Manipal, (The Hindu): Former Indian cricketer Robin Singh visited the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) here on Thursday to explore the possibility of starting a sports academy at the university, not just for cricket but other games as well.

Impressed with the facilities available at the university, the all-rounder was keen to emulate the Chennai Academy here as well.

MAHE Pro-Chancellor H.S. Ballal, Vice-Chancellor H. Vinod Bhat, Registrar Narayan Sabhahit, Sports Secretary Vinod Nayak, along with other officials of the university, and Krishna Prasad, president of Udupi District Cricket Association, discussed various aspects of running an academy.

Dr. Ballal said that apart from MAHE students, the talented students of the Academy of General Education and Dr. T.M.A. Pai Foundation could be considered if an academy for sports were to start.

Mr. Singh expressed a concern that most parents in the country have — combining education and sports. “It is very difficult to combine the two and it is also hard to impress upon parents to send their children out for sports. Everyone talks of fitness and lifestyle, but no one really comes out to encourage sports,” he said.

To that, Dr. Bhat said, “In the United States, for example, where sports is encouraged and is a part of the education system. India does not have anything of the sort. As a result, what happens is that hundreds of sportsmen find themselves nowhere if they are not selected to play.”

Speaking about the facilities at the university, Mr. Singh said they were ideal for an academy.