P.T. Usha Opens Telangana Olympic Bhavan, Stresses Need for Athlete-Focused Sports Framework

Hyderabad: The newly constructed Telangana Olympic Bhavan at LB Stadium was formally opened on Thursday by Indian Olympic Association President P.T. Usha, who emphasised the importance of creating a sports ecosystem centred on athletes' needs with robust transparency and accountability measures.

The inauguration ceremony saw the presence of Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari, Government Advisor A.P. Jitender Reddy, Sports Authority Chairman Shivasena Reddy, Managing Director Soni Baladevi, alongside various sports officials and athletes from the state.

Usha hailed the new facility as a significant development in the state's sporting landscape. She outlined that the Telangana Olympic Bhavan would serve dual purposes—functioning as an administrative headquarters while simultaneously working to advance the Olympic movement across the region.

The IOA President underscored that athlete welfare should form the bedrock of all sports administration decisions. She also called upon emerging talent to combine discipline with dedication and consistent effort in their pursuits, while simultaneously appealing to sports organisations to enhance their training programmes and infrastructure offerings.

Sports Minister Srihari drew parallels to legendary athletes Milkha Singh and P.T. Usha during his remarks, emphasising their contributions to Indian sports. He voiced concern about young people's engagement with social media, advocating instead for greater participation in athletic pursuits.

The Minister outlined the Telangana government's vision under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to establish sporting facilities meeting international standards and nurture athletes capable of winning medals on the global stage. He called on aspiring competitors to leverage the government's resources and work towards securing international recognition for the nation.