Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated six new cricket academies in North-East India on Tuesday (April 28) as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continued to push development of the sport in the region. The ceremony took place during a state function in Gangtok during PM Modi's ongoing visit and was attended by the top brass of the BCCI as well as International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah.
The six academies, which are developed by the BCCI, are all indoor and are located in six different states. They are based in the cities of Rangpo (Sikkim), Doimukh (Arunachal Pradesh), Imphal (Manipur), Madankurklang (Meghalaya), Aizawl (Mizoram), and Dimapur (Nagaland)
BCCI revealed that the foundation stone was laid in 2024 and all academies are state-of-the-art facilities.
"This project was conceptualised and driven by the BCCI under the leadership of Mr Jay Shah during his tenure as Secretary, with a clear focus on strengthening cricketing ecosystems in emerging regions. The foundation stone for these academies was laid by Mr Shah in May 2024, setting in motion a structured effort to build world-class cricketing infrastructure in the North-East. The academies have been designed as high-performance centres, equipped with indoor practice pitches, high-tech gymnasiums, temperature-controlled swimming pools, and dedicated administrative and training blocks," said a statement by the BCCI
"These facilities will enable year-round training, particularly addressing the challenges posed by extended monsoon seasons in the region, and significantly reduce the need for players to travel to other parts of the country for professional training. The academies also represent a critical milestone following the inclusion of North-Eastern states in India’s domestic cricket structure, reinforcing the BCCI’s commitment to growth, talent identification, and athlete-centric development," the Indian cricket governing body elaborated.
BCCI President Mithun Manas and secretary Devajit Saikia paid gratitude to PM Modi and claimed this will ensure cricketers in North-East India have quality infrastructure like players from the rest of the country.
"We are grateful to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for inaugurating these facilities. This initiative reflects a clear intent to take cricket infrastructure to every region and build a stronger, more inclusive foundation for the game. It is also a significant step in ensuring that aspiring cricketers from the North-East have access to the same quality of facilities as anywhere else in the country," Manhas to BCCI.TV.
“This is a momentous occasion and a red-letter day for the entire North-East, and I thank the Honourable PM Shri Narendra Modi for gracing the event and inaugurating the facilities. I thank the ICC Chair Mr Jay Shah, for his vision and for initiating this important project back in 2022. This is a major boost, and the cricketers from the region will benefit immensely as training and preparations will continue throughout the year, giving players the consistency they need to develop their game. I am confident that this will pave the way for more players from the North-East to progress to the highest levels of the games," Saikia stated
BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla claimed these academies will ensure steady and sustained growth of the sport in the country.
“These academies bring structure and opportunity to a region that has immense potential. With a high-performance environment now in place across the North-East, we expect to see steady and sustained growth in the years ahead. The focus now will be on creating competitive exposure and pathways that allow this talent to flourish at the highest level," said Shukla.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
