Massive Sports Push! SAI's Big Move Could Transform Nagaland's Future Champions

In a major boost to sports infrastructure in the Northeast, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Nagaland government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to upgrade the existing SAI Training Centre in Dimapur into a National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in a phased manner.

The agreement marks a significant step towards creating a world-class high-performance sports hub in the state. As part of the first phase, the 62 residential athletes currently training in boxing, football and sepaktakraw at the SAI Training Centre in Half Nagarjan will be relocated to the refurbished Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) in Dimapur.

Spread across 64 acres, the MDSC will gradually be transformed into a National Centre of Excellence. The Nagaland government will provide key infrastructure, including a 24-room hostel-cum-wrestling akhara, a pre-fabricated multipurpose hall, and a football ground on a shared-use basis to support athlete development.

Subject to approvals and infrastructure readiness, the centre is expected to expand further by adding disciplines such as athletics, wrestling, shooting, archery, hockey, wushu, judo and pencak silat, making it one of the country's prominent multi-sport training facilities.

Calling the agreement a historic milestone, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the development fulfills a long-cherished vision of establishing a Centre of Excellence for Sports in Nagaland. He thanked SAI for partnering with the state and reaffirmed the government's commitment to building a strong sports ecosystem that nurtures talent and creates opportunities for young athletes.

Rio also directed the concerned departments to complete all pending civil, electrical, sanitation, security and boundary wall restoration works at the sports complex within a month.

Once the state completes the preparatory work, SAI's North East Regional Centre (NERC), Imphal, will oversee the relocation of athletes and coaches while installing CCTV surveillance, fire safety systems, power backup and other operational facilities to make the centre fully functional.

The initiative is expected to strengthen sports development in Nagaland and further enhance India's talent identification and high-performance training ecosystem.