Scindia, Manipur Governor push for sports reforms in Northeast at key meet
High-level meet calls for grassroots talent scouting, coaching, and local leagues to power NE sports growth.
An image of Scindia at the meeting. (photo:@JM_Scindia/X)
Imphal, Oct 16: Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Wednesday called for a focused and practical start to strengthen sports in the North East, proposing distinct approaches.
The DoNER Minister, along with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, co-chaired the second High-Level Task Force Meeting on the Promotion of Sports in the North Eastern Region through video conferencing.
Emphasising that success depends more on soft skills like coaching and talent scouting than on infrastructure alone, Scindia also called for committed coaches, grassroot talent identification, and creation of local leagues and academies.
Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, who was present on the occasion, also reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to supporting and advancing the development of sports in the North Eastern Region.
She emphasised the Government’s commitment to nurturing talent at the grassroot level and ensuring that young athletes from the region receive the necessary infrastructure, training, and exposure to excel at national and international platforms.
The Manipur Governor complimented the ministers’ vision, stating that the initiatives would help strengthen sports in the North East by focusing on training, talent development, and local leagues, providing young players with more opportunities. He added that each State should build on its unique strengths.
The Governor further appreciated the Central Government’s continued efforts and commitment towards promoting sports infrastructure and nurturing talent across the North Eastern Region.
The Mizoram Minister of Sports, the Chief Secretaries of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram, Commissioners, and senior officials from the North Eastern Council, Ministry of DoNER, and State Sports departments also participated in the virtual meeting.
To strengthen the sports ecosystem in the North Eastern Region, issues like infrastructure development, coaching, talent identification, competition exposure and events, sports science, funding, monitoring, data governance, and management through both public and private sector participation were discussed.