Five new Khelo India Centres (KICs) will soon be launched in Odisha, spreading across five districts, as part of the central government’s push to boost grassroots sports.
Officials confirmed on Sunday that the centres, which will focus on three different sports disciplines, will be established in Ganjam, Gajapati, Jharsuguda, Nayagarh, and Deogarh districts.
The KIC in Ganjam will be dedicated to basketball and will be housed at the Government Queen of the Mission High School. Meanwhile, kho-kho centres will be set up at Government SVT High School in Gajapati and RK Government School in Jharsuguda.
For football enthusiasts, centres will be opened at Teleibani PS High School in Deogarh and Narayana Government High School in Nayagarh.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) officially informed the Odisha government about the approval of these centres on Thursday. The KICs will be supported by central funding, and the process to appoint coaches and mentors for each centre is expected to be completed within the next two months.
Officials emphasised that former champion athletes would be given priority as coaches for each discipline.
“The involvement of past athletes will help identify and nurture local talent,” a senior official noted, adding that the centres would aim for gender equality among trainees.
Boost for sports in rural Odisha
The opening of these KICs has been met with widespread enthusiasm, particularly in the Berhampur constituency, where two of the centres will be located.
MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy expressed his gratitude, stating: “These centres will help talented players hone their skills and provide a platform to compete at national and international levels.”
K Ravi Kumar, Commonwealth Games gold medallist in weightlifting, also welcomed the initiative. He remarked that these centres would greatly benefit rural athletes, offering professional coaching and access to better infrastructure.
As per the official Khelo India website, 26 centres have already been approved for nine sports disciplines across 25 districts in Odisha. Six of these centres have begun operations, with more expected to follow soon.
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