CM Dhami launches Uttarakhand's first women's sports college in Lohaghat
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced the state's first women's sports college in Lohaghat, Champawat district, aimed at providing female athletes a dedicated platform to develop their talent and achieve sporting milestones.
Key Takeaways
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the state's first women's sports college on 16 October 2026 .
The college will be located in Lohaghat , Champawat district — a semi-rural hill town in Uttarakhand.
It is described as the first women's sports college in Uttarakhand's history .
The initiative is framed as part of the state government's ongoing effort to encourage and develop talented athletes, particularly women.
Specific details including funding, intake capacity, disciplines offered, and operational timeline have not yet been disclosed.
A new chapter for women's sport in the hills: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday, 16 October 2026 announced the launch of the state's first-ever women's sports college — sited in Lohaghat, a town in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand — calling it a dedicated platform for the daughters of the state to sharpen their sporting talent and set new records.
Posting on X, CM Dhami said his government is 'continuously working to encourage and advance the talented athletes of the state,' and that the women's sports college in Lohaghat will give young women 'the opportunity to refine their talent in the field of sports and establish new milestones' (naye kirtiman sthapit karne ka avsar).
Lohaghat: a small-town address for a state-first institution
Lohaghat, nestled in the border district of Champawat, is a modest hill town more associated with apple orchards and colonial-era heritage than sporting infrastructure. Choosing it — rather than the larger urban centres of Dehradun or Haldwani — signals a deliberate push to carry sports opportunity into Uttarakhand's rural and semi-urban belt, where female athletes have historically had the fewest pathways to formal training.
Uttarakhand has produced competitive athletes across disciplines including wrestling, athletics, and shooting, but dedicated residential sports colleges with coaching infrastructure have remained scarce, particularly for women. A state-designated women's sports college would be the first of its kind on record for the state.
A state government doubling down on grassroots sport
The announcement fits a broader pattern of Uttarakhand's successive governments using sports infrastructure as a lever for youth development — often in alignment with central government schemes designed to grow grassroots participation. For CM Dhami and the BJP administration, the college also carries a visible social dimension: framing investment in women athletes as investment in daughters, a messaging register that has found consistent resonance in state-level politics across north India.
The specific details — funding structure, intake capacity, which sports disciplines will be offered, and the exact operational timeline — have not yet been disclosed. What to watch next: the rollout of admissions and training programmes, and whether the Lohaghat college becomes a model for additional facilities elsewhere in the state.
For now, a Champawat hill town just earned itself a place on Uttarakhand's sporting map — and the young women of the region have a new destination to aim for.
Point of View
Rather than an urban hub, is politically savvy: it signals intent to the rural vote bank while addressing a real gap in women's sporting infrastructure. The move also aligns with the central government's broader push on grassroots sports development, allowing CM Dhami to position Uttarakhand within a national narrative. The real test, as always, will be in the execution — whether admissions, coaching, and facilities actually materialise at the pace the announcement implies.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first women's sports college in Uttarakhand?
Uttarakhand's first women's sports college has been announced by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in Lohaghat, a town in Champawat district, aimed at providing female athletes a dedicated space for training and development.
Where is Lohaghat located in Uttarakhand?
Lohaghat is a town in Champawat district, situated in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, close to the Nepal border.
What did CM Dhami say about the Lohaghat sports college?
CM Dhami said the college will give the daughters of Uttarakhand an opportunity to refine their sporting talent and establish new milestones, as part of the government's ongoing effort to encourage talented athletes in the state.
When was the Uttarakhand women's sports college announced?
The announcement was made by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on 16 October 2026 via a post on X.
Which sports will be offered at the Lohaghat women's sports college?
The specific sports disciplines to be offered at the Lohaghat women's sports college have not yet been officially announced; further details on admissions and training programmes are awaited.
