Leander Paes will be Haryana's sports ambassador

Ace tennis player and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee, Leander Paes, will be the Sports Ambassador of Haryana.

This decision was taken at a meeting held between Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Paes on Wednesday.

The decision is in sync with the avowed objective of the Haryana Government to promote sports in the state, an official spokesman said.

Paes will motivate the youth to take up sports as a career. He will also set up a sports centre in the national capital region of Haryana, the land for which will be provided by the state government.

Besides, Paes would also help the Sports Department in developing better sports infrastructure and put in place state-of-art training facilities for sportspersons of Haryana.

The Haryana Government had on Tuesday signed an MoU with Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association, in the presence of the Chief Minister and Paes, to train its players.

Incidentally, the State Government is celebrating this year as the 'Year of Youth'. Many Haryana players have recently brought laurels to the state and the nation with their sterling performances in various national and international sports tournaments.

Having won seven doubles and six mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, Paes is considered as one of the best contemporary doubles and mixed doubles players in the world. He is among the most successful professional Indian tennis players, and is also a former captain of the Indian Davis Cup team.

Hooda himself is a tennis and badminton enthusiast.