Shillong, Oct 16 Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday inaugurated a high-performance sports science centre in Shillong to provide athletes with scientific training, performance assessment, injury prevention and recovery support ahead of the National Games.
Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, who attended the inauguration, said investing in athletes before they achieve recognition was crucial to building a strong sporting ecosystem.
The centre, located at the Integrated Multipurpose Indoor Hall, provides support in strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, nutrition, recovery and performance assessment, with the aim of improving athletes’ performance and reducing injury risks.
Operational since September, the facility has been conducting tests for athletes preparing for the upcoming National Games.
Speaking at the inauguration, Sangma said the centre was part of the government’s long-term strategy to invest in young people and strengthen Meghalaya’s sporting ecosystem.
“If we have to compete with the best in the world, we need the best here in our state, whether it is the processes, the technology or the manpower,” he said.
The chief minister said the state’s sporting initiatives aimed to encourage wider participation among young people and promote discipline, resilience and continuous improvement, rather than focusing solely on winning medals.
He also expressed hope that scientific training and athlete support would gradually reach the grassroots, with similar centres envisaged in Nongstoin, Jowai, Tura and Williamnagar.
These initiatives form part of the state’s broader plans to develop football centres of excellence and a high-altitude training centre in Shillong.
Bindra, founder of the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, commended the state government’s investment in sporting infrastructure and athlete development.
“It is easy to celebrate an athlete after a medal has been won. It is much harder, and far more important, to invest in that athlete before anyone sees their name. That is what true vision looks like,” he said.
He also said the success of the National Games should be measured by the opportunities created for young people long after the event concludes, stressing the need for a sporting ecosystem that delivers lasting benefits.
Chief Secretary Shakil P Ahammed said the centre represented a shift towards a more scientific and athlete-centred approach to training, performance development, injury prevention and long-term recovery.
The inauguration was attended by Housing, Public Health Engineering, Soil and Water Conservation Minister Marcuise N Marak, senior officials, coaches and athletes.
(PTI News)
