Meghalaya’s capital Shillong has added a major boost to its sporting infrastructure with the inauguration of a ₹132.9-crore Integrated Hospitality & Sports Complex at the Jawaharlal Nehru (JN) Sports Complex in Polo, marking one of the state’s biggest investments in indoor sporting facilities ahead of the 39th National Games.
The facility was inaugurated on Saturday by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma in the presence of Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, and Indian Olympic Association President P.T. Usha.
Developed under the Meghalaya Eco-Tourism Infrastructure Development Project with support from the New Development Bank, the complex is expected to serve as a key venue for events during the upcoming National Games to be hosted by Meghalaya.
Chief Minister Sangma said the project reflects a sustained push by the state to strengthen sports infrastructure and create opportunities for young athletes. He added that Meghalaya’s annual expenditure on sports development has seen a significant rise since 2018, with the government prioritising long-term infrastructure creation alongside talent development.
Officials said the new indoor facility will cater to multiple sporting disciplines and also provide hospitality support, strengthening Shillong’s capacity to host large-scale national and international sporting events.
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The inauguration comes as Meghalaya accelerates preparations for the National Games, which are expected to bring thousands of athletes and officials to the state in 2027. The JN Sports Complex already serves as a major sporting hub in the region, and the new addition significantly expands its indoor capabilities.
In the broader Northeast context, Assam currently hosts some of the region’s largest sporting infrastructure, including the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, which has been a venue for national and international events, along with multiple Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centres across states such as Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland that have produced elite athletes in boxing, weightlifting and archery.
However, officials noted that Meghalaya’s latest investment marks one of the most significant dedicated indoor sports facility upgrades in the hill state, aimed at bridging infrastructure gaps and positioning Shillong as a competitive host city in the Northeast sporting circuit.
The government said the complex is expected to be used not only for elite competitions but also for training and youth development programmes, strengthening grassroots sports participation in the state.
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