Bhopal: Wushu Players Winning Medals, But Gasping For Academy In Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state Wushu players win a lot of medals every year, but the government has yet to set up an academy or provide any dedicated coach for this game. Wushu is one of the top two sports that contribute the highest number of medals for Madhya Pradesh during the annual National Games. Despite this success, the lack of government support remains a critical issue.

Currently, the only Wushu academy in the state is located in Jabalpur, but it is run by the Wushu Association of Madhya Pradesh, a private entity. The association’s president, DGP NK Tripathi, has personally requested the government several times to establish a state-run academy or training centre to better support the athletes.

Wushu has been played in Madhya Pradesh since 2002, and since then, the players have won over 950 medals across various categories in national championships. In the last three years alone, Madhya Pradesh’s Wushu players have secured between 200 and 250 medals in the National Wushu Championship. At the National Games in Gujarat in 2022, 16 Wushu players from the state participated, winning five medals. In the National Games 2023 in Goa, 17 players competed and brought home six medals.

Madhya Pradesh’s Wushu players have also made their mark on the international stage, winningmore than 100 medals in various competitions.

Sarika Gupta, Vishwamitra award-winning Indian Wushu team coach and the secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Wushu Association, told Free Press that she has repeatedly requested the state’s sports department to establish a government-run academy. She has also met with officials personally to emphasize the need for proper training facilities. She said that MP is home to several distinguished Wushu athletes, including recipients of the Eklavya, Vikram, and Vishwamitra awards. “Despite these achievements, the absence of a government-supported academy continues to hinder the growth and development of the sport in the state”,  added Gupta.

Director of Sports & Youth Welfare department Ravi Kumar Gupta said, “We have not yet considered establishing a Wushu academy. We will conduct an assessment first and then consider the possibility”.