Bhopal: The Indian Navy on Saturday inaugurated its premier Naval Sailing Node at Upper Lake, popularly known as Bhojtal, in Bhopal.
The inauguration ceremony was led by Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi in the presence of senior defence officials, civil administration representatives, NCC cadets and students.
To mark the occasion, more than 30 naval personnel from the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre (INWTC), Visakhapatnam, along with Navy rowing, kayaking and canoeing teams, showcased a Sail Parade and water sports demonstrations.
The Indian Navy said watermanship training has always been an important part of naval training, helping build teamwork, discipline and competitive spirit among personnel.
The newly developed Sailing Node is designed as a state-of-the-art training facility and will be used extensively by the Indian Navy Sailing Team, Navy rowing, canoeing and kayaking teams, as well as NCC cadets.
Officials noted that 17 members of the 34-member Navy Sailing Team are from Madhya Pradesh, and the facility is expected to encourage more youth from the state to take up competitive water sports and join the defence forces.
The initiative is also aimed at supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of developing world-class sporting talent for events such as the Olympics and Asian Games, while aligning with the goals of the National Sports Policy to expand India’s talent pool in competitive sports
