Imphal, May 25 (IANS) The Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Raksha Khadse on Sunday reviewed the progress of the National Sports University (NSU) campus in Imphal and interacted with athletes, coaches, and sports officials, as part of a visit aimed at assessing the region’s growing sports ecosystem.

The Minister began her visit early in the day by joining athletes for their morning training session at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Imphal, where she observed fitness drills, conditioning exercises, and sport-specific practice. She also participated in warm-up and mobility routines alongside athletes and encouraged them to maintain discipline and strive for excellence at the international level.

She was accompanied by senior officials, including NSU Vice-Chancellor Daljit Singh Chawdhary, Manipur Sports Secretary N. Praveen Singh, and SAI Regional Director C. Dhandapani, among others.

At the National Sports University’s permanent campus at Koutruk in Imphal West, Khadse reviewed ongoing construction work and infrastructure development. Officials informed her that nearly 95 per cent of the 325-acre campus has been completed. The facility includes academic blocks, smart classrooms, laboratories, a library, an auditorium, sports science infrastructure, and residential hostels with a capacity for around 1,300 students and 60 faculty members.

The Minister also reviewed the integrated academic and high-performance ecosystem being developed at NSU, covering sports sciences, coaching, sports technology, athlete development, and research. She said the institution represents a significant step in strengthening India’s sports education framework and building globally competitive professionals.

Speaking on the occasion, Khadse said India is witnessing major expansion in sports infrastructure and athlete development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She added that NSU is poised to become a landmark institution in shaping the future of Indian sport through a science- and research-driven approach.

Later, the Minister visited the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Imphal, where she reviewed athlete support systems, including physiotherapy, recovery, nutrition, sports medicine, physiology, and strength and conditioning facilities. She interacted with athletes, coaches, and support staff during the inspection.

The visit underlined the government’s focus on strengthening sports education, scientific training, and high-performance systems, particularly in the North-East, as part of efforts to position India as a global sporting hub.

–IANS

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