Commonwealth Secretariat
  1. CYP Asia Home
  2. About Us
    1. Meet the Team
    2. History
    3. Facilities
  3. What we do
    1. Youth Enterprise and Sustainable Livelihood (YESL)
    2. Governance, Development and Youth Networks (GDYN)
    3. Youth Work Education and Training (YWET)
  4. Events
  5. News
  6. Youth Caucus
    1. Bangladesh
    2. Brunei Darussalam
    3. India
    4. Maldives
    5. Pakistan
    6. Singapore
    7. Sri Lanka
  7. Resource Centre
  8. Regional Centres
    1. Africa
    2. Asia
    3. Caribbean
    4. Pacific
  9. CYP Home
Group photo

"By living in a multicultural setting, they will be able to broaden their outlook and imbibe the best from each other's countries" - Secretary-General Don McKinnon

Sports scholarship for promising students from Commonwealth Asia

27 March 2007

Sports Scholarship offers opportunity for sporting talent to become tennis ace

A sports scholarship that offers promising students from Commonwealth Asia to become professional tennis players or coaches was launched by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon in New Delhi, India, on 23 March 2007.

The scholarship, known as 'Bonding Beyond Boundaries Through Sport' is jointly offered by the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) Asia Centre, the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association and the St Stephen's School. It will benefit 14 students from Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

The Secretary-General said sport can be an effective instrument in enabling young people to realise their potential besides building perseverance and discipline. He stressed that the Commonwealth attaches great importance to the promotion of sport which can contribute to youth development.

"I am confident the boys and girls from the four Commonwealth countries in Asia who have already joined the scheme and those who are likely to join would benefit from this experience," said the Secretary-General.

"Not only will they get a chance to hone their skills in lawn tennis, but also to pursue their studies in an institution of excellence."

Under this scholarship, the beneficiaries will receive training at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association and be educated at the St Stephen's School, with board and lodging sponsored by the CYP Asia Centre.

So far seven students aged 11-13 from four Commonwealth countries, namely, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Maldives, Sri Lanka, have been selected for this scholarship programme by their national law tennis associations or federations. These students will live, train and study together in an atmosphere of friendship and goodwill with their Indian peers.

"By living in a multicultural setting, they will be able to broaden their outlook and imbibe the best from each other's countries," said Mr McKinnon. "The boys and girls present here will go back home enriched with their experience in Chandigarh and in India" said Mr McKinnon.

He commended the CYP Asia Centre for its initiative in developing the sports scholarship and said it could be replicated in other parts of the Commonwealth. He said the goal of the CYP is to empower young people to be productive members of society who can participate fully in the decision-making processes as they represent the future.

Share this page
About this