Khelo India Centres to Nurture Grassroots Sports Talent: Sports Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj
Bhubaneswar
20th April, 2025
In a significant step towards strengthening grassroots sports infrastructure in Odisha, Sports Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj inaugurated 30 Khelo India Centres across all 30 districts of the state. These centres, established with joint collaboration between the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha, aim to nurture sporting talent at the grassroots level.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony held at the Kalinga Stadium, Minister Shri Suraj emphasized that these centres are designed to provide necessary sports infrastructure in different disciplines such as football, volleyball, hockey, athletics, kho-kho, kabaddi etc. Besides each Kehlo India Centre will offer training and coaching facilities to help young athletes hone their skills. He added that this initiative would ensure that sporting talent from every district, beyond the major cities, gets the opportunity to flourish.
Each Khelo India Centre will receive an annual grant of Rs. 5 lakh from the government for smooth operations. Former national and state-level athletes will serve as coaches, imparting professional training to aspiring players, the Minister said.
Highlighting the state’s commitment to Sports development, Minister Shri Suraj informed that the centres will also focus on promoting local sports.
Principal Secretary of Sports and Youth Services Department Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma outlined the objectives and operational framework of the Khelo India centres. District-level officials, athletes and coaches also participated in the event virtually and expressed gratitude for this landmark initiative.
During the interaction, the Minister encouraged young athletes and coaches to work towards creating a golden future in sports and discussed the roadmap for overall development of sports in Odisha.
Amlan Das
Public Relations Officer
