Hyderabad: An innovative idea to turn a sleepy lake into a hub for water sports has generated major employment for rural neighbourhood of the Kotepally dam area, located about 20 km from the Vikarabad Hills.
The Kotepally dam with its kayaking has been attracting tourists from nearby districts ever since the government allowed water sports and skills development programmes in 2016.
Former Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, an adventure junkie and sports enthusiast, even before entering politics, started working towards this project. Through his Progressive Telangana Foundation (PTF), he donated 30 kayaks to create employment opportunities for local youth and to enliven his own sporting ambitions.
“I have had a great time during my childhood and growing years living in a village. We had all kinds of entertainment resources. The situation of villages today is depressing, mostly because the youth prefers to migrate to cities in search of jobs, thereby deducting the…