Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul inaugurated, with a tee-off shot, the Governor's Cup inter-school Final Golf Tournament 2015 at Raj Bhawan Golf Course here this morning.
In his address, Paul said that the coaching and tournament organised by Raj Bhawan Golf Club for school students would create interest of the youngsters in the game and enhance their skills in it. He said golf helped physical development and showed the way to patience , discipline and concentration.
Paul said that sports cultivate sportsman spirit, positivity, focus and leadership qualities among youth. Sports also help the mind to concentrate better in studies, he added.
He also said the tournament was part of the several efforts being made to establish Nainital as a world class Golf destination to boost tourism in the State. This would create direct and indirect employment and strengthen the economy. There was tremendous scope for expanding and developing tourism in Uttarakhand.
For this, he further said, the basic infrastructure would have to be strengthened and tourist destinations in the State would have to be widely publicised and promoted. There was need to consider holding an international golf tournament at the Raj Bhawan Golf Course in the future to popularise it as an international golf destination.
It was an appreciable initiative that school children of public as well as government schools would be trained free of cost at the Golf Course as they had been done for this tournament. This would attract them towards the game and encourage them to learn. He expressed happiness that the executive committee of the tournament had chosen 42 students out of the 132 students of 16 schools for the tournament. It was a good sign that they were taking a lot of interest in the game. "From among these students, we will get future golf champions," he said.
Nainital, due to its natural splendour, its religious significance and its rich cultural heritage, had a special identity. "In November this year, the city will complete 174 glorious years of its existence. Uttarakhand is proud of its lake city that has been a favourite with tourists from all over the world.
The Governor said that after the Gulmarg Golf Course, Nainital Golf Course was the highest golf course with excellent facilities for the game.
Raj Bhawan Golf Course Golf Captain Harish Chandra Shah said that on the initiative of the Governor, the school golf tournament was organised this year. Free of cost coaching started being given to the students in August .Four categories were made on the basis of the age of the students .
Other dignitaries including Kumaon Commissioner AS Nayal, DM (Nainital) Deepak Rawat, SSP Sweety Aggarwal, Secretary (Raj Bhawan Golf Club) Dr YS Rawat and several other were present there.