State Sports Academy to be upgraded under Khelo India Scheme

Dimapur, Sep. 16 (EMN): State Sports Academy at Kohima has been named as one of the first eight Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE) under Sports Authority of India’s flagship talent identification and nurturing programme, Khelo India.

Under the programme, State Sports Academy at Kohima would be upgraded with a total budget of INR 11.5 crore in four years, a PIB report stated on Wednesday.

“The support will be in the form of infrastructure upgradation, setting up of sports science centre and also soft component in the form of quality coaches and sports science human resources like physiotherapists, strength and conditioning expert etc. High quality equipments will also be provided to the players. The academy will also have high performance manager to ensure quality sports science input and performance management,” the report stated.

The sports ministry is upgrading existing sporting infrastructure in each state and UT, in partnership with the state and UT, and creating KISCEs with the aim to create a robust sporting ecosystem in the entire country. Each KISCE would be extended sports-specific support in 14 Olympic sports, of which one state or UT would be given support for a maximum of three sports, the report stated.

In the first leg, eight KISCEs have been identified, including the one in Kohima in Nagaland. The other KISCEs would be set up in Mizoram, Telengana, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Odhisha, Karnataka and
Kerala.

Speaking about the decision to set up the KISCEs, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju said, “These Khelo India State Centre of Excellence is yet another step towards building a robust sports ecosystem on one hand and India’s pursuit of excellence in Olympics. On the other, these state-of-the-art centres will ensure that athletes proficient in a certain sport can be given the highest level of training and these centres become the best facilities in the country to train athletes in the priority sport for which they have been earmarked.”

He expressed confidence that the step would help to further India’s effort of becoming one of the top 10 countries in the Olympics in 2028.

The setting up of the KISCE would also help to broad-base talent identification, since the states and UTs would also identify and develop talent in each sport. As a joint partnership, the Sports Authority of India would provide financial support in various avenues like sports science back-up, engagement of coaches and support staff, procurement of sports equipment, among other things, the report stated.

It further stated that the state would be responsible for lodging, boarding, regular maintenance, infrastructure upgradation and overall management of the centre. The report added that SAI would provide technical expertise and assistance, while putting in place a regular monitoring mechanism, to ensure that athletes are trained at par with international standards.