MoS Raksha Khadse reviews sports infrastructure at SAI Aizawl, backs Northeast talent push
Synopsis
Union MoS Raksha Khadse's Aizawl visit put the Northeast's sporting potential firmly on the policy map — with a synthetic hockey turf project underway at SAI, Khelo India pathways expanding, and Mizoram's own Lalremsiami Hmarzote — the state's first Olympian and Arjuna Award winner — standing as proof that the model works when infrastructure meets institutional commitment.
Key Takeaways
Union MoS Raksha Khadse reviewed the sports ecosystem at the SAI Training Centre, Aizawl on 15 September 2026 .
She met Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar , Mizoram's MoS for Sports, to discuss Centre-State coordination on athlete development.
A Khelo India project to lay a synthetic hockey turf and install lighting at the SAI centre in Aizawl is currently underway.
Lalremsiami Hmarzote — Mizoram's first female Olympian, first Asian Games medallist, and Arjuna Award 2025 selectee — was cited as a model of regional talent development.
Khadse stressed the importance of coaching, sports science, rehabilitation, nutrition and competition exposure as pillars of a complete athlete ecosystem.
The Northeast's strength in football and hockey was highlighted as central to India's broader sporting ambitions.
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse visited Aizawl on 15 September 2026 to review Mizoram's sports ecosystem, with a focus on strengthening infrastructure at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre, supporting athletes, and expanding pathways for sporting talent from the Northeast to reach the national and international stage.
Centre-State Coordination on Sports Development
Khadse was received by Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar, Minister of State for Sports and Youth Services in the Government of Mizoram, with whom she discussed measures to deepen the sports ecosystem in the state. The conversation centred on Centre-State coordination, sports infrastructure development, and creating structured opportunities for young athletes from Mizoram and the broader Northeast region.
The meeting also addressed the role of flagship central programmes — particularly the Khelo India Scheme — in building grassroots pipelines that funnel regional talent toward elite competition.
SAI Aizawl Visit: Athletes, Coaches and Infrastructure
Khadse subsequently toured the SAI Training Centre in Aizawl, where she reviewed available infrastructure and held direct interactions with athletes, coaches, and support staff. Shivam Yadav, Assistant Director at SAI, accompanied her during the visit.
In her interaction with athletes, the Minister heard about their training regimens, competitive experiences, and aspirations. She stressed the importance of providing young sportspersons from the region with quality coaching, sports science support, rehabilitation, nutrition, competition exposure, and clear progression pathways to higher levels of competition.
Khelo India Infrastructure Push in Mizoram
A notable infrastructural development highlighted during the visit is an ongoing Khelo India project to lay a synthetic hockey turf and install lighting at the SAI Training Centre in Aizawl. The upgrade is intended to improve hockey facilities in the state and is part of the broader effort to develop sports infrastructure closer to where athletes live and train.
SAI currently has a significant operational presence across the Northeast, supporting both talent development and the implementation of sports promotional programmes in the region, according to officials.
Mizoram's Sporting Promise: The Lalremsiami Story
Khadse pointed to Lalremsiami Hmarzote as a standout symbol of what sustained institutional investment in Northeast talent can produce. Lalremsiami, who trained at the SAI academy in Thenzawl before progressing to the national hockey squad, became Mizoram's first female Olympian and the state's first Asian Games medallist. She has also been selected for the Arjuna Award 2025, making her the first sportsperson from Mizoram to receive the honour.
The Minister noted that Mizoram has demonstrated particular strength in football and hockey, and argued that achievements such as Lalremsiami's underscore why sustained institutional support must be maintained and expanded.
The Larger Vision: Athlete-Centric Ecosystem
Khadse reiterated the government's intent to build a complete athlete development ecosystem — one where infrastructure investment is complemented by quality coaching, sports science, rehabilitation, nutrition, and regular competition exposure. She framed the Northeast as central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of building a robust sporting culture at the grassroots, identifying talent early, and providing structured pathways to excellence.
Effective coordination between the Union and state governments, she said, will be critical in enabling more athletes from Mizoram and the wider Northeast to compete at the highest levels. With infrastructure upgrades underway and Khelo India expanding its reach, the region's sporting ambitions appear to be gaining institutional backing to match.
Point of View
But the Aizawl stop carries a pointed subtext: the Northeast remains chronically under-resourced relative to its talent output, and a synthetic turf project alone will not close that gap. The government's framing of Lalremsiami as a success story is fair — but it also exposes how rare such outcomes remain without sustained, multi-year investment. The Khelo India Scheme has expanded reach, yet the region's athletes still face structural disadvantages in nutrition infrastructure and competition exposure that announcements alone cannot fix. The real measure of this visit will be whether the Centre-State coordination it promises translates into trackable budget commitments, not just shared aspirations.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did MoS Raksha Khadse visit Aizawl in September 2026?
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse visited Aizawl on 15 September 2026 to review the sports ecosystem in Mizoram, inspect the SAI Training Centre, and discuss ways to strengthen Centre-State coordination on athlete development and infrastructure in the Northeast.
What is the Khelo India infrastructure project announced for Mizoram?
The Khelo India project for Mizoram involves laying a synthetic hockey turf and installing lighting at the SAI Training Centre in Aizawl. It is intended to improve hockey facilities and provide athletes with better training conditions closer to home.
Who is Lalremsiami Hmarzote and why was she highlighted during the visit?
Lalremsiami Hmarzote is a hockey player from Mizoram who trained at the SAI academy in Thenzawl and went on to become the state's first female Olympian and first Asian Games medallist. She was selected for the Arjuna Award 2025, becoming the first sportsperson from Mizoram to receive the honour, and was cited as an example of what institutional support can achieve for Northeast talent.
What sports is Mizoram particularly known for?
Mizoram has demonstrated notable strength in football and hockey, according to MoS Khadse. The state's athletes, including Lalremsiami in hockey, have shown that the Northeast has significant sporting potential that requires sustained institutional backing to fully realise.
How does SAI support athletes in the Northeast?
SAI maintains a significant presence across the Northeast, running training centres — including the one in Aizawl and the academy in Thenzawl — and implementing sports promotional programmes. The centres provide athletes with coaching, sports science, rehabilitation, nutrition support, and competition pathways to progress to the national and international level.
