SPORTS Authority of India (SAI) has selected 18 basketball players for the Khelo India coaching centre which will be coming up at the sports complex of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University off Amravati Road in Ravi Nagar. The selection trials were held in the month of February. A total of 18 players which included 11 girls and seven boys have been picked by the selection committee which included Dr Sharad Suryawanshi, Director, Sports and Physical Education Department, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University.

 

Dr Suryawanshi is also a former international athlete and secretary of Nagpur District Athletics Association. Similarly, the committee also appointed NIS Smita Bakre as the coach of the team. Bakre is a former national level player. The girl squad include Gunjan Mantri, Mrunmai Dhananjay, Kanishka Mande, Samruddhi Ravindra, Mihira Dhote, Shrestha Agrawal, Samruddhi Agrawal, Shomira Bidaye, Dhara Phate, Rutuja Karkade, Namrata Desai. The selected boys are Shazil Zahil, Shlok Dughmogre, Shashank Ghadge, Prathamesh Rakesh, Yash Meshram, Chitraksh Shrihari and Taaran Kakkad.