part of the grand plans unveiled by the ALSOC to commemorate its silver jubilee year (2003). "To begin with, facilities for indoor cricket and tennis were contemplated, but they were spiked by school authorities," Mehta said.
This apart, a small auditorium and a well-equipped examination hall will also be part of the complex. He is hopeful that once the necessary clearances are obtained, the first phase of the project could commence by the middle of 2005, and the entire complex should be ready by end-2008.
ALSOC has spent about Rs 17 lakh to renovate the school toilets, the staff room and headmaster''s room. The library is also being spruced up and old books are being replaced with updated editions. Internet facilities are also being provided.
Extensive computerisation of the school - a computer for each classroom connected to a central computer - is currently being undertaken.
ALSOC has recently given its vote of confidence to the exchange programmes with Belvedere College, Dublin. "The association between the Xaverians and Belvederians will be further strengthened by this," Mehta asserted.