In a move that is expected to give a major boost to the traditional sport of archery in the tribal heartland of Bhadrachalam, the State government has set up an archery mini-academy at the Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential School (TTWRS) for girls in Bhadrachalam.
Girl students of TW residential schools run by Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TTWREIS) having a flair for archery will be trained by instructors with a proven track record in the traditional game at the mini-academy, sources said.
Several budding archers from the Agency areas, particularly those who had undergone training in archery at the Tribal Welfare Residential Sports School near Kinnerasani dam site in Palvancha mandal, have brought laurels to the district owing to their natural flair for the traditional game in the past.
Bhadrachalam MLA Sunnam Rajaiah inaugurated the mini-academy in the presence of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency project officer Pamela Satpathy at the school premises in the temple town on Monday. Senior archery coach P. Shankaraiah, officials of the TTWREIS Khammam region and the school staff were present.
Meanwhile, a volleyball mini-academy and a ball badminton mini-academy were inaugurated at the TTWRS for boys near Kinnerasani dam site and the Sudimalla-based TTWRS for girls in Yellandu mandal, respectively, on Monday.