One such town is Mandya, which used to be better known for its sugarcane plantation and sugar factories. Move over Bengaluru, Mandya is the new centre for gifted sportspersonsGone are the days when sports talent came only from urban centres and metros. The PET Sports Complex, built by Chowdaiah of the People’s Education Trust too has provided a major impetus for sports in Mandya. Sports have always been popular in Mandya, with sports such as volleyball, kabaddi and football finding many takers. The coaches claim that there were just a handful of players in tennis and badminton few years ago, but with the start of training camps, the numbers have soared and that augurs well for Mandya.

Source: The Hindu May 30, 2016 13:30 UTC