VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra University boasted of the best sports training equipment and arenas till the 1960s. It was also the first university in Andhra Pradesh to have its own swimming pool which was built near the old post office close to the district collector's residence in the southern part of the campus. However, the pool was drained and not put to use after 1962 when a goat herd fell into it and drowned.Ever since then, there has been talks of reviving the old pool and nearly two years ago, a master plan for sports development was prepared by then vice-chancellor Prof GSN Raju. The plan included modernising the old swimming pool as well as to set up modern cricket equipment including bowling machines. Prof Raju had also come up with a backup plan to build a new swimming pool in the northern campus near the Engineering College if the old pool was considered unfit for use.However, the old swimming pool now remains completely covered with mud. A few university alumni recall the days when the swimming pool also served as water source to wild animals. DN Sinha, a former teacher at Andhra University, recalled, "I remember those days when the AU campus was more of a wildlife reserve with panthers and wild boars having a free run. The swimming pool also served as a drinking water source for these animals and the tracks always showed. This was also one of the reasons why the pool was drained of water forever apart from the tragic drowning."

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