Sports facilities across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu upgraded as Khelo India State Centres of Excellence
Oct 25, 2021
New Delhi [India], October 25 : The Sports Ministry has upgraded three new existing sports facilities across the country as Khelo India Sports Centres of Excellence (KISCE).
The Guru Gobind Singh Sports College in Lucknow, the Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai are designated as KISCEs; the total number of KISCEs now standing at 27 across 26 states and Union Territories.
The Uttar Pradesh government proposed the name of Guru Gobind Singh Sports College as it is the main training centre of the state, having facilities for three disciplines of Hockey, Athletics and Badminton. The three disciplines are in the order of priority under the 'One State One Game' rule of the state.
Similarly, the Chhatrasal Stadium, a renowned hub of wrestling in the national capital, which has recently produced an Olympics silver medalist in the form of Ravi Dahiya, has been proposed by the Delhi government to focus on the disciplines of Wrestling, Athletics and Boxing. The sports complex is also centrally located.
The JLN Stadium in Chennai, meanwhile, has been proposed by the Tamil Nadu government to focus on the sporting disciplines of Table Tennis, Fencing and Athletics.
"It is being revered by the TN Govt to be one of the best centres in the State with sports science facilities like Hydrotheraphy and others, besides accommodating adequate manpower.
"With a vision to make India one of the top 10 countries in 2028 Olympics, the Khelo India State Centres of Excellence will ensure that athletes proficient in a certain sport can be given the world-class specialised training and these centers become the best facilities in the country to train athletes in the priority sport for which they have been earmarked," read a statement from Sports Authority of India (SAI).
According to SAI, the assistance provided by the Sports Ministry shall be in the form of bridging the gaps in sports equipment, high-performance managers, coaches, sports scientists, technical support, and so on.
The Centres will also have a high-performance manager to ensure the quality of sports science input and performance management. The setting up of the KISCE will also help to broad-base talent identification since the states and UTs will also identify and develop talent in each sport, for which funding is received.
