LUCKNOW, June 2 -- After establishing the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) at Varanasi's Sigra Stadium recently, the Sports Authority of India is all set to launch Uttar Pradesh's first Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCE) with the help of the state government at the Guru Govind Singh Sports College in Lucknow. The SAI has initially adopted two disciplines - hockey and athletics - for this centre. It will add one more from wrestling, badminton or football in future. There would be 80 sportspersons, including 50 athletes aged between 14 and 18 years, at this centre. UP's new Khelo India State Centres of Excellence is expected to be made operational in July when the new session begins, but not before the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between SAI and the state government. "In the first phase of Khelo India State Centres of Excellence at the Guru Govind Singh Sports College, we have picked athletics and hockey as the two disciplines to start with. SAI will provide all support to it," SAI's regional director incharge Atma Prakash said. "KISCE is aimed at providing viability gap funding to this training centre in Uttar Pradesh. This includes sports science and technology support for sports disciplines practised at the centre and bridging the gaps in sports equipment, high performance managers and coaches ," he said. "We will soon sign the MoU for this," he added. As per the scheme, Lucknow's KISCE will receive an annual recurring grant and the actual amount to be funded will be finalised as per the results of a comprehensive gap analysis of each. The plan also states that the Uttar Pradesh Sports Directorate will be the implementing agency of the KISCE programme. Besides a high performance director, the KISCE will have a technical director, head coach, assistant coaches, physiologist and nutritionist/dietician. The infrastructure will include sports science equipment, audio/video and digital analysis, medical centre, sports equipment storage space, recreation room, library cum study room and a gymnasium. The plan also states that the existing facilities at the Guru Govind Singh Sports College to be upgraded as Kheklo India State Centre of Excellence under the Khelo India Scheme. Praising the scheme, Uttar Pradesh's director sports RP Singh on Sunday said KISCE will be a big help for the development of disciplines like athletics and hockey as there is a lot of scope and talent in these two disciplines. "Uttar Pradesh has been doing wonders in athletics and hockey. KISCE will be an added advantage for our players in the state. We have a lot of potential in Uttar Pradesh. After having KISCE in Lucknow, we will be able to produce more talent for the future," Singh said. Guru Govind Singh Sports College's acting principal Animesh Saxena said that all preparations have been made for the launch of KISCE and he is waiting for the MoU to be signed. "We have sufficient facilities to accommodate the KISCE trainees at the sports college as facilities under the hockey stadium were well prepared for Khelo India University Games here. The rooms need installation of ACs or coolers," said Saxena....