Assam Announces Major Sports Centre in Guwahati to Boost Elite Athlete Development
Assam is taking a significant leap forward in sports development with plans to establish a high-performance satellite sports centre in Guwahati. This initiative aims to create a structured elite sports ecosystem across the state and the broader northeastern region.
Focus on Seven Priority Sports
The new centre will anchor comprehensive programmes in seven key sports disciplines. These include athletics, archery, taekwondo, table tennis, lawn tennis, chess, and swimming. Officials revealed the details on Thursday, emphasising a strong focus on athlete identification, coaching development, and long-term performance pathways.
These pathways are specifically designed to align with India's growing Olympic ambitions. The goal is not only to discover promising young athletes but also to build a robust and self-sustaining coaching ecosystem within Assam itself.
Partnership with Inspire Institute of Sport
The directorate of sports and youth welfare has entered into a strategic partnership with the Inspire Institute of Sport to set up the centre. IIS was founded by the JSW Group and brings considerable expertise in high-performance training.
Assam's Sports and Youth Welfare Minister, Nandita Gorlosa, expressed strong confidence in the state's talent pool. She stated that Assam possesses no shortage of talent, particularly in its rural and tribal regions.
"Through this partnership with the Inspire Institute of Sport, we are bringing global coaching expertise and high-performance systems into the state," Gorlosa said. "We are simultaneously strengthening our own infrastructure and outreach efforts."
She highlighted that the collaboration will establish clear and structured pathways for both athletes and coaches. These pathways are intended to help them progress to national and international competitions. The minister also noted that this move will position Assam as a premier high-performance sports hub in the northeast, directly contributing to India's Olympic journey.
Olympic-Level Expertise Coming to Assam
Manisha Malhotra, President of the Inspire Institute of Sport, outlined the institute's role in the project. "In collaboration with the state government, we are bringing Olympic-level coaching expertise, cutting-edge sports science, and proven development frameworks into Assam," Malhotra said.
The athletics programme will be among the first to launch. It will begin with a structured State Coaches Orientation and Development initiative, setting the tone for the centre's professional approach.
This new sports centre represents a major investment in Assam's sporting future. It promises to transform how talent is nurtured and developed, creating a sustainable model for producing world-class athletes from the region.
