Page 43 - Reliance Foundation Annual Report 2021-22
P. 43

Ensuring high-quality

              sporting facilities

              and equipment


              Reliance Foundation is working to develop world-class
              sports infrastructure across India to ensure that young
              athletes have the right equipment to thrive. Reliance
              Foundation under RFYS provides equipment and
              infrastructure grants to develop sports in schools
              and colleges.
                                                                    Carrying hope
              Helping young talent                                  on their shoulders


              maximise their potential                              – Jhilli Dalabehera
                                                                    Coming from humble origins, Odisha weightlifter

              RFYC resumed full-scale training in a bio-bubble with   Jhilli Dalabehera has had an arduous journey in
              a cohort of 65 athletes. Exposure visits to leading   the sport, especially as she moved up weight
              academies overseas were arranged for top prospects.   categories. Hers is a story of grit, perseverance
              RFYC alumni Muhammed Nemil of FC Goa, Thoi Singh      and determination. Her career received a fillip
              of Bengaluru FC and Koustav Das of Hyderabad FC       when she was inducted into the Reliance Foundation
              scored goals for their clubs at the Durand Cup.       Olympics initiative and began to carve a niche for
                                                                    herself. Her hard work paid off when she won two
                                                                    international medals in 2021. She claimed gold
                                                                    in the 45kg category at the Asian Weightlifting
                                                                    Championships, and silver in the 49kg category
                                                                    at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships.

                                                                    Her fellow weightlifter from the Reliance Foundation
                                                                    Olympics initiative, West Bengal’s Achinta Sheuli,
                                                                    also overcame great odds as a teenager to make
                                                                    his mark. Achinta benefited significantly from the
                                                                    initiative’s high-performance support and guidance.
                                                                    His transformation reaped dividends when he won
                                                                    silver at the Junior World Championships, and
                                                                    gold in the 73kg category at the Commonwealth
                                                                    Weightlifting Championships. The latter feat helped
                                                                    him quality directly for the 2022 Commonwealth
                                                                    Games, where he won gold.

                                                                    Jhilli and Achinta also competed at the National
                                                                    Championships, building on their good form. They
                                                                    are among the brightest stars of Indian weightlifting,
                                                                    and with continued support from the Reliance
                                                                    Foundation Olympic initiative, they are poised to
                                                                    make India proud.



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