The Birla Gagan Narang High Performance Centre in Shooting, set up by the Gagan Narang Sports Promotion Foundation in partnership with the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Odisha and the Aditya Birla Group has commenced operation in Bhubaneswar with the launch of the Odisha Talent Adoption Programme (OTAP) with a two pronged approach to develop a shooting sport eco-system in the State.

First, training of existing rifle shooters in the high performance camp is being conducted at Odisha Rifle Association Range, Bhubaneswar, by Coach Yunarti Ilyas.

The High Performance Training Camp for National Level athletes from Odisha will be conducted for rifle and pistol shooters in association with the Odisha Rifle Association (ORA). The camp at ORA is focused to prepare the national athletes for the upcoming National Shooting Tournament in Bhopal from  December 7 to January 3.

Second, is ‘Talent Identification’, which is currently being carried out across schools in Bhubaneswar. Various meta cognitive and physical tests are being conducted to identify naturally talented children for the sport of shooting in the age group of 11-14. The scientific tests are being currently carried out in Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) for 1,000 children. A total of 4,000 children from various schools of Bhubaneswar will undergo talent identification test under OTAP and a total of 200 children will be selected, who will undergo the fully funded training at Kalinga Stadium.

Sports and Youth Services Minister Tusharkanti Behera said, “We aim to provide state of art facilities and rigorous training and groom the best shooting talent in the State into future national and international players. Requisite camps have been structured and talented coaches have been engaged to take this objective forward.”

The permanent shooting range to be set up in Info valley over 20 acres will be one of the best and will be hosting national and international competitions, two years from now, he added.

Chairman, Utkal Alumina International Limited, Aditya Birla Group, Suryakant Mishra said, “Today, athletes from Odisha are bringing laurels in different sporting fields. The centre will be a hub for aspiring and talented shooters of the State to build a career in the field.”