SRINAGAR: In a major boost to sports infrastructure and athlete development in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India has approved the establishment of the Union Territory’s first National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Sports, which will be developed in Kashmir.
The Centre is envisioned as a premier national facility for high-altitude sports training and athlete development. It is expected to significantly strengthen the region’s sports ecosystem through world-class infrastructure, advanced sports science support and elite coaching facilities.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha welcomed the approval and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya for sanctioning the project.
“This state-of-the-art Centre will bring world-class infrastructure and elite coaching right to our Union Territory, training the next generation of Olympic and international champions,” Sinha said.
According to officials, the National Centre of Excellence will serve as an integrated high-performance sports campus combining athlete training, talent identification, sports science, rehabilitation, residential facilities and competition infrastructure under one roof.
The proposed campus will include athletics tracks, indoor sports courts, football and hockey turfs, kabaddi and kho-kho facilities, a shooting range, swimming pool, taekwondo hall, sports skilling centres, strength and conditioning units, rehabilitation facilities, hostels, sports science laboratories and a sports medicine centre.
Officials said the project would provide aspiring athletes in Jammu and Kashmir access to national-standard training facilities within the Union Territory, reducing the need to relocate outside the region for advanced coaching and performance support.
The Centre is also expected to leverage Kashmir’s high-altitude conditions, which are considered favourable for endurance training and athletic performance across multiple disciplines. Once operational, it is likely to attract athletes, coaches and training camps from across the country.
Beyond competitive sports, the project is expected to create opportunities for local youth in coaching, sports science, physiotherapy, fitness training, sports management and other allied sectors.
The proposal for the National Centre of Excellence was submitted during the Chintan Shivir held at SKICC Srinagar in April 2026 and was subsequently pursued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. The initiative was taken forward under the guidance of Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who heads the Apex Committee for Centrally Sponsored Schemes, with the proposal led by Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.
Officials said a preliminary feasibility assessment has already been completed and found the proposed site suitable for the development of a large-scale sports training facility. The availability of government land at the identified location is expected to facilitate the creation of a national-standard integrated campus.
For coordination of the next phase of the project, including inspections, surveys, inter-departmental consultations and preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR), Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg has been designated as the nodal officer.
The approval of the first National Centre of Excellence is being viewed as a significant milestone in Jammu and Kashmir’s sporting journey and is expected to strengthen the Union Territory’s capacity to nurture athletes capable of competing at national, international and Olympic levels.
Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya for approving Jammu and Kashmir’s first National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) at Awantipora in Pulwama district. He said the NCOE will serve as a premier national hub for high-altitude sports and a range of athletic disciplines while providing training and skill development opportunities to thousands of youth. The state-of-the-art facility will feature athletics tracks, indoor courts, football and hockey turfs, kabaddi and kho-kho courts, a shooting range, swimming pool, taekwondo hall, integrated strength and conditioning and rehabilitation complex, hostels, a sports science centre and a sports medicine centre. Sinha said the centre will bring world-class sports infrastructure and elite coaching facilities to the Union Territory and help nurture the next generation of Olympic and international-level athletes.
