No.460/2020-2021
Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Sports & Youth Affairs today dedicated 8 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence situated in Mizoram and seven other states via video conferencing alongwith Sports Minister of Mizoram, Pu Robert Romawia Royte, Chief Minister Karnataka Shri B.S. Yediyurappa and Sports Minister of the other states.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Kiren Rijiju said that the launching of the eight Centres of Excellence was a big initiative, an important beginning for sports development and inculcation of a sporting culture in the country. He recalled the clarion call given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in making India a great sporting power house and noted that today’s youth are looking forward to various initiatives for sports development. Noting the success of the Khelo India programme, he said that Khelo India has become a brand across the country and sportspersons and youths across the country want to associate themselves with the brand ‘Khelo India’. He further added that the programme has become the most popular sporting event across the nation and said that sports ust become a way of life.
He mentioned that the Union Government is working closely with the state governments in improving sporting facilities and training and that this initiative too was a close partnership with the state governments. He called upon the states to adopt best practices to make these 8 initial centres as an example for other states to emulate. He assured the states of all support including hand holding of these centres by the Sports Authority of India.
Pu Robert Romawia Royte, Sports Minister, Mizoram who launched the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence situated at Rajiv Gandhi Sports Stadium mentioned that the launching of the Centre was a special day for Mizoram. As a keen follower of sports, he said that the initiative will definitely bring about perceptible changes in the development and growth of sports across the nation. He thanked the Union Government for including Mizoram in the initial 8 Centres of Excellence and assured the Union Government that the Government of Mizoram will do all the needful in making the Centre truly a centre of excellence in the three sporting disciplines earmarked in letter and spirit.
Alongwith Mizoram, Khelo India State Centre of Excellence were launched in Arunachal Pradesh, Kerela, Karnataka, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha and Telangana at today’s programme. Each of the Centres have three sporting disciplines as the focus sports. The Mizoram centre will have boxing, judo and weightlifting disciplines for development.
Pu TC Pachhunga, Vice Chairman, Sports, Youth Affairs & Tourism Board; Pu H. Lalengmawia IAS Secretary , Sports & Youth Services; Pu Lalsangliana, Director, Sports & Youth Services and two time Olympian archer and Dhyan Chand awardee Pu C. Lalremsanga also attended the launching programme
