Adding a new stroke to the State’s sports infrastructure Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, virtually laid the foundation stone of an advanced judo hall and an international-standard synthetic athletics track at the Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Bhopal. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, the official from the SAI informed that the judo hall, to be constructed at an approximate cost of Rs 16 crore, will be equipped with world-class training facilities, including modern judo mats, strength and conditioning areas, and athlete support infrastructure aimed at enhancing high-performance training. The synthetic athletic track, to be developed at an approximate cost of Rs 14 crore, will be an 8-lane, 400-metre international-standard track, providing athletes with optimal training conditions for national and international competitions. Addressing the gathering, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that a remarkable transformation is taking place in India’s sporting landscape.

 

He stated that advanced sports infrastructure is now being developed even in villages, ensuring that talented athletes from rural areas receive equal opportunities to excel. He further noted that parents today are encouraging their children to pursue both sports and education, rather than discouraging them from playing, reflecting a positive and progressive shift in the societal mindset. He added that the optimal maintenance of sports infrastructure is more important than merely building new facilities. Emphasising the nation’s aim to host the 2036 Olympic Games, he stressed that achieving this goal will require working in a mission mode. Expressing gratitude to these efforts taekwon-do player from Indore said that such initiatives should be taken in other parts of the state. It will definitely helped a lot to burgeoning ones.