new delhi lok sabha passed the national sports university bill on friday seeking to establish the firstofitskind sports university in manipur the institution which began operations in january is mandated with promoting sports education the bill seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated on may 31several members sought inclusion of sports in the education curriculum even suggesting that sports should be made compulsory in schools sports minister rajyavardhan singh rathore said the university would promote sports coaching and research and assured the house that the vicechancellor would be a sportsperson and that its academic council would comprise sports personalitiesreplying to concerns over funds raised by members during the debate on the bill rathore said all medal winners from india were funded by the national sports development fund and any citizen of india could contribute to the corpusthe university he said would promote education in the areas of sports sciences sports technology sports management and sports coaching it would also function as the national training centre for select sports disciplines by adopting best international practices rathore said the legislation proposed to empower the university to establish outlying campuses throughout the country and outside indiaapart from academic programmes and research the university and its outlying campuses will impart training to elite athletes sports officials referees and umpires and evolve as centres of excellence in various discipline of sports the statement of objects and reasons of the bill saidthe government has signed an agreement with two australian universities university of canberra and victoria university to develop the curriculum research facilities and laboratories at the universitybjp mp anurag thakur called the bill an extraordinary effort to promote sports and suggested using former defence personnel who had excelled in sports to train sportpersons