J&K BJP President and Member of Parliament Sat Sharma along with Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Jammu East constituency Yudhvir Sethi along with former Minister and BJP J&K Vice President Priya Sethi on Tuesday visited the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Museum established by noted sports administrator Prof. Ashutosh Sharma at Karan Nagar in Jammu.
Hony General Secretary Wushu Federation of India Vijay Saraf, Vice President Gymnastic Federation of India Kiran Wattal, President Athletic Association Jammu and Kashmir Sunil Mahajan, Vice President Judo Federation of India Vikas Gupta, General Secretary Boxing Association Jammu and Kashmir Rajan Sharma, Senior Vice President Athletic Association Jammu and Kashmir Ravinder Singh, General Secretary Yoga Association Jammu and Kashmir Vinod Bhatia, Sunit Raina, Swati Sharma Raman Sharma, Shekher Soni, Yudhvir Manyal and others were also present
During the visit, Sat Sharma appreciated the remarkable contribution of Prof. Ashutosh Sharma towards the promotion and development of sports in Jammu and Kashmir as well as across the country.
Sat Sharma described the museum as a treasure house of sports history and said the contribution of Prof. Sharma to Indian sports administration and sports promotion is remarkable and inspiring for the younger generation.
Sat Sharma stated that the younger generation should learn from the hard work, discipline and commitment of former sports personalities and administrators who devoted their lives to sports promotion.
He added that such initiatives help preserve the rich sporting heritage and inspire budding sportspersons to excel at national and international levels.
Sat Sharma expressed admiration for the vast collection preserved by Prof. Sharma, which dates back to 1969 when he started serving in various important positions in the Central Government, the Indian Olympic Association, national sports federations and state sports associations.
“The pioneering role played by senior sports administrators and players should become a guiding force and source of inspiration for aspiring sportspersons,” Sat Sharma said.
Yudhvir Sethi and Priya Sethi also noted that the museum houses valuable souvenirs, trophies and memorabilia related to numerous tournaments and sporting events organised by Prof. Sharma in different parts of the world.
They congratulated Prof. Ashutosh Sharma for pursuing his passion for sports since childhood with true sportsman spirit. They termed the museum visit as a delightful and enriching experience and wished him continued success in life.
Earlier, Prof. Sharma briefed the visiting dignitaries about his six-decade-long journey in the field of sports at the state, national and international levels. He informed them that the museum contains a rare private collection of sports memorabilia, including vintage photographs from various sporting events, historical mementos, certificates, trophies and Olympic and Asian Games-related items.
Prof. Sharma has served the Indian Olympic Association as Executive Member and Joint Secretary since 1973 and is presently the senior-most member of the association. He has also remained associated with several national sports federations and is regarded as one of the country’s distinguished sports administrators.