Olympian Mukesh Kumar has decided to sell off his own residence to finance part of his proposed hockey academy, to be set up in Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad-based former forward, who converted the crucial penalty stroke in 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok that enabled India win the gold medal, is in the process of acquiring a five-acre plot for setting up a "standard hockey coaching facility", which requires Rs 28 lakh.
As part of the funding, he would dispose off his own house, which would fetch him Rs 18 lakh.
This was revealed by Mukesh himself during a function to felicitate five Nagpur-based "meritorious sports persons", organised by the Sports Journalists Association of Nagpur (SJAN) in association with Nagpur Municipal Corporation in Nagpur on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, Mukesh said he is looking for a partner in his venture and "would share the name of the partner for the proposed academy".
Mukesh, who donned Indian colours in 290 international matches, including three Olympics, had scored 80 goals.
Chess prodigy Akash Thakur, batswoman Monika Sumra, Under-16 international football player Allwyn George and Under-16 top seed Arundhati Pantawane along with international hockey umpire Gurumurty Pillay were felicitated by Mukesh and presented cash awards and mementos.
