Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday, 24 July 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to relocate the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Training Centre to the Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) in Dimapur, marking what he described as 'a new chapter for sports in Nagaland.'

Context

The signing ceremony was held in the presence of the Advisor for the Department of Youth Resources and Sports (DYRS), Nagaland, and Smt. Manjushree Daya, Deputy Director General of the Sports Authority of India, along with other senior dignitaries. The agreement formalises the transition of the SAI training facility from its existing location to the more expansive MDSC premises in Dimapur, Nagaland's largest commercial city.

The MDSC is a purpose-built, multi-discipline sports facility designed to support training and competitive events across a range of disciplines, offering infrastructure significantly more advanced than older SAI outposts in the region.

Policy Backdrop

The Sports Authority of India has operated a network of regional training centres across the country since the 1980s, with a specific mandate to extend grassroots athlete development into the northeastern states. These centres have historically served as critical pipelines for identifying and nurturing talent from smaller states that lack private or institutional sports infrastructure.

The relocation follows a broader national pattern of upgrading and consolidating SAI facilities by co-locating them with state-of-the-art complexes built or upgraded by state governments. The Northeast has been a focal area for such central-state collaboration, given the region's historically limited sports infrastructure relative to its athletic talent base.

The Department of Youth Resources and Sports, Nagaland, has been the primary state-level counterpart in coordinating this transition, reflecting the state government's intent to leverage central resources for local athlete development.

Stakeholders and Impact

The most direct beneficiaries of the MoU are young athletes in Nagaland who will gain access to the MDSC's superior training facilities under SAI's structured coaching and support programmes. Athletes across multiple disciplines — from combat sports to track and field — stand to benefit from the upgraded environment.

State sports officials and coaches will also operate within a more resource-rich setting, potentially enabling higher-quality training cycles and better preparation for national-level competitions. The move is expected to improve the overall pipeline of athletes from Nagaland entering SAI's elite development programmes.

For the Sports Authority of India, the shift consolidates its northeastern presence at a facility better aligned with contemporary training standards, reducing the operational limitations associated with older infrastructure.

What's Next

The immediate focus will be on the operational handover of the SAI centre to the MDSC premises, including the transfer of coaching staff, equipment, and training schedules. Follow-up announcements on athlete intake timelines and the disciplines to be prioritised at the new facility are expected from both the state government and SAI.

If the transition proceeds smoothly, the MDSC-based SAI centre could position Dimapur as a significant regional hub for competitive athlete development in the Northeast, with potential spillover benefits for neighbouring states seeking access to quality training infrastructure.