Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur termed
it a moment of pride after he inaugurated three new facilities worth Rs 69.35
crores at the Sports Authority of India or SAI National Centre of Excellence at
Bengaluru on Saturday.
The newly-inaugurate facilities included
an eight-lane synthetic athletic track and a 300-bed men’s hostel and are
developed under the Central Government’s Khelo India scheme. Additionally, a
330-bed women’s hostel was inaugurated.
Sharing the news, Anurag wrote on X, “These
new additions will significantly enhance the training ecosystem of the SAI
National Centre, a pivotal hub for sports like athletics, hockey, para-sports
and the training ground of National Women’s and Men’s Hockey teams…”
The Sports Minister, at the venue, said the
Centre is trying to provide great facilities to players. He took the moment to
express his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising the sports
budget by three times over the last nine years.
Further he expressed, “Look at the 2
years from the Tokyo Olympics till now. As the Sports Minister of Bharat, I can
say with pride. Indian sportsperson have accomplished the highest medals in the
Tokyo Olympics, Paralympics, Deaflympics, and Commonwealth Games and now in the
Asian Games and para-Asian Games. It is the best performance by Indians in the
field of sports ever.”
About his tour to the Lakshyan Academy
of Sports, Anurag shared, “It is a beautiful and new academy, for
sportspersons, it is as per the international standards… if sportsperson can
have two-three academies of this standard in each State, nobody can stop Bharat
from becoming a sporting superpower.”
He continued, “Whereas, on one hand, the
Centre is putting in all the efforts, on the other hand, if private people,
corporate and federations can come forward, we can do wonders.”
Besides, the Sports Minister felicitated
“the incredible sportspersons and medalists of the Asian and Asian Para Games
2022 from NCoE”.
NE Watch Desk
