Raksha Khadse Reviews NSU Infrastructure and Athlete Training Facilities in Imphal

Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Smt. Raksha Khadse visited the National Sports University (NSU) in Imphal, Manipur, where she conducted a comprehensive review of the university’s permanent campus development and interacted with athletes, students, coaches, and officials associated with India’s premier sports education institution.

As part of her broader assessment of the sports ecosystem in the North-East region, the Minister also visited the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Imphal, to evaluate athlete support systems, training infrastructure, and high-performance sports facilities.

The visit was attended by several senior officials, including National Sports University Vice-Chancellor Shri Daljit Singh Chawdhary, Secretary (Sports), Government of Manipur, Shri N. Praveen Singh, SAI Regional Director Shri C. Dhandapani, and officials from both NSU and the Sports Authority of India.

Beginning her engagements early in the morning, Smt. Khadse joined athletes during their daily training sessions and personally participated in fitness and conditioning routines alongside them. The Minister observed various training activities, including endurance workouts, mobility exercises, stretching sessions, warm-up drills, and sport-specific practice modules.

She interacted extensively with athletes and coaches, appreciating the dedication, discipline, and commitment demonstrated by the trainees preparing for national and international sporting competitions.

Encouraging the athletes, the Minister urged them to continue striving for excellence and represent India proudly on global sporting platforms. Officials noted that the interaction reflected the government’s increasing emphasis on athlete motivation, grassroots sports development, and direct engagement with sportspersons.

At the National Sports University’s permanent campus in Koutruk, Imphal West, Smt. Khadse undertook a detailed review of the large-scale infrastructure development works currently underway. The university campus, spread across nearly 325 acres, is nearing completion, with approximately 95 percent of construction work already finished.

The Minister reviewed major academic, administrative, and residential facilities being developed as part of the university’s integrated sports education ecosystem. These include modern academic blocks equipped with smart classrooms, advanced laboratories, sports science centres, a central library, auditorium facilities, and residential hostels designed to accommodate nearly 1,300 students and around 60 faculty members.

The infrastructure project is being developed to position the National Sports University as India’s flagship institution dedicated to sports education, sports sciences, coaching excellence, athlete development, and high-performance sports research.

During the review, officials briefed the Minister on the university’s vision of creating an integrated academic and sporting environment capable of supporting advanced education in sports technology, physiotherapy, biomechanics, sports psychology, nutrition, coaching sciences, and athlete performance analytics.

The university is expected to play a key role in strengthening India’s institutional sports ecosystem by producing highly skilled coaches, sports scientists, trainers, administrators, and researchers capable of supporting India’s ambitions of becoming a leading sporting nation.

Speaking during the visit, Smt. Raksha Khadse said that India is witnessing unprecedented growth in sports infrastructure, athlete support systems, and sports education under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She stated that the National Sports University represents a transformational initiative aimed at creating a modern, science-driven sports ecosystem capable of nurturing globally competitive athletes and sports professionals.

The Minister emphasised that sports development in India is increasingly being driven by innovation, research, scientific training methodologies, and high-performance systems aligned with international standards.

“The National Sports University will emerge as a landmark institution in shaping the future of Indian sports and building a strong ecosystem driven by science, research, innovation, and excellence,” she said.

Later, during her visit to the Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence in Imphal, the Minister reviewed facilities designed to support elite athletes and emerging sports talent from the North-East region, which has consistently produced many of India’s top sportspersons.

The review covered several high-performance athlete support systems, including physiotherapy units, recovery and rehabilitation centres, sports medicine facilities, nutrition programmes, physiology laboratories, and strength and conditioning infrastructure.

Smt. Khadse interacted with coaches, sports scientists, physiotherapists, support staff, and athletes to understand the operational challenges and requirements involved in athlete preparation and performance management.

Officials highlighted that the North-East region continues to play a critical role in India’s sports success due to its strong sporting culture and consistent production of elite athletes in disciplines such as boxing, weightlifting, football, archery, athletics, and martial arts.

The Minister’s visit reflects the Government of India’s continued focus on expanding sports education, modernising athlete training systems, and building world-class sports infrastructure as part of the country’s long-term strategy to become a global sporting powerhouse.

Over the past several years, initiatives such as Khelo India, Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Fit India Movement, and investments in sports science and grassroots infrastructure have significantly strengthened India’s sports development ecosystem.

Experts believe institutions like the National Sports University will play an increasingly important role in bridging the gap between sports education, scientific research, and elite athletic performance while supporting India’s ambitions in global competitions including the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and other international events.

The visit also underscores the strategic importance of Manipur and the broader North-East region in India’s sports development agenda, given the region’s contribution to producing internationally recognised athletes and sporting talent.