Bangalore, Sep 22 (IANS): GAIL (India) in association with Spoment announced Monday the launch of an ambitious sports talent hunt - The Fastest Indian (TFI) -- to identify, groom and develop champion athletes.

Milkha Singh will be the principal mentor for the annual event and help select and groom potential winners.

Over the next three months, the programme will conduct events across 19 cities reaching over 3,000 schools for boys and girls in the age group of 12-14. Winners from various cities would be invited for the finals to be held here Dec 14.

The winners of the finals will receive complete scholarship up to their post-graduation so that they can focus on running. They would also receive specialised training from renowned national and international sports trainers.

Milkha said: "I am very happy that GAIL and Spoment have taken this initiative. This project is the need of the hour. It will help find many more Milkhas from the length and breadth of this country."