STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Jan 15: Assam is set to get a high-performance satellite sports centre in Guwahati following a partnership between the state government and a private institution, a move aimed at strengthening the elite sports ecosystem in Assam and the wider North-East.
The Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare has joined hands with the JSW Group-founded Inspire Institute of Sport to establish the centre, which will focus on seven priority disciplines—athletics, archery, taekwondo, table tennis, lawn tennis, chess and swimming.
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The initiative will emphasise athlete identification, coach development and long-term performance pathways aligned with India’s Olympic goals.
According to officials, the programmes are designed not only to spot promising talent but also to build a self-sustaining coaching system within the state.
Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Nandita Gorlosa said Assam has abundant sporting talent, particularly in rural and tribal areas, and the collaboration would bring global coaching expertise and high-performance systems to the state while strengthening local infrastructure.
She said the initiative would create structured pathways for athletes and coaches to progress to national and international competitions and help position Assam as a high-performance sports hub in the North-East.
The athletics programme will begin with a state-level coaches’ orientation and development initiative, combining on-ground and hybrid learning under World Athletics frameworks, supported by senior IIS experts.
This will be followed by a talent identification drive across the state.
Taekwondo and archery programmes will include talent camps and advanced masterclasses involving athletes and coaches from across the region.
IIS president Manisha Malhotra said the collaboration would introduce Olympic-level coaching, sports science support and proven development models in Assam.
With programmes to be rolled out in Guwahati and other locations in the coming months, the centre is expected to play a key role in strengthening regional talent pipelines and contributing to India’s Olympic aspirations.
