Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 22 October 2025
The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs is set to expand its sports development initiatives in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with the launch of five new Khelo India Centres (Non-Residential) next month, under the Khelo India Scheme. These centres aim to provide structured coaching and nurture young sporting talent across the islands.
The upcoming centres will be established at Armed Police Unit, Police Lines (Boxing); India Reserve Battalion, Police Headquarters, Port Mout (Kayaking & Canoeing); Netaji Stadium, Mayabunder (Football); BJR Stadium, Car Nicobar (Badminton); and Vivekananda Stadium, Diglipur (Archery).
These additions will complement the four existing Khelo India Centres, which have been launched recently at Mini Stadium, Campbell Bay (Football), Netaji Stadium, Sri Vijaya Puram (Athletics), Forest Ground, Baratang (Hockey), and Indira Park, Nancowrie (Volleyball), providing young athletes free coaching under the guidance of experienced mentors and former champion athletes.
In a further step to promote high-performance sports, a Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE) will be inaugurated at Netaji Sports Complex, Sri Vijaya Puram, tentatively from December 1, 2025. This centre will focus on Badminton, Cycling, and Swimming, offering advanced coaching supported by sports science experts and modern training equipment for boys and girls aged 10 to 20 years.
The expansion of Khelo India Centres, along with the State Centre of Excellence, underscores the government’s commitment to fostering sports culture and developing future champions in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
