Guwahati, May 24 (IANS) Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Khadse, on Sunday visited the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE) Assam and the High Performance Centre in Guwahati, where she interacted with athletes, coaches, sports science experts, and officials while reviewing the growing high-performance sports ecosystem in the Northeast.

During the visit, Raksha Khadse toured various training and rehabilitation facilities at the High Performance Centre (HPC), including sports science laboratories, recovery and rehabilitation units, physiological and biomechanical assessment facilities, and athlete support systems. The visit highlighted the increasing integration of sports science, technology, and data-driven athlete development in India’s sporting ecosystem.

The Minister was accompanied during the visit by Kausar Jamil Hilaly, Special Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Welfare; Ankur Bharali, Director, Department of Sports and Youth Welfare; D.K. Mittal, Regional Director, SAI Guwahati; the High Performance Manager of KISCE Assam; and senior officials from the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare.

Interacting with athletes across disciplines, Raksha Khadse appreciated their dedication and commitment and encouraged them to continue striving towards excellence with discipline and determination. She also emphasised the Government’s continued focus on strengthening grassroots sports infrastructure and creating world-class training environments for athletes across the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Raksha Khadse said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is witnessing a transformative expansion in sports infrastructure, athlete support systems, and scientific training methodologies. She noted that centres such as the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE), Assam, and the High Performance Centre are playing a crucial role in nurturing talent and preparing athletes for international success.

The High Performance Centre has emerged as an important sports science and rehabilitation facility in the region, equipped with modern systems for injury management, recovery, physiological testing, motion analysis, and performance enhancement.

Raksha Khadse also reviewed ongoing athlete development programmes under the Khelo India ecosystem. She discussed the importance of strengthening pathways for young athletes from the Northeast to compete at national and international levels.

The visit reflected the Government’s broader vision of building a scientifically driven, athlete-centric, and globally competitive sporting ecosystem as India moves towards its long-term sporting ambitions, including the Commonwealth Games 2030 and beyond, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) said in a release on Sunday.

--IANS

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