Kathmandu, May 7

Olympian Sirish Gurung today launched Sirish Foundation with the aim of talent hunt and providing them with the scholarships.

Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Chiranjibi Nepal inaugurated the foundation amidst a function. The foundation would provide scholarships to the players of 15 Olympics sports — athletics, archery, taekwondo, judo, table tennis, badminton, karate, wushu, cycling, weightlifting, triathlon, shooting, lawn tennis, boxing and swimming.

The 18-year-old swimmer Gurung, who holds 14 national records, said that the foundation’s primary objective was to find out talented players between 10 to 14 years from different parts of the country, provide them with regular training, accommodation, sports kits, health check-up and education after consulting with sports associations.

“We will study the heredity, family background as well as their willingness towards sports while picking up the players for training. However, there will be no age limit for special talents,” informed Foundation’s President Gurung. “The Foundation will also focus on players’ psychology, creating friendly environment between player and coach, balance diet as well as on entertainment aspects,” said Gurung.

Gurung started working on the foundation after returning from Rio Olympic Games where he set new national record in the men’s 100m freestyle last year. “I earned some money during the Olympics which I put into the foundation. However, we will seek financial support from the Nepal government, Nepal Olympic Committee as well as private organisations to meet the target set by the foundation,” said Gurung.

To begin with, the foundation picked up the 12th South Asian Games gold medallist Neema Gharti Magar for the next edition of the regional games to be hosted by Nepal in 2019 and 18th Asian Games to be held next year in Indonesia. The foundation would provide all the required facilities to Gharti Magar.

Meanwhile, NRB Governor Nepal said that there were loads of opportunities in sports and the government could be highly benefited from sports sector. “A renounced player can bring money into the country which could be used for the development works,” said Nepal.

Senior Vice-president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Shekhar Golchha, Foundation’s Chief Advisor Ranjit Acharya and Member Jagat Man Shrestha also lauded the Olympian swimmer Gurung and praised Foundation’s objectives.