Aizawl: Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse began a three-day visit to Mizoram on Tuesday, calling for a systematic push in sporting development and reviewing local needs at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Mission Veng.
Meetings at SAI centre and focus on youth schemes
After arriving at Lengpui Airport, Khadse met Mizoram Sports Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar, sports department officials and representatives of various sports organisations, who briefed her on their requirements and concerns, officials said. The minister said the Centre was making efforts to promote sports as part of nation-building under the Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative.
She highlighted the Union government’s Yuva Connect scheme, describing it as a platform intended to combine sports and education. Khadse said programmes under the scheme were being conducted in educational institutions to encourage participation and talent identification.
“The government was making efforts to promote sports as part of nation-building under Viksit Bharat 2047,” she said, according to officials.
State’s strengths and areas for support
Khadse noted that Mizoram was performing well in several sporting disciplines and praised the state’s efforts at identifying and nurturing young athletes, officials said. She added that further assessment of needs and areas requiring Union assistance would follow during her scheduled visits to Saitual and Kolasib districts and in meetings with local sports bodies.
Officials present described the discussions as wide-ranging, covering infrastructure gaps, coaching needs, talent scouting and athlete welfare. The minister stressed the importance of a systematic approach to sports development and said the Centre was working to provide athletes with better nutrition and necessary infrastructure.
Central programmes cited as drivers
Khadse referenced several central-level programmes that the government has expanded since 2014, including Khelo India, and said these initiatives were aimed at producing more successful athletes by identifying talent both in urban and remote areas.
She also said that women’s sporting talent was being promoted but acknowledged that more needed to be done to achieve parity and broader participation.
What officials conveyed in the meeting
- State sports officials briefed the minister on specific infrastructure and training needs at the SAI Mission Veng centre.
- Representatives of sports organisations outlined district-level challenges that will be reviewed during the minister’s visits to Saitual and Kolasib.
- Officials discussed athlete support measures, such as nutrition and coaching, to complement existing talent-identification programmes.
Immediate next steps
The Union minister will travel to Saitual and Kolasib during the remainder of the three-day visit to assess requirements on the ground and to meet grassroots sports representatives, officials said. The meetings are expected to inform requests for Union support and identify priority areas for collaboration between the state and central governments.
| Visit detail | Planned action |
|---|---|
| SAI Mission Veng, Aizawl | Review of infrastructure and meetings with state officials |
| Saitual and Kolasib (district visits) | Assessment of district-level needs and meetings with sports bodies |
State officials said the meetings would help shape proposals for central assistance and refine implementation of schemes in educational institutions. They also indicated that the minister’s visit offered an opportunity to sync state and Union priorities in talent identification, coaching and infrastructure development.
While no formal funding announcement was made during the Aizawl meeting, the discussions centred on how central schemes can be leveraged to strengthen the state’s sporting ecosystem, officials said.
The visit comes amid ongoing efforts by the Centre to broaden the reach of sports programmes across India and to ensure that young athletes receive structured support from early identification through to elite-level training.
