Veteran runner and national medalist Achinto Pramanik has been nominated as the secretary of the newly-formed Masters Athletics Association, Jharkhand.
He was unanimously nominated to the post by representatives from different districts at a meeting held on the Ramchandrapur football ground in Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Sunday.
The 67-year-old resident of Gamharia, who has won medals in national masters athletics championships, said he would try work towards promotion and betterment of athletics in the state by involving veteran athletes. “I have competed in masters athletic championships and am aware of the problems faced by athletes. They have to arrange funds on their own to compete in national competitions. It’s a big problem,” he remarked.
Pramanik, who stills maintains his fitness by running daily on the Tata-Kandra road, said the new outfit would try to find sponsors and would also generate funds on its own.
Others who were nominated to different posts of the association include - Avinash Soren as president (Seraikela-Kharsawan), Laxman Upadhyay (Ranchi) and Jagan Babu (East Singhbhum) as vice-presidents, Nishanand Mahto (West Singhbhum), Rayel Bakhla (Ranchi) and Ashok Nayak (Seraikela-Kharsawan) as assistant secretaries, Chinand Rakhal Das as treasurer, with Bhairav Pramanik and Tapas Pramanik as joint treasurers (Seraikela-Kharsawan).
Lalmohan Mandal, Rakesh Singh, Mithun Pramanik, Manoj Choudhury, and Shivansh Dey have been made committee members.
